History of Joe Flacco in Timeline
Joe Flacco is a professional American football quarterback currently playing for the Cleveland Browns. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft after playing college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. Known for his strong arm, Flacco led the Ravens to victory in Super Bowl XLVII and was named Super Bowl MVP. After several seasons with the Ravens, he played for the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, and Philadelphia Eagles before joining the Browns. He is considered a veteran quarterback with a notable career in the NFL.
January 16, 1985: Birth in Audubon, New Jersey
Joe Flacco was born on January 16, 1985, in Audubon, New Jersey.
January 16, 1985: Joe Flacco's Birth
On January 16, 1985, Joseph Vincent Flacco was born. He is an American professional football quarterback.
1995: McNair Drafted by the Oilers
In the 1995 NFL draft, Steve McNair went third overall to the Houston Oilers, marking the last time a Division I-FCS quarterback was selected in the first round before Joe Flacco.
2001: Beginning of Brady and Manning Era
2001 was the year that both Tom Brady and Peyton Manning became starting quarterbacks in the NFL, marking the beginning of their era of dominance.
2003: High School Recruit
In 2003, Joe Flacco was considered a three-star recruit by Rivals.com, ranking him as the No. 39 quarterback prospect.
2003: Redshirted Freshman
In 2003, Joe Flacco was redshirted as a freshman for the Pittsburgh Panthers football team.
2004: Backup Quarterback at Pittsburgh
In 2004, Joe Flacco served as the backup quarterback at Pittsburgh behind Tyler Palko, seeing action in three games.
2004: Missed Playoffs for the Second Straight Season
In 2016, The Ravens missed the playoffs for the second straight season, the first consecutive playoff misses for the franchise since 2004-2005.
2005: Transferred to University of Delaware
In 2005, Joe Flacco transferred to the University of Delaware, becoming ineligible to play that season.
2005: First Home Opener Loss Since 2005
In 2014, the loss against the Bengals marked the first time since 2005 that the Ravens lost their home opener.
2005: Missed Playoffs for the Second Straight Season
In 2016, The Ravens missed the playoffs for the second straight season, the first consecutive playoff misses for the franchise since 2004-2005.
2006: First Full-Time Action at Delaware
During the 2006 season, Joe Flacco saw his first full-time action at the University of Delaware, throwing for 2,783 yards and 18 touchdowns.
2007: Led Delaware to FCS Championship Game
In the 2007 season, Joe Flacco led the University of Delaware to an 8-3 regular-season record, compiling 4,263 yards and 23 touchdowns, ultimately losing in the FCS National Championship Game to Appalachian State.
July 16, 2008: Signed with Baltimore Ravens
On July 16, 2008, Joe Flacco signed a five-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens.
2008: Wild Card Victory
During the 2008-09 NFL playoffs, Joe Flacco became the third rookie quarterback in NFL history to win his first post-season start, defeating the Miami Dolphins 27-9 in the wild card round.
2008: Starting Quarterback for Baltimore
From 2008, Joe Flacco became Baltimore's starting quarterback.
2008: NFL Draft Preparation
In 2008, Joe Flacco solidified himself as a top quarterback prospect through performances at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine, also winning the long distance throw competition at ESPN's State Farm College Football All-Star Challenge.
2008: Drafted by Ravens
In 2008, Joe Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the NFL draft.
2008: Became Starting Quarterback
In the 2008 season, due to injuries and illness of other quarterbacks, Joe Flacco became the starting quarterback for the Ravens, making his debut against the Cincinnati Bengals and leading the team to a 17-10 victory.
January 2009: NFL Rookie of the Year
In January 2009, Joe Flacco was named the Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year.
2009: Best Record After Three Games Since 2009
After their Week 3 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Joe Flacco and the Ravens had accrued a 3-0 record, their best record after three games since 2009.
December 26, 2010: Playoff Appearance and Career Milestone
On December 26, 2010, Joe Flacco led his team to the playoffs for the third consecutive season and reached 10,000 career passing yards during a game against the Cleveland Browns.
2010: Mark Sanchez's Postseason Achievement
In 2010, Mark Sanchez was the first NFL quarterback to defeat both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in the same postseason.
2010: Wild Card Victory Against Chiefs
In the 2010-11 NFL playoffs, Joe Flacco led the Ravens to a 30-7 victory against the Chiefs in the Wild Card Round, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to start and win a playoff game in each of his first three seasons.
