Quarterback icon experiences unexpected Christmas fairytale

No club wanted him in the summer, but now Joe Flacco is the Cleveland Browns' hope. The 38-year-old is the fourth quarterback this season. His glory years are long behind him. But his experience could take Cleveland into the knockout rounds.

He started the season on the couch at home - and is now one reason why the Cleveland Browns have serious playoff aspirations. Yes, that actually sounds almost too cheesy, even at a time when millions of children in the USA seriously believe that a fat old man with a big beard climbs down their chimney on the night of December 24-25 to put presents in front of the fireplace.

But unlike Santa Claus, Joe Flacco is real - and according to "CNN", he is currently delivering "one of the most unlikely stories of the NFL season." Flacco may be 38 years old, but he says he currently feels "like a 10-year-old kid again." He said that a week ago. The backup quarterback led the Cleveland Browns to a 31-27 home win over the Jacksonville Jaguars with three touchdowns and 311 yards passing.

Starting quarterback for the rest of the season

The fact that it was also the 100th win of his career in the main season was more for the media. For Flacco, all that mattered was the result - the result of which was his promotion to starting quarterback. Shortly after the triumph against Jacksonville, Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski announced that Flacco would continue to be his number one playmaker in the remaining four games of the main round.

"He's seen a lot, experienced a lot, played in a lot of systems. He can draw on all this experience," said Stefanski, explaining his decision. And perhaps it will even be more than four games for Flacco and the club. The Browns have a record of 8-5 and finally have an experienced ball distributor again. "The Athletic" writes about Flacco: "He's already got gray in his beard, but there's still enough punch in his right throwing arm to give the offense a chance to keep contending for the playoffs."

Two pieces of bad news shake the Browns

The knockout round had been the Browns' goal for the season anyway. But star running back Nick Chubb tore his cruciate ligament in just the second game - and had to end the season prematurely. On November 12, the team won 33:31 at the Baltimore Ravens, but lost quarterback Deshaun Watson for the rest of the season. The playmaker, who signed a five-year contract worth 230 million dollars in spring 2022, suffered a serious shoulder injury.

Eight days later, the Browns brought Flacco onto their practice squad. He had been sitting at home in New Jersey until then, keeping himself as fit as you can as a professional who had played his last game in January, then failed to find a club and still hadn't given up the constant hope of getting a call from some team in need. The practice squad is a special group of players who are only used in training and are not part of the team's official NFL squad. Only if someone is injured there can someone on the practice squad move up.

Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP

Of course, this Joseph Vincent Flacco was not just any player that the Browns added to their practice squad. He came into the league in 2008, was the starting quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens from the very beginning - and remained so for the next ten years. The highlight: the Super Bowl victory in 2013, when Baltimore won the final 34:31 against the San Francisco 49ers in New Orleans. Flacco not only became Super Bowl champion, but also Super Bowl MVP.

He had thrown eleven touchdowns in the four playoff games that season - and not a single interception. Only the legendary Joe Montana had managed that before. Flacco was in the prime of his career - and he was a free agent at the end of the season. So there was no better time for him to turn his skills into cash. The payday came on March 4, 2013, when he signed a six-year contract with the Ravens for 120.6 million dollars - making him the highest-paid playmaker in NFL history, if only for a short time.

The Flacco era in Baltimore ended in February 2019. The Ravens had drafted and built a successor in Lamar Jackson - and no longer needed their long-time franchise quarterback, passing him on to the Denver Broncos. It was the beginning of his wandering years as a backup. Denver, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and Jets again - four clubs in four years, 20 games. The last one was a 6:11 defeat at the Miami Dolphins on January 8, 2023.

Career end after 15 years?

Then it was quiet - and the question arose as to whether that could be it? After 15 years. Because there seemed to be no more room for Flacco in the plans of the 32 teams. At least not for the time being. And so he was sitting at home in New Jersey when the new season began on September 7. Over the past few months, Flacco says he's had the feeling a few times that teams would contact him. Quarterbacks (for example Aaron Rodgers/NY Jets on the very first game day) were injured, backups proved to be too shaky. So why not ask a veteran like Flacco? But all that remained wishful thinking.

Then Deshaun Watson got injured. Flacco's phone rang and the Browns wanted him. On November 20, he signed a contract for the practice squad. Six days later, Watson's replacement, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, suffered a concussion in a 29-12 loss at Denver. His backup, P.J. Walker, replaced him - and was knocked to the ground four times. It was clear to club officials that it was time for quarterback number four of the season, time for Joe Flacco.

His 16th NFL season began on December 3 with an away game against the Los Angeles Rams. Cleveland lost 12:29, but what could have been possible after the few training sessions together? A week later, things looked very different in the 31-27 win against Jacksonville.

Teammate saw him become champion as a boy on TV

In the final quarter, Flacco threw a 41-yard pass to Dennis Bell, giving the 23-year-old wide receiver the first touchdown of his career. He was twelve years old when Flacco won the Super Bowl in 2013. "Watching him on TV as a boy and now playing with him is something special," says Bell.

Dennis Pitta experienced the best years with Flacco - and won the Super Bowl in 2013. The former tight end is the same age as Flacco, but ended his career back in 2016. When it comes to Joe, he is naturally a little biased, Pitta emphasizes. Because Joe is one of his "best friends in the world." But when he sees Flacco play now, he wonders why clubs waited so long to sign him. "He was away from football for what, nine months? Then to come to a team he doesn't know, whose wide receivers he barely knows, but to play the way he's playing is just extraordinary," says Pitta.

He caught one of Flacco's three touchdown passes in Baltimore's Super Bowl win - and he was among a group of former Ravens players who sent Flacco about 70 text messages before his season debut with the Rams, congratulating him and letting him know how proud they were of him. Flacco appreciates all of that, but also says, "I realize I'm not in my twenties anymore. But 38 isn't that old either." He has five children aged between eleven and five. But his four sons and one daughter are now at an age where they can see and understand what their dad actually does Sunday after Sunday. This is one of the reasons, or perhaps the main reason, why Flacco calls it "a unique experience".

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Despite being unsigned in the summer, Joe Flacco's American Football expertise earned him a spot as the Cleveland Browns' fourth quarterback this season. His impressive performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars, with three touchdowns and 311 yards passing, could potentially secure the Browns a spot in the NFL playoffs.

With Joe Flacco's addition to the team, the Cleveland Browns now have a seasoned quarterback who could lead them towards the NFL playoffs. Recognized as a Super Bowl champion and MVP, Flacco's experience and ability to perform under pressure could give the Browns the edge they need to excel in the remaining games of the season.

Source: www.ntv.de