BEREA, Ohio: Less than per week in the past, Joe Flacco was house in southern New Jersey having fun with semi-retirement, watching NFL video games on TV and infrequently slinging a small soccer round within the entrance yard together with his 4 boys.
Then the Browns known as.
So, the 38-year-old hopped in his automobile and drove seven hours to Cleveland for his first NFL exercise.
“Next thing you know,” Flacco mentioned. “I’m here.”
In yet one more twist to an odd season in Cleveland, Flacco, who spent a lot of his profession tormenting the Browns whereas enjoying for AFC North rival Baltimore, is now on their observe squad and maybe weeks — if not days — from changing into the crew’s new beginning quarterback.
Wearing a freshly issued grey Browns hoodie on Wednesday earlier than observe, Flacco regarded across the giant room on the orange helmets hanging in locker stalls and soaked in his new soccer house.
He’s seen sufficient in his profession to not be shocked.
“This is my 16th year in the locker room, you’ve seen a million things,” he mentioned. “So to be super surprised by something, you probably don’t have your head in the right spot. You shouldn’t be surprised by anything at this point.”
Flacco’s arrival offers the Browns (7-3) an insurance coverage coverage going ahead now that they’re beginning rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson after Deshaun Watson was misplaced for the season with a fractured proper shoulder. Watson had surgical procedure on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
Thompson-Robinson, who led the Browns to a 13-10 win over Pittsburgh final week in his second profession begin, shall be on the market once more this week at Denver, and it seems the crew is prepared to let him maintain on to the job so long as he can.
But if he stumbles, Flacco — who has thrown for 42,320 yards and 232 touchdowns and has been a Super Bowl MVP — can take over.
And regardless of not being on a crew all season, Flacco believes he can nonetheless play. He stayed in form whereas ready to see if there was any curiosity.
“I do feel like I have stuff left in the tank,” he mentioned. “So I owe it to myself to continue to push forward and try to play the game that I love until I really don’t feel like I can do it anymore.”
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski wouldn’t decide to his backup QB this week in opposition to the Broncos (5-5). But there’s an opportunity it is going to be Flacco, who must be elevated to the energetic roster.
Along with having him accessible to switch Thompson-Robinson, the Browns are relying on Flacco to assist mentor the younger QB.
And Thompson-Robinson is embracing the prospect to work with a quarterback he grew up watching — even one who may take his job.
“Joe coming in here is more of a blessing than anything,” Thompson-Robinson mentioned. “I’m asking him a bunch of questions. We were chopping it up a ton this morning. He’s in the early meetings with us and me and (backup) P.J. (Walker). It’s great, man.
“He’s fit in so well, I’ve only known him for just about a day with him being here. So I love Joe. It’s been awesome.”
For the time being, Flacco mentioned his main focus is on gelling with a Cleveland crew he has been impressed with from afar.
The Browns are off to one in every of their greatest begins in twenty years regardless of a rash of accidents and beginning three completely different quarterbacks.
Obstacles have solely bonded them.
“They seem like a very close group,” he mentioned. “These guys have obviously really put it together on defense. They’ve run the ball consistently all year, even with losing out on the best back in the league with (Nick) Chubb. So it’s been impressive to watch them kind of just continue to fight.”
Flacco is aware of what it takes to win. After all, he performed 11 seasons with the Ravens, who like these Browns have been led by a tenacious protection that all the time gave them an opportunity to win.
This has all occurred shortly and considerably unexpectedly for Flacco, who wasn’t certain if he had performed his final recreation when walked off the sphere following the season finale with the New York Jets in 2022.
He’s now in Cleveland, of all locations, after going 18-3 in opposition to the Browns.
It’s a giant change for him and his children, who’re all into soccer. It’s particularly completely different for fourth grader Daniel, who was born 90 minutes earlier than his dad performed in opposition to the Browns 10 years in the past and already has switched loyalty.
“His Christmas list has like 50 Browns things on it almost instantly,” Flacco mentioned.
NOTES: Cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder) was one of the notable starters to overlook observe. He labored on the aspect with safeties Grant Delpit (thigh) and Juan Thornhill (calf) and linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (hamstring). Stefanski mentioned Walker, who received harm Sunday, isn’t a candidate for injured reserve.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
