Browns' Joe Flacco opens up about possible TV gig

It was recently learned that veteran quarterback Joe Flacco could've spent at least part of the 2023 season serving as an analyst for "Inside the NFL" rather than as the temporary starter for the Cleveland Browns. 

Flacco spoke during a Wednesday news conference about what he hopes will go down as a life-changing decision. 

"Fifteen years ago, I would have told you no chance at all," Flacco said about the television opportunity, as shared by the Browns' website. "These days, I think you at least entertain the option, but yeah...I don’t know if you guys know me at all, but that’s the last thing I really want to do with my life."

Flacco remained an available free agent until he joined the Browns after Week 11 and is the replacement for star signal-caller Deshaun Watson, who is sidelined with a season-ending shoulder injury. The Super Bowl XLVII Most Valuable Player has gone 1-1 as a starter with Cleveland, and Flacco completed 26 of 45 passes for 311 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in Sunday's 31-27 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars that improved the Browns to 8-5.

"They were actually doing a thing at NFL Films, which I live 15 minutes from, so it was a good little way to go kind of feel it out and see if it was something that you’d be interested in doing, could get better at, whatever it may be," Flacco responded when asked if he auditioned for the "Inside the NFL" gig. "Like, 15 years ago, it would have been just a hard, 'no,' but it still took some convincing for me to get over there. But at the end of the day, it was an experience that was probably worth having." 

As of Wednesday evening, the ESPN Football Power Index gave the Browns an 80.0% chance to make the playoffs heading into their home game versus the 5-8 Chicago Bears this Sunday. Flacco insisted on Wednesday he's not taking "anything for granted" regarding how much longer he'll play at the highest level, but the numbers suggest the 38-year-old is on track to lead Cleveland to at least one postseason contest as long as he remains healthy.