First, he found himself on a flight to Cleveland, transitioning from a veteran spending time on the couch to becoming a key leader for the Browns, guiding them to the playoffs. However, his stint with the team was short-lived as they suffered a devastating loss to Houston on Super Wild Card Weekend, leading Joe Flacco back to the offseason couch.
Now, he’s landed in Indianapolis, where he’ll be backing up second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. Despite earning the Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, this opportunity with the Colts seemed like the best fit for Flacco.
Indianapolis Colts QB Joe Flacco on backup role behind Anthony Richardson:
"Help him simplify things and go out there and play fast and use his skillset the way he wants to"
Flacco officially signed with the Colts today. pic.twitter.com/thfV1kyWtq
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) March 22, 2024
Reflecting on his journey, Flacco, now 39, expressed gratitude for the opportunity with the Colts, especially considering his uncertain free agency period. Despite not playing many games last season, Flacco remained determined to continue playing football and appreciated Indianapolis reaching out to him.
After spending much of 2023 backing up Gardner Minshew, who has since moved on to the Raiders, the Colts recognized the importance of having a reliable backup quarterback. They were impressed by what they saw in Flacco and valued his experience.
Although Flacco understands he won’t be competing for a starting role in 2024, he acknowledges the possibility of seeing playing time, as he did last season. He aims to support Richardson and share his experience to help simplify the game for him.
While Flacco admits he had hoped to return to Cleveland after his positive experience with the Browns, he understands that he didn’t quite fit their quarterback preferences. Nonetheless, he’s grateful for the opportunity to continue playing in the NFL, especially after experiencing uncertainty in free agency the previous year.
