Joe Flacco Doesn’t Hold Back After Browns Name Him Starting QB

Joe Flacco’s Career and Accomplishments

Selected 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, Flacco has built one of the league’s longest resumes at quarterback. Over 17 seasons, he has:

• Super Bowl Champion & MVP - Led the Ravens to victory in Super Bowl XLVII (2012 season), earning Super Bowl MVP honors after tying the NFL postseason record with 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions.
• NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2023) - Revived his career in Cleveland after joining midseason, guiding the Browns to a 4-1 finish and a playoff berth.
• Career totals - 45,697 passing yards, 257 touchdowns, 162 interceptions, 61.7% completion rate across 196 games.
• Postseason success - Six playoff appearances with Baltimore, three AFC Championship Games and a reputation for performing in high-pressure games.

His Last Stint as Browns Starter

Flacco’s previous run in Cleveland came late in the 2023 season after Deshaun Watson’s season-ending shoulder injury.

Signed on November 20, he started five straight games from Week 13 through Week 18, going 4-1 and throwing for over 300 yards in four consecutive wins.

His 13 touchdowns and 1,616 passing yards in that stretch helped secure the Browns’ first playoff berth since 2020.

Though Cleveland fell to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round, Flacco’s performance earned him the league’s Comeback Player of the Year award.

After spending 2024 with the Indianapolis Colts (2-4 as a starter, 1,761 yards, 12 TDs, 7 INTs), he returned to Cleveland in April on a one-year deal.

The 2025 Quarterback Competition and Why Flacco Won the Job

The Browns entered camp with Flacco, Kenny Pickett, rookies Dillon Gabriel (3rd-round pick) and Shedeur Sanders (5th-round pick), Tyler Huntley and the injured Watson. While the team publicly framed it as an open competition, injuries quickly reshaped the battle:

• Kenny Pickett - Hamstring injury on July 26; limited to individual drills, no preseason game action.
• Dillon Gabriel - Missed preseason opener with a hamstring strain; in Week 2 vs. Philadelphia Eagles, went 13-of-18 for 143 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT (a pick-six), plus a lost fumble.
• Shedeur Sanders - In preseason debut vs. Carolina Panthers, completed 14-of-23 for 138 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT; missed Week 2 with an oblique injury.
• JoeFlacco - Did not play in first two preseason games but took the overwhelming majority of first-team reps in camp and joint practices.

Despite promising flashes from both rookies, neither received consistent first-team work. As a result, Flacco was the obvious choice for several reasons:

1. Health and Availability - Flacco was the only QB in camp to avoid missed time due to injury.
2. Experience - 18th NFL season, prior success in Stefanski’s system and proven playoff track record.
3. Schedule Demands  - Difficult early-season opponents (Cincinnati, Baltimore, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings); coaches favored a steady veteran presence.
4. Developmental Plan - Gabriel and Sanders are viewed as long-term projects; both will learn behind Flacco while competing for future starts.

Whether Flacco can replicate his 2023 magic remains to be seen. But for now, the Browns have opted for the quarterback who has already proven he can win in their uniform and who, in his own words, isn’t taking the opportunity for granted.