


Less than two weeks after signing with the Browns’ practice squad, veteran Joe Flacco will be under center on Sunday against the Rams as the team’s fourth starting quarterback this season, the team announced Friday.
The former Jets backup will replace Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who remains in the concussion protocol, after the rookie suffered the head injury in a Week 12 loss to the Broncos.
Cleveland made the call to go with the 38-year-old Flacco rather than start PJ Walker, who started two games this season and will be No. 2 on the depth chart in Week 13.
The carousel of quarterbacks in Cleveland got started after Deshaun Watson went down with a shoulder injury before undergoing season-ending surgery in November.
Flacco hasn’t played in an NFL game since Jan. 8, when he started for the Jets in their final game of last season, an 11-6 loss to the Dolphins.
His last NFL win ironically came against the Browns in Week 2 as he led he Jets to a thrilling come-front-behind victory that included a game-winning touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson with 22 seconds left.
“Joe’s a pro,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Friday, per the Associated Press. “I’ve been around pros, he’s right up there. He does his job. Very, very intelligent.”
At lest one receiver lauded the veteran signal-caller for his abilities.
“He throws a very pretty ball,” wide receiver Amari Cooper said, per the AP. “I don’t know if it’s intentional or what, but when he drops back and he lets it go, the whole motion is like poetry in motion. It looks good.”
Flacco said there is “excitement” for the opportunity, especially with the Browns sitting at 7-4 and looking to make the postseason.
“There’s so many things that add to it now, having young kids and feeling their excitement about it,” he said. “And when you are away, it puts things in perspective a little bit.”

Flacco was the Super Bowl MVP with the Ravens during the 2012 season, he has thrown for 42,320 yards and 232 touchdowns during the course of his 15-year career.
After spending 11 years in Baltimore, Flacco worked as a backup with both the Broncos (2019) and Jets (2020-22).
With New York, started nine times, passing for 2,253 yards with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions.