Browns QB Joe Flacco Makes Rare Move After Being Named Starter

The Cleveland Browns made the expected move Monday, officially naming Joe Flacco their starting quarterback.

The 40-year-old will be under center when the Browns open the season Sept. 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Flacco won the four-man competition largely by default, staying healthy while Kenny Pickett (hamstring), Dillon Gabriel (hamstring) and Shedeur Sanders (oblique) all missed time during camp.

Following the announcement, Flacco reacted on social media — a rare move for the veteran who is rarely a presence online. He reposted several excited fan messages, including one that read: “Perfect, Joe Flacco is our starting quarterback for my Cleveland Browns. Let’s [expletive] go!”

Flacco did not appear in either preseason game and saw limited practice reps. But the decision makers in Cleveland are convinced he is ready in his 18th NFL season.

“The last couple of weeks, honestly, it’s been pretty good for me,” Flacco said on Aug. 13. “I’ve gotten to get more reps and get comfortable and feel like I’m doing things at a pretty high level.”

Flacco spent last season with the Indianapolis Colts. He went 2-4 in his starts, passing for 1761 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Joe Flacco Brings Experience to Browns

Flacco, who has more than 200 career starts in the regular season and postseason, will look to replicate his run with Cleveland in 2023. He passed for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions in five games, leading the Browns to a 4-1 record and a playoff berth.

“He’s a pocket passer that can make every throw from the pocket. He’s a better athlete than you think,” Stefanski last week on the Browns’ in-house special Man Under Center. “Being on different teams and being in different locker rooms and winning a Super Bowl, those types of experiences are invaluable and he shares those experiences with the football team quite a bit.”

Flacco also has the support of many key veterans in the locker room, including Pro Bowl offensive guard Joel Bitonio — the longest-tenured player on the roster.

“We have faith in the room and the coaches’ decisions, but we’ve been around Joe and he’s done a great job for us, led us to the playoffs a couple of years ago,” Bitonio said. “So we have all the faith in him. Obviously we hope all our quarterbacks aren’t banged up, kind of how it is right now. But I think he’s shown that he can lead this team and his poise and his confidence in the huddle is what you’d expect from an 18-year vet. We have all the confidence in the world in whoever they put out there, but Joe’s obviously been the healthiest guy and kind of our option right now.”

Browns Face Question With Shedeur Sanders, Kenny Pickett & Dillon Gabriel

The Browns have settled on Flacco as their starter, but questions remain about the rest of the quarterback room. There’s a growing belief that Cleveland could take the unconventional route of carrying four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.

“Even though they named their starter today, we don’t know the backup. I expect the Cleveland Browns to carry four quarterbacks on their final 53-man roster,” ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter said.

There is some pressure on the Browns to see what their rookies can do. Owner Jimmy Haslam stressed the importance of seeing Gabriel and Sanders in action as the team plans for its future.

The Browns traded for Pickett in March and he seemed to be the favorite to be the starter entering training camp. However, a hamstring injury has limited Pickett since late July.