The Cleveland Browns will start veteran quarterback Joe Flacco on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, their fourth different starting QB this injury-filled season.
Flacco, 38, replaces rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who suffered a concussion last week and remains in concussion protocol. With Deshaun Watson undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery and PJ Walker also getting starts this year, Flacco becomes Cleveland’s fourth starter.
The Super Bowl MVP from Baltimore’s 2012 championship season, Flacco signed with the Browns on November 20th after Watson’s season-ending injury.
“Joe’s a pro,” said Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski on Friday. “I’ve been around pros, he’s right up there. He does his job. Very, very intelligent.”
Flacco said Wednesday he’s excited for the chance to start again after waiting unsigned during the first half of the season. With young kids at home now, he said, “it puts things in perspective.”
The veteran QB started four games for the Jets last season. His last four TD passes came against the Browns in Week 2 of 2022, including a game-winning strike to Garrett Wilson with 22 seconds left to cap New York’s comeback win.
Multiple Browns players and coaches have raved about how good Flacco has looked directing the first-team offense in practice this week. “He throws a very pretty ball,” said receiver Amari Cooper.
Cleveland will also be without Pro Bowl corner Denzel Ward again this week due to a lingering shoulder issue. Defensive star Myles Garrett is set to play despite his own shoulder injury.
Dating back to 1950, the Browns have had four QB starters in a season only twice before: 2008 and 1988. However, they’ve never had four different starting quarterbacks win a game in the same season.
The last NFL team to achieve that feat was the 2015 Houston Texans. The Browns will look to Flacco to make some history this year.
In other news, Cleveland wide receiver Michael Woods II was handed a six-game suspension on Friday for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
