Joe Flacco beat out a gaggle of younger quarterbacks to win the Cleveland Browns’ beginning job for Week 1, and probably the most skilled choice within the room is ready to affix a minuscule group of NFL gamers to increase their careers into their 40s. Flacco would be the second-oldest beginning quarterback within the league this season, behind solely Aaron Rodgers. The primary-year Brown, who joined the franchise this offseason on a one-year, $4 million deal, stated it’s “particular” to get the nod at his age.
Flacco emerged victorious within the place battle over contenders Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and Tyler Huntley. Not one of the different quarterbacks in Cleveland are older than 27, whereas Flacco celebrated his fortieth birthday in January.
“I do not know if I used to be very emotional about it,” Flacco stated of profitable the job. “However, hear, you do not take as a right alternatives on this league. Particularly to get one at this level in my profession is certainly particular. However like I stated, it is just about enterprise as common and simply form of attempting to get higher.”
Whereas he has not performed a full season since 2017, his penultimate marketing campaign with the Baltimore Ravens, Flacco made begins with every of his 5 earlier groups and is contemporary off a marketing campaign during which he took over for the Indianapolis Colts with six begins.
“You gotta give a whole lot of credit score to clearly Tom (Brady) for anyone even excited about doing it,” Flacco stated of taking part in into his 40s. “Clearly there was guys earlier than. You have got Warren Moon. I talked about it a pair weeks in the past. Vinny Testaverde and different guys which have achieved it. However, I imply, he pushed the boundaries like he did in completely the whole lot. No shock that he did it in that approach, as effectively.
“However I do not suppose it is essentially one thing I actively take into consideration till folks remind me with texts and issues like that and also you guys ask me about it. I do not suppose it is an enormous deal proper now, however I am certain once I look again on it, it’s going to be fairly cool.”
Flacco’s per-game manufacturing stays totally on tempo with the numbers he posted all through his prolonged run in Baltimore. In his eight appearances final 12 months, he accomplished 65.3% of his throws, marking a profession excessive. He posted 12 touchdowns to seven interceptions with 1,761 yards.
“I really feel nearly as good as I ever have,” stated Flacco. “You get tricked slightly bit once you’re in a locker room with all these guys; you simply form of assume you are in your 20s and you retain telling your self that. However I actually do really feel nice. My arm feels simply nearly as good as ever. My legs really feel actually good proper now to do the issues that I am gonna need to do. I really feel able to go.”