2011: Divisional Round Loss
In 2011, Joe Flacco and the Ravens lost to the Steelers in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs despite taking an early lead.
April 2012: Statement on Being the Best
In April 2012, Joe Flacco stated that he was the best quarterback in the NFL.
2012: Super Bowl XLVII Win
Following the 2012 season, the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII with Joe Flacco as quarterback. He was named Super Bowl XLVII's MVP and then signed a six-year contract worth $120.6 million.
January 6, 2013: Wild Card Win and Divisional Round Rematch
On January 6, 2013, Joe Flacco led the Ravens to a 24-9 Wild Card victory against the Indianapolis Colts, setting up a Divisional Round rematch with the Denver Broncos, where he threw the "Mile High Miracle" touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones.
January 2013: Flacco Endorses Haribo and McDonald's
In January 2013, Joe Flacco endorsed Haribo and signed an endorsement deal with McDonald's to promote their new menu item, the Mighty Wings.
January 20, 2013: AFC Championship Victory
On January 20, 2013, Joe Flacco and the Ravens defeated the New England Patriots 28-13 in the AFC Championship Game, securing their spot in the 2013 Super Bowl. Flacco became the second NFL quarterback to defeat both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in the same postseason since 2001.
February 3, 2013: Super Bowl XLVII Victory
On February 3, 2013, Joe Flacco led the Baltimore Ravens to a 34–31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. He completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns, earning him the game's Most Valuable Player award and a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette.
March 4, 2013: Signed Record-Breaking Contract
On March 4, 2013, Joe Flacco signed a six-year contract worth $120.6 million, making him the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history at the time. However, he was soon surpassed by Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan.
September 15, 2013: Birth of Second Son
On September 15, 2013, Joe Flacco's second son was born, about an hour before the start of the Ravens' home opener.
2013: Statistically Worst Season
In 2013, Joe Flacco had statistically the worst season of his career, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns and missing the playoffs for the first time. Despite throwing for 3,912 passing yards, he had a career-low passer rating of 73.1.
2013: Ranked 19th on NFL Top 100 Players of 2013
In 2013, Joe Flacco was ranked 19th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players list after his Super Bowl XLVII performance.
2013: First Pick-Six Since 2013
In 2015, Joe Flacco threw his first pick-six since the 2013 season finale.
2014: Home Opener Loss Against Bengals
During the 2014 season home opener, the Ravens lost to the Bengals 16-23, despite an 80-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to Steve Smith Sr., which was the longest touchdown throw of Flacco's career at the time. He finished the game with 345 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
2014: Best Regular Season of Career
In 2014, Joe Flacco had the best regular season of his career, setting highs in passing yards (3,986), passing touchdowns (27), times sacked (19), and fumbles (5). He led Baltimore to a 10-6 record.
2014: Invited to 2015 Pro Bowl
In 2014, Joe Flacco was invited to the 2015 Pro Bowl as an alternate due to his performance that season.
2014: Ranked 58th on NFL Top 100 Players of 2014
In 2014, Joe Flacco was ranked 58th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players list. This came after a statistically poor season in 2013.
2014: Season before Pro Bowl Invitation
The 2014 season was the season before Joe Flacco was invited to the Pro Bowl.
January 2015: Prior to First Pro Bowl Selection
Before January 2015, Joe Flacco had never been selected for the Pro Bowl.
2015: Loss Against the Broncos
During the 2015 season opener against the Broncos, Joe Flacco threw two interceptions, including a pick-six, contributing to the Ravens' loss.
2015: Declined Pro Bowl Invitation
In 2015, Joe Flacco declined the invitation to play in the Pro Bowl because his wife was due to give birth to their third child that month.
2015: Ranked 97th on NFL Top 100 Players
In 2015, Joe Flacco was ranked number 97 on the NFL Top 100 Players list, marking his lowest ranking on the list.
2015: Season-Ending Injuries
In 2015, during the Week 11 game against the Rams, Joe Flacco suffered a torn ACL and MCL, ending his season. He completed the drive despite the injuries, leading the Ravens to a 16-13 win.
March 2, 2016: Agreed to Three-Year Extension
On March 2, 2016, Joe Flacco agreed to a three-year contract extension to remain with the Baltimore Ravens.
