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QB Joe Flacco eager to show his new Browns teammates ‘I can still play’
Browns QB Joe Flacco is grateful for the chance to play with Cleveland.
BEREA, Ohio — Ten years ago, Joe Flacco’s wife, Dana, gave birth to their second son, Daniel, just 1 1/2 hours before Flacco took the field in Baltimore to beat the Browns 14-6 in his sixth season of sheer dominance over the team he’s now playing for.
Now a fourth grader and the second of his five kids — four sons and a daughter ages 5-11, Daniel is one of the biggest Browns fans out there now.
“My 10-year-old — probably all of ‘em to a certain extent — but him especially, his Christmas list has like 50 Browns things on it almost instantly,” Flacco, signed to the practice squad on Monday, said Wednesday in his introductory press conference.
Flacco, 38, who went 17-3 against the Browns as a Raven and 1-0 with the Jets — that improbable 31-30 come-from-behind victory in Week 2 last season — looked out of context in his Browns sweatshirt Wednesday, standing behind a backdrop full of orange helmets.
“There’s probably a little bit of strangeness to it,” Flacco, the former Super Bowl MVP, said. “But overall, you kind of come in here and you focus on meeting the new guys that are on your team and it just feels like football and that’s the most important thing.”
Football was something Flacco wasn’t sure he’d get to enjoy this holiday season — at least not the playing aspect of it. After going 1-3 with the Jets last season, including a loss in the season finale in which he played well, Flacco didn’t get the opportunities he thought he would.
“I kind of figured I probably would the way last season ended, but as I sat at home for most of this year, I was probably beginning to lose a little bit of faith in that,” he said. “I have a lot of pride in myself and (I was) very surprised at least early on and throughout the course of the offseason. (But) this is my 16th year in the locker room. To be super surprised by something, you probably don’t have your head in the right spot.”
Flacco (6-6, 245) started the Jets’ first three games last season, going 1-2 before being benched in favor of Zach Wilson. But he was called on to start the season finale, going 18 of 33 for 149 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions en route to a 66.4 rating in an 11-6 loss to the Dolphins. Despite the loss, Flacco felt he finished strong.
“Not that we were able to win that game (an 11-6), but I definitely believe I can still play. And like I said, I’m focused on the day to day. And as long as I can do that, then whatever happens, I think that whatever my role ends up being and wherever this takes me, then I’ll do my best at that.”
Flacco, who will likely be elevated to the active roster for the No. 2 role Sunday in Denver, wasn’t focused on his role as he practiced with the team for the first time on Wednesday.
“I want to take it day by day,” he said. “Listen, I’m a veteran guy that’s been around a lot. At this point in the season with a team that’s doing well. So, I think there’s a lot of different things that I can bring to the table. But I honestly just want to keep it day to day and focus on what I can. And right now, that’s just kind of learning the offense and becoming a part of the team.” Browns rookie Dorian Thompson, coming off of his 13-10 victory over the Steelers in which he orchestrated the 48-yard gamewinning field goal drive, doesn’t have time to worry about looking over his shoulder at the former Super Bowl MVP — the guys with a 99-81 record and 42,320 yards. “Shoot, I mean, if y’all would’ve been inside my body to feel the pressure I felt when they were chanting my name, when I had everybody thinking about this game and the Steelers and how big that rivalry was, Joe coming in here is more of a blessing than anything,” he said. “Like I said, I’m asking him a bunch of questions. We were chopping it up a stuff ton this morning. He’s in the early meetings with us and me and P.J. now, so it’s great, man. He’s fit in so well, and, like I said, I’ve only known him for just about a day with him being here. So I love Joe. It’s been awesome.” Kevin Stefanski declined to say who will be his QB2 in Denver, but hasn’t given Flacco specific marching orders on his role. “He’s a pro,” Stefanski said. “He just has to be a great teammate and that’s what he’s done. And part of being a great teammate is showing up and doing your job and think about all the guys we’ve had over the years, veterans that provide great leadership without having to say much. We have guys on our roster now that do that. So Joe’s just going to be himself in his own unique and authentic way and help this football team by the way he prepares.”
