Joe Flacco to start for Browns at age 40, joining unique group of NFL QBs

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Joe Flacco is already part of an esteemed group as a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. On Sunday, he will join another club when he takes the field for the Cleveland Browns against the Cincinnati Bengals. Flacco, who turned 40 on Jan. 16, spent last season with the Colts. He signed with the Browns in April and will become the eighth NFL quarterback age 40 or older since 1948 to start a Week 1 game, according to Sportradar. "I don't think I've ever given it too much thought about whether I could play at a certain age or not. It's just I still feel like I can play, and I don't even look at it as I still feel like I can," said Flacco, who is going into his 18th season. "This is what I do. I play football, and I've been fortunate enough not to really get out of that mindset. "There's been times, obviously throughout my career, where I wouldn't have necessarily thought that this was going to happen, but I'm grateful to be in this position and excited to do it." Flacco beat out Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders for the starting spot. Pickett was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders on Aug. 25, leaving Gabriel and Sanders to back up Flacco. Because of Cleveland's four-way quarterback competition, Flacco did not get as many reps as a typical first-team starter during the first four weeks of training camp. He understood and adapted, though it wasn't ideal for him. "I think the best thing for this team was to kind of have the process that we had. And even though I may personally not feel like that was the best thing for myself, I can get on board and see how that was important for the team," he said. "I have been willing to play that role and go through that process and just be the best version of myself I can be." Flacco and the first-team offense played three series in the Aug. 23 preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams. He directed one touchdown drive and completed 9 of 10 passes for 71 yards and a TD. Flacco's second stint with the Browns included a full offseason with the offense. He won the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 as a late-season signing with the Browns, going 4-1 as a starter and averaging more than 300 passing yards per game. This helped Cleveland reach the playoffs for only the third time since its return in 1999. "I mean, physically he's the same, but he's had a lot of work with us going back through the spring and training camp and a lot of work here," coach Kevin Stefanski said. "He's done a nice job. I would go back to how we structured the offseason, training camp and the starter going into that (Los Angeles) Rams week. And he's gotten all of the work since then with those ones to sharpen up his game, get comfortable with the guys around him. So, he's done a really nice job to date." Flacco's 192nd regular-season start comes against the team that he made his first. He completed 15 of 29 passes for 129 yards and rushed for a career-long 37-yard touchdown in Baltimore's 17-10 victory over Cincinnati. This will be Flacco's fifth Week 1 start against the Bengals. He is 3-1 in openers against Cincinnati, but 9-12 overall in his career. This opener echoes Flacco's first start, when he had limited reps and a late decision on becoming the starter, highlighting his resilience in unexpected opportunities. "No matter how long you've played, openers feel similar," said Flacco, who is 8-5 in openers. "After six or seven months off, you're excited to get out there and see what the team's made of." With 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers starting for the Steelers on Sunday against the Jets, this will be the third time two QBs 40 or older have started a season opener the same year. With most of the 40-and-older quarterbacks — including Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Rodgers and now Flacco — emerging in the past 10 years, Stefanski thinks the graybeard QBs are not a passing fad. "It seems, with how these guys are taking care of their bodies off the field, certainly the rule changes probably help the health of the quarterbacks long term, which I think is a good thing for our league. So, I do think that's something that's here to stay," Stefanski said.