For his career, QB Joe Flacco has only played for one AFC North team. The Baltimore Ravens.
Until today.
Flacco will get the nod for the Cleveland Browns when they take on the Los Angeles Rams later this afternoon. The Browns’ fourth starting quarterback of the season, Cleveland is turning to Flacco with rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson still in concussion protocol. While it makes for a strange sight, Flacco wearing brown instead of his Ravens purple and black, at least one Ravens Hall of Famer doesn’t mind. For Ed Reed, get what you can get, play for who will pay you.
So long as it’s not the Steelers.
Speaking with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Reed said he’s cool with Flacco suiting up for a former divisional foe.
“It’s not like he’s going to the Steelers, man!” Reed told Rapoport. “He’s somewhere that actually has a connection to Baltimore. But I’m all for it. It might be a Cinderella thing, it might be awesome, if Joe can get them to the playoffs.”
Of course, Reed is referring to the time the Cleveland Browns packed up for Baltimore in the middle of the night to leave for Cleveland. Not exactly a fond memory for fans but a connection all the same.
Flacco isn’t just mopping up the Browns’ season. Sitting at 7-4, Cleveland is in the middle of a playoff race with a win today going a long way toward securing its spot in the field. Faced with a spate of injuries on offense, losing their starting quarterback, running back, and both tackles, they’ve relied on their defense to make plays. Cleveland’s unit has responded but it needs the offense to do something along the way. Despite being with the team for just weeks, Flacco gets the call over turnover-prone veteran P.J. Walker.
Flacco last started a game in 2022. He finished out the New York Jets’ season, posting middling numbers and losing the finale to a Skylar Thompson-“led” Miami Dolphins team, a field goal fest where the Dolphins came out on top in the final seconds, freezing Pittsburgh out of the playoffs.
This time, Flacco will try to lead a playoff contender for at least one game. If he can play well, there’s a chance the Browns will stick with him even after Thompson-Robinson clears concussion protocol.
