Flacco expects to return to the field next season. The question is if this will happen with the Cleveland Browns.
The 39-year-old Flacco has stated several times that he wants to continue his career, but he has not made a definitive decision. Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press tweeted a report on Wednesday, January 31, confirming Flacco’s plans to play next season.
“Browns QB Joe Flacco, an AP Comeback Player of the Year finalist, intends to play next season in the NFL,” Maaddi said in a statement. “Where he plays will obviously depend on the offers he gets.”
Flacco was without a team for the first three months of the season, but his performance with the Browns helped him build a following. He was 4-1 in his regular-season starts, passing for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. His performance helped the injury-plagued Browns secure their first playoff berth since 2020, and only their third since 1999.
However, the season’s feel-good story came to an abrupt end in the playoffs. Flacco threw two costly pick-sixes against the Houston Texans in a 45-14 Wild Card win.
Browns Would ‘Love’ to Have Joe Flacco Back.
Despite his poor playoff performance, Flacco shown he still has something left in the tank. He might be a bridge quarterback for a team that lacks a proven option, or he could be a capable backup with a positive locker room presence.
The Browns will have Deshaun Watson back next season, but Flacco would be a welcome addition as their No. 2 option on the depth chart.
“He played winning football for us,” Browns general manager Andrew Berry stated during his season-ending news conference on Monday, January 22. “I’d like to bring back all of our good players, but there are limits. I’m on both sides of the political spectrum, but I’d welcome Joe back.
There are some concerns about the locker room’s warmth if Flacco returns to back up Watson. Flacco’s success in Cleveland impressed the community and many of his colleagues. If Watson struggles when he returns, it may cause stress. Berry isn’t concerned about it, though.
“Zero considerations because of how both individuals are,” Berry went on to say. “It’s not a concern internally at all.”
Joe Flacco is open to playing for the Browns again.
Flacco became a folk hero in Cleveland, with fans chanting “Wacko for Flacco.” It has put him in the running for NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Flacco is aware that if he comes to Cleveland, it will be as a backup, but he has not ruled it out.
“I’m open to being back in Cleveland, but I don’t want to rush any decisions,” Flacco stated on the “Pardon My Take” podcast on January 18. “I can’t say enough good things about how this organization is being run right now.”
He continued to brag about his time in Cleveland and his colleagues.
“How lucky was I to get on a team that was ready to make a run like that and to be around a bunch of great guys in the locker room,” said quarterback Joe Flacco. “There was something unique about being there and how the people treated me. I felt so much love, and so did my family.”
Flacco has had a remarkable career, with 43,936 yards, 245 touchdowns, and 155 interceptions.
