Joe Flacc
Joseph Vincent Flacco is a American football quarterback who currently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He played college football for the University of Delaware after transferring from the University of Pittsburgh. He was the 18th overall pick by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Flacco has also played for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets.
Flacco was Baltimore’s starting quarterback from 2008 until midway through the 2018 season, and helped lead the Ravens to the playoffs six times; during his tenure in Baltimore, the Ravens won the AFC North twice, appeared in three AFC Championship Games, and beat the San Francisco 49ers to win Super Bowl XLVII following the 2012 season. Flacco was named Super Bowl XLVII’s MVP, concluding a postseason run in which he tied Joe Montana’s single postseason record for touchdown passes (11) without an interception. That off-season, he signed a six-year contract worth $120.6 million, a record high for a quarterback at the time.
A decline in performance and a hip injury resulted in Flacco losing his starting position to Lamar Jackson; he was subsequently traded to the Denver Broncos in 2019. A neck injury cut his season short with the Broncos, and he was waived with a failed physical designation. He joined the New York Jets in 2020 as a backup to Sam Darnold. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 but was traded back to the Jets after they lost Zach Wilson to injury. He joined the Cleveland Browns midway through the 2023 season following a season-ending injury to Deshaun Watson before being named as their starter for the remainder of the season.
As of the 2023 NFL season, Flacco has the most career passing yards and touchdowns for any quarterback who has never been to a Pro Bowl (he was invited to the 2015 Pro Bowl following the 2014 season, but declined). Flacco is also known for having one of the strongest arms in the NFL.
Early years
Flacco was born in Audubon, New Jersey, the son of Karen (née Madden) and Steve Flacco,[1] and is of Italian and Irish descent.[2] He played football and basketball at Audubon High School and was the starting quarterback for the Green Wave. The Flacco family is originally from Haddon Township, New Jersey. Regarded as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, Joe Flacco was listed as No. 39 among quarterback prospects in the class of 2003.[3]
Pittsburgh
In 2003, Flacco was redshirted as a freshman for a team that went 8-5.
In 2004, he was the backup quarterback finding limited playing time behind starter Tyler Palko. He only saw action in three games against Ohio University, University of Nebraska, and the University of South Florida. He finished the season with one completion for 11 yards.
Delaware
Flacco saw his first full-time action during the 2006 season. Playing for the Fightin’ Blue Hens Flacco threw for 2,783 yards, and 18 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. [4] Delaware struggled to a 5–6 record, and failed to qualify for the FCS playoffs.
In the 2007 season, Flacco led his team to an 8–3 regular season record while compiling 4,263 yards, 23 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.[4] He was considered one of college football’s most accurate passers in 2007.[5]Template:Verify credibility Arguably his best game came against Division 1-A Navy where he threw for 434 yards and four touchdowns.[6] Flacco showed another solid performance in the first-ever meeting against the Delaware State Hornets in the first round of the playoffs. Behind Omar Cuff’s record-setting day, Flacco threw efficiently for 189 yards and a touchdown, leading the Blue Hens to an easy 44–7 victory.[7] Flacco continued Delaware’s playoff run by upsetting the Northern Iowa Panthers 39–27 in the FCS quarterfinals and upsetting the Southern Illinois Salukis 20–17 the next weekend in the semifinals. Flacco threw two touchdowns to win against both the Panthers and Salukis, but went on to lose in the championship game to the Appalachian State Mountaineers 49–21.[7]
Flacco set 20 school records during his career at Delaware.[8]
In early September 2009, a 20- by 30-foot poster of Flacco was added to the facade of Delaware Stadium.[9]
At Delaware, Flacco was pessimistic about his chances to play in the NFL, and after his junior year asked his coach for permission to play baseball. The coach predicted that he would be selected in the NFL Draft, surprising Flacco.[10] With a solid showing at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine, Flacco solidified himself as a top five quarterback in the 2008 NFL Draft.[11]
Flacco won the long distance throw competition in ESPN’s State Farm College Football All-Star Challenge with a 74 yard throw, beating out Matt Ryan, Colt Brennan, Chad Henne, and John David Booty, later winning the Taco Bell Quarterback Scramble with a time of 15.72 seconds.[12] He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware.[8] He was also the first Division 1 FCS (formerly 1-AA) quarterback selected in the first round of the draft since Steve McNair went third overall to the Houston Oilers in the 1995 NFL Draft.
Baltimore Ravens
On July 16, 2008, he signed a five-year contract with a maximum value of around $30 million, and $8.75 million guaranteed.
2008 season
Due to a season-ending injury to incumbent starter Kyle Boller and an illness to former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, Flacco became the starting quarterback in the 2008 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. He completed 15 of 29 passes for 129 yards, his longest pass being a 15-yard play to Derrick Mason. He threw no touchdowns and no interceptions in his debut, but he had a 38-yard rushing touchdown,[13] which was the longest rushing touchdown by a quarterback in Ravens’ franchise history. Flacco’s touchdown put the Ravens up by 17–3; the team eventually won the game by 17–10. He led the Ravens to a 28–10 week 3 win over the Cleveland Browns despite a sub-par performance going 13/19 for 129 yards and throwing 2 interceptions (the week 2 game with the Texans was postponed due to Hurricane Ike).
In a week 4 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Flacco played his first road game, his first Monday Night Football game and also threw his first professional touchdown pass on a three yard corner to tight end Daniel Wilcox. In a week 7 victory over the Miami Dolphins, Flacco earned his first career road victory, throwing for over 230 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Through week 7, Flacco also maintained a completion percentage of 64.2, the tenth best in the NFL.
In a week 8 win over the Oakland Raiders, Flacco not only passed for a touchdown but also ran for one. Flacco also caught a 43 yard pass in a trick formation deemed the “Wildcat”. Many analysts viewed this and the last game as the potential launching point into a career of success. After the week 8 win, head coach John Harbaugh announced that the “Suggs package”, a two quarterback offense using Flacco and Troy Smith, would be part of the offense the rest of the season.
In a week 13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, he threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, for the Ravens’ sixth win in their previous seven games. In that seven game stretch, he compiled a passer rating of 99.1, the best of any quarterbacks in that span.
In a week 16 win over the Dallas Cowboys, he was 17-for-25 throwing 149 yards, one touchdown, and a passer rating of 96.9. In winning the game, he became the last quarterback to win at Texas Stadium as this was the last game ever played at Texas Stadium. This would also make him the second rookie quarterback ever to win at Texas Stadium, behind Ben Roethlisberger.
In week 17, Flacco had a new personal best, 297 yards. He was 17-of-23 for a quarterback rating of 115.8 as the Baltimore Ravens routed the Jacksonville Jaguars 27–7.
In his first season, Flacco was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week, NFL Rookie of the week, the NFLPA Rookie of the week, and NFL Rookie of the Month for November.
Flacco finished his rookie season 257/428 for a career low 2,971 yards with a total of 16 touchdowns (14 passing, 2 rushing), and 14 turn
overs (12 interceptions and 2 lost fumbles).
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