Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski named Joe Flacco the starting quarterback going forward after he threw for 311 yards, three touchdowns and just one interception in last Sunday’s 31-27 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He promptly was signed to the team’s active roster this past week on a one-year deal and is now 1-1 as the starter. He’s helped stabilize the team’s season after Deshaun Watson was lost for the year and P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson struggled in the starting role.
“He’s the adult on the team,” a team source told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini regarding Flacco.
At 39, Flacco is the team’s oldest player and elder statesmen, but it’s helped that he’s played well, throwing for 565 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions while taking three sacks. Given the team’s elite defense and solid run game, all the Browns required from the quarterback position was a bit of competence. Flacco has provided it.
“He’s one us,” superstar defensive end Myles Garrett told reporters regarding Flacco after the win over the Jags. “And as long as he continues what he’s doing, he’s going to stay one of us.”
“The guy doing it all,” he added. “He’s just giving it all for this team and got respect from the rest of the guys as well.”
Flacco started the season unsigned and last played for the New York Jets last year, throwing for 1,051 yards, five touchdowns and seven interceptions. The Browns initially signed him to the practice squad on Nov. 20 to provide depth at quarterback, and the rest is history.
He also has every incentive—literally—to continue playing at a high level. Flacco will earn $75,000 per regular-season win down the stretch, per ESPN’s Jake Trotter, along with pocketing $250,000 for a Wild Card win, $500,000 for a divisional round victory, $1 million for an AFC Championship Game win and $2 million for a Super Bowl title.
But for now, the veteran quarterback is just happy to be playing again.
“It’s unbelievable to be out there,” he told reporters Sunday. “It’s really a unique experience. To have children that are of the age where they understand what’s going on, and I’m going to remember these things forever. I’m just trying to stay in the moment and be as grateful as possible and keep
getting better.”
