Joe Flacco has emerged as the winner of the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback competition.
The Browns’ decision comes after the team held the 40-year-old Flacco out of the first two preseason games. Cleveland instead opted to give extensive playing time to rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, both of whom showed flashes.
The decision also comes as the Gabriel, Sanders and Kenny Pickett have dealt with a variety of injuries. Gabriel missed the team’s first preseason game with a hamstring injury while Sanders missed the second because of an oblique problem. Pickett has not yet played during the preseason because of a hamstring injury.
Flacco was by far the most experienced signal-caller in Cleveland’s quarterback competition. The 18-year veteran has made 191 career starts since being selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft, posting a 105-86 record and leading Baltimore to a Super Bowl 47 victory.
While Flacco has plenty of experience, he has not made a Week 1 start since 2022, when he was a member of the New York Jets. However, the 40-year-old did start six games for the Indianapolis Colts during the 2024 NFL season. The Colts went 2-4 in those outings, with Flacco completing 65.3% of his passes for 1,761 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Flacco also was the lone member of the Browns quarterback battle to have made a start for the team. He played for Cleveland in 2023 after the team suffered several injuries at quarterback. He led the Browns to a 4-1 record in five regular-season starts, which helped the team earn a wild-card berth. Flacco completed 60.3% of his passes for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions with the Browns.
Flacco, 40, projects to be the second-oldest Week 1 starter in the NFL this season. Only Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, 41, will be older.
The Browns did not provide any additional information about the team’s quarterback depth chart behind Flacco.