Former Super Bowl champion QB believes he can still play in NFL

Even though Joe Flacco is 38 years old and has not been a full-time starting quarterback since the 2017 season, he still believes that he can play in the NFL and is hoping for a chance at some point this season.

Flacco, who spent the past three seasons as a backup with the New York Jets, remains unsigned and told ESPN this week that he has no plans on officially announcing his retirement anytime soon. 

He also sees it as a silver lining that he is not in camp as a backup right now.

"Listen, I can still play. That's me talking, obviously. I'm hoping that there's the silver lining that I'm not anywhere right now and that I can be available to anybody. I'm not saying it's going to be the truth, but if I was tied up with somebody as a backup and just didn't play at all when all of a sudden three guys go down, well, I'd probably be in the back of my head be thinking, 'Oh, man, would I have had an opportunity to go there?' So I do think that at the point that my career is in, it is a positive thing in a lot of ways that I'm not anywhere right now, because if somebody does need somebody, at least I'm available."

At his peak Flacco was a big-armed quarterback that was a strong fit for a Baltimore Ravens team that won games with a tough defense and a physical running game. He put everything together for one magical playoff run in 2012 that resulted in a Super Bowl championship.

His career started to stall at that point, and when the Ravens drafted Lamar Jackson it was pretty clear that the team was looking for more dynamic play from the position. After leaving Baltimore at the end of the 2018 season he spent the past four years in Denver and New York, starting only 17 games between the stops. His teams have gone only 3-14 during that stretch, while he has thrown 20 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. 

Overall his play has been fine for what you expect out of a veteran backup, and his dismal record is more of a reflection on the teams he has most recently played for. 

Flacco is right that he does have an interesting opportunity at this point. Injuries happen, and he would almost certainly be at the top of any list for a team that finds itself in that situation. He has the experience and could probably grasp a new offense quickly enough to step in as a short-term replacement. 

He just needs to have some patience. His opportunity could happen at any moment.