July 26, 2017: Back Injury Diagnosis
On July 26, 2017, Joe Flacco was diagnosed with a back injury, ruling him out for 3–6 weeks of training camp.
September 9, 2018: Season-Opening Victory Against Bills
On September 9, 2018, Joe Flacco threw for three touchdowns and had a passer rating of 121.7 in the season-opening 47-3 victory against the Buffalo Bills.
2018: Backup Quarterback
In 2020, Joe Flacco signed with the New York Jets as the backup quarterback to 2018 first-round pick Sam Darnold.
2018: End of Starting Role in Baltimore
Midway through the 2018 season, Joe Flacco's tenure as the starting quarterback for Baltimore ended.
February 13, 2019: Agreed to Trade to Broncos
On February 13, 2019, the Ravens agreed to trade Joe Flacco to the Denver Broncos in exchange for their fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
March 13, 2019: Trade to Broncos Official
On March 13, 2019, the trade sending Joe Flacco to the Denver Broncos became official.
2019: 2019 Season with the Broncos
During the 2019 season with the Broncos, Joe Flacco threw for 1,822 passing yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions in eight games before suffering a season-ending neck injury.
2019: Traded to the Denver Broncos
In 2019, Joe Flacco was traded to the Denver Broncos.
March 19, 2020: Broncos Release Flacco
On March 19, 2020, the Broncos released Joe Flacco with a failed physical designation.
April 2020: Neck Surgery
In April 2020, Joe Flacco underwent neck surgery.
May 27, 2020: Signed with New York Jets
On May 27, 2020, Joe Flacco signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the New York Jets as a backup quarterback.
July 30, 2020: Placed on PUP List
On July 30, 2020, Joe Flacco was placed on the active/physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp.
September 5, 2020: Activated from PUP List
On September 5, 2020, Joe Flacco was activated from the physically unable to perform list at the start of the regular season.
October 7, 2020: Named Jets' Starter
On October 7, 2020, Joe Flacco was named the starting quarterback for the Jets due to Sam Darnold's shoulder injury.
2020: Joined the New York Jets
In 2020, Joe Flacco joined the New York Jets as a backup quarterback.
2020: Backed up Jalen Hurts
In 2021, Joe Flacco signed with the Philadelphia Eagles to back up 2020 second-round pick Jalen Hurts.
March 25, 2021: Signed with Eagles
On March 25, 2021, Joe Flacco signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles to back up Jalen Hurts.
October 25, 2021: Traded Back to Jets
On October 25, 2021, the Eagles traded Joe Flacco back to the Jets for a conditional sixth-round draft pick after Zach Wilson suffered a knee injury.
November 17, 2021: Named Jets' Starting Quarterback
On November 17, 2021, Joe Flacco was named the starting quarterback for the Jets' Week 11 game against the Dolphins.
2021: Signed with Philadelphia Eagles and Traded Back to Jets
In 2021, Joe Flacco signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, but was later traded back to the New York Jets.
March 16, 2022: Flacco re-signed with the Jets
On March 16, 2022, Joe Flacco re-signed with the New York Jets for one year at $3.5 million and was named the starting quarterback for the first three weeks of the season due to Zach Wilson's injury.
November 20, 2023: Flacco signed to Cleveland Browns practice squad
On November 20, 2023, Joe Flacco signed with the Cleveland Browns practice squad following a season-ending injury to Deshaun Watson.
2023: Passing Yards and Touchdowns Leader
As of the 2023 NFL season, Joe Flacco holds the record for the most career passing yards and touchdowns for a quarterback who has never been to a Pro Bowl.
2023: Joined Cleveland Browns and Won Comeback Player of the Year
Midway through the 2023 season, Joe Flacco joined the Cleveland Browns, led them to a playoff berth, and won the Comeback Player of the Year award.
January 13, 2024: Flacco's first playoff start since 2015
On January 13, 2024, Joe Flacco made his first playoff start since 2015 against the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round, a nine-year gap that is the second-longest in NFL postseason history.
March 22, 2024: Flacco signed with the Indianapolis Colts
On March 22, 2024, Joe Flacco signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts.
April 11, 2025: Flacco Agreed to Browns Deal
On April 11, 2025, Joe Flacco agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal to return to the Cleveland Browns.
2025: Return to Cleveland Browns
In 2025, Joe Flacco returned to the Cleveland Browns after signing a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts.
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