Joe Flacco of the Cleveland Browns has attracted criticism and generated headlines within the first few months of his present stint with the group for making it identified on a number of events that he cares extra about successful the beginning quarterback job than about mentoring 2022 first-round draft choice Kenny Pickett, 2025 third-round decide Dillon Gabriel and 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders.
Throughout a current chat with NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports activities Illustrated, Flacco expanded on his mindset amid the league’s most original quarterback competitors.
“I need to play soccer,” Flacco stated instantly. “But in addition, I need to be a extremely good teammate, I actually do. I take pleasure in being in that locker room, and simply being across the guys. I feel that’s all part of it. I’ve talked about the way it’s not essentially my job, however on the similar time, I’m additionally not gonna draw back from doing these issues. I’m not nervous about instructing guys and having that come again and chunk me. Yeah, you bought questions and also you need solutions, ‘Yeah, come ask me, man.'”
Flacco went 4-1 as a starter to information the 2023 Browns to a playoff berth, however he extra just lately played poorly in a pair of November begins after the Indianapolis Colts benched 2023 first-round draft decide Anthony Richardson. Whereas the Browns acquired Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles earlier than Cleveland re-signed Flacco earlier this offseason, FanDuel Sportsbook has persistently listed the one-time Tremendous Bowl Most Invaluable Participant because the betting favourite (+116 odds) to finally be named the Browns’ 2025 Week 1 QB1.
As a lot as folks within the Browns insist the membership is just not punting on the upcoming season with the 2026 draft class in thoughts, the cruel reality of the matter is that Flacco is a 40-year-old on a roster that’s expected to lose greater than it wins via Week 18. However, Flacco sounds assured he may have not less than yet one more magical run within the tank.
“There’s loads that’s out of your management at a sure level, however my mindset is, ‘Dude, I’m gonna win this job, go on the market and have an superior season.’ And go do it time and again,” Flacco added throughout his feedback. “My mindset continues to be that. I’m wanting ahead to going on the market and proving to myself and my household that I nonetheless acquired it, and I’m gonna do that for a pair extra years.”
It’s unclear if Flacco would ask to be traded or launched if he ended coaching camp as a backup with Cleveland. For now, he’ll hope to offer Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders some tips on how one can be a starter on the highest stage by taking part in effectively in significant video games this coming fall.
