Quarterback Joe Flacco left the Indianapolis Colts at the end of the 2024 season; a free agent, he was rumored to be joining the New York Giants, despite his age (40) and his less-than-stellar play in 2024.
However, Flacco has found himself another QB position, and it's not in New York; instead, he is reuniting with the team that helped him earn the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. According to Adam Schefter, he has signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns.
Reunion: the Cleveland Browns and veteran quarterback Joe Flacco reached agreement today on a one-year, $4 million deal worth up to $13 million with incentives, his agency @JLSports3 told ESPN. Flacco now will return to Cleveland, where he won the NFL’s Comeback Player of the… pic.twitter.com/pOaCuhrVmS
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 11, 2025
According to Schefter, Flacco had interest from multiple other teams, including the Steelers and the Vikings. Instead, he made the choice to reunite with the Browns, who he helped lead to the playoffs in 2023.
He did not have the same effect in Indianapolis; when he stepped in for Anthony Richardson after he was benched, he played poorly, leading to fans calling for Richardson to be reinstated. After Flacco ultimately left the Colts, he made it clear that there wasn't much love lost for him.
"When you're 8-9, there's probably a ton of spots where you could look and convince yourself that we were almost there," he said. "I don't necessarily think that's the right mindset. I don't think we should be trying to trick ourselves into thinking that we're almost there. I think we should acknowledge, 'Yeah, we are almost there, but we're not there.' I think when you acknowledge that, you free yourself up to get better and take that next step."