In the same week that Flacco agreed to sign to the Browns practice squad, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was lost for the season to a torn ligament in his right wrist. Did the Bengals try to lure him away from the Browns? Afterall, they’re as well-versed in all things Baltimore Joe as the Browns are. The difference is, he didn’t own Bengals, going 9-12 against them.
“No, you don’t even think about that stuff,” Flacco said. “You make a decision and you feel good about it. And really my decision was just some kind of opportunity and I know I still want to play football and anywhere anything close to being put in the locker room and given that opportunity, all the other things kind of go out the window at that point. You don’t really look back.”
Flacco did such a great job of staying in shape that the Browns were all impressed with his excellent workout last Friday at their team headquarters in Berea. In addition to showing off his still strong arm, he moved well on his feet, which is imperative in this offense.
“Working out is so much so part of my life now and throwing the football is so much fun,” he said. “I haven’t really been able to throw to like top speed targets, but I’ve been able to keep my arm in shape and that stuff will come when you get out there and get with these guys.”
Granted, he might have to put a little heat back on the ball now that he’s no longer throwing to 5 to 11 years olds.
“Well, I was using a small ball in the front yard when throwing to those guys, so maybe not the best thing,” he said with a laugh.
Moreso than anything, Flacco was ready to get that NFL-sized pigskin back in his hand and prove something to himself and others, maybe even the kiddos. Like other longtime veterans such as Aaron Rodgers, 39, and Matt Stafford, 35, he believes he can still play at a high level. Tom Brady set the bar at the 40s for NFL quarterbacks, and Flacco is among those who believe age is just a number.
“To a certain extent, it’s all I know,” Flacco said. “I still have a lot of fun doing it. I do feel like I have stuff left in the tank, so I owe it to myself to continue to push forward and try to play the game that I love until I really don’t feel like I can do it anymore.” All one had to do was look back at last year’s historic comeback against the Browns to see that the fire still burns within. Flacco threw two touchdown passes in the final 82 seconds of that game, including a 66-yarder to Corey Davis on the second play of a 75 drive with 1:22 left. He threw the 15-yard gamewinner to rookie Garrett Wilson with 22 seconds left after New York recovered the onside kick.
“In terms of just how crazy it was and how unlikely, it was probably the craziest game that I’ve been a part of in the finish,” Flacco said. “The locker room after that game — sorry, guys — I mean, it was another level, but it was Week 2. I think these guys have a lot more, we have a lot more to play for at this point in the season, 10 weeks in, 7-3, so this is when it really gets exciting.”
He’s sure it’s crossed his family’s mind that he has a chance to lead another team to a Super Bowl victory like he did in 2012 with the Ravens, beating the 49ers 34-31. Along the way, he threw for three first-half TDs en route to a 124.2 rating and Super Bowl MVP honors.
“You really have to focus on the daily part of it and taking it day by day,” he said. “Five, six days ago that was coming out here and making sure that I could have the best workout that I’ve had. Now it’s coming in here and grinding away and trying to learn the offense and listening to everything during the walkthroughs and also becoming part of the team. Prove that I belong to be on the team.
“Go out to practice today and when I throw the ball, make sure people see that I can still do it. And I mean my teammates, you want to be a part of the locker room for real, and I think that’s the number one goal.”
Even before Flacco came here for his workout, he got a call from Stefanski’s mentor Gary Kubiak, the former Ravens assistant, Broncos head coach and Vikings coordinator.
“(He) just had a lot of praise for these guys and I trust Gary’s word,” Flacco said. “I was only with him one year, but very honest man. And so what he says goes and definitely had a lot of good things to say about it, so I’ve seen that so far.”
Flacco has watched the Browns from afar and can tell they’re a very close-knit group.
“These guys have obviously really put it together on defense,” he said. “They’ve run the ball consistently all year, even with losing out on the best back in the league with (Nick) Chubb. So it’s been impressive to watch them kind of just continue to fight. And when you’re here in the locker room, you hear about how close the team is from some of the guys that I know and you can see it right away.”
One thing he’s grateful for: that he doesn’t have to worry about sacked by Myles Garrett anymore.
“They always look a little bit more inviting and friendly when they’re not in their uniform and helmet and shoulder pads,” Flacco said. “But yeah, he’s a monster and he’s had a hell of a year, so definitely good to be on the same side as him.”
Stefanski thinks so too.
