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Joe Flacco is done playing nice.
The longtime Baltimore Ravens quarterback has become a football mercenary over the last half-decade, providing immediate competency behind center of whichever team brings him along. And if you've watched NFL football during that stretch, you'd know quarterback competency is not the norm.
But while teams like the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers flounder with no apparent answer at the game's most vital position, Flacco went unsigned. So, the 41-year-old returned to the Cincinnati Bengals to back up Joe Burrow, a dynamic he's conflicted about.
"Believe me, I wish I was a guy somewhere," Flacco told reporters Wednesday. "And I think teams are dumb for not having me be that guy.
"Not being one of those guys to go sign somewhere, yeah, it pisses me off a little bit. But at the same time, I'm very happy to be here."
It's hard to argue with Flacco here. He came off his couch to lead the lowly Cleveland Browns to the playoffs in 2023, collecting Comeback Player of the Year honors along the way. Last season, Flacco joined the Bengals via midseason trade and proceeded to throw 13 touchdowns and only four interceptions in six games, maximizing the, "(Expletive) it, Ja'Marr Chase down there somewhere" strategy.
So, why didn't the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts or Las Vegas Raiders give Flacco a call?
The Vikings and Falcons both have young quarterbacks who they don't trust but aren't willing to give up on yet, making Flacco a perfect stopgap option. Flacco has experience with the Colts, and with Anthony Richardson on the trade block, he would've provided insurance for Daniel Jones as he works his way back from a torn Achilles. The Raiders, meanwhile, could've trotted out Flacco to save Fernando Mendoza from playing behind one of the NFL's worst offensive lines in Year 1.
But no, all those teams went a different direction. Flacco is aiming to prove them wrong.
"Maybe part of that does still motivate me to do what I'm doing," Flacco said. "I probably do feel that way. I feel like I have unfinished business. That's part of why I'm still here and playing and doing all those things."
Go get 'em, Joe.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Joe Flacco calls teams who didn't sign him 'dumb,' and he's not wrong
Continue reading...
The longtime Baltimore Ravens quarterback has become a football mercenary over the last half-decade, providing immediate competency behind center of whichever team brings him along. And if you've watched NFL football during that stretch, you'd know quarterback competency is not the norm.
But while teams like the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers flounder with no apparent answer at the game's most vital position, Flacco went unsigned. So, the 41-year-old returned to the Cincinnati Bengals to back up Joe Burrow, a dynamic he's conflicted about.
"Believe me, I wish I was a guy somewhere," Flacco told reporters Wednesday. "And I think teams are dumb for not having me be that guy.
"Not being one of those guys to go sign somewhere, yeah, it pisses me off a little bit. But at the same time, I'm very happy to be here."
It's hard to argue with Flacco here. He came off his couch to lead the lowly Cleveland Browns to the playoffs in 2023, collecting Comeback Player of the Year honors along the way. Last season, Flacco joined the Bengals via midseason trade and proceeded to throw 13 touchdowns and only four interceptions in six games, maximizing the, "(Expletive) it, Ja'Marr Chase down there somewhere" strategy.
So, why didn't the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts or Las Vegas Raiders give Flacco a call?
The Vikings and Falcons both have young quarterbacks who they don't trust but aren't willing to give up on yet, making Flacco a perfect stopgap option. Flacco has experience with the Colts, and with Anthony Richardson on the trade block, he would've provided insurance for Daniel Jones as he works his way back from a torn Achilles. The Raiders, meanwhile, could've trotted out Flacco to save Fernando Mendoza from playing behind one of the NFL's worst offensive lines in Year 1.
But no, all those teams went a different direction. Flacco is aiming to prove them wrong.
"Maybe part of that does still motivate me to do what I'm doing," Flacco said. "I probably do feel that way. I feel like I have unfinished business. That's part of why I'm still here and playing and doing all those things."
Go get 'em, Joe.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Joe Flacco calls teams who didn't sign him 'dumb,' and he's not wrong
Continue reading...
