- Joe Flacco has revived his NFL career after signing late in the season with the Cleveland Browns.
- In four games since joining the Browns, Flacco has passed for more than 300 yards in three straight starts.
- Online betting sites favor Flacco starting at least one game in the 2024-25 season.
More than 10 years after being named Super Bowl XLVII MVP, Joe Flacco is writing a new chapter as a replacement quarterback. With the Cleveland Browns running out of options due to injuries at QB, they turned to the former Ravens’ signal caller. According to BetOnline, Flacco’s story isn’t ending this season.
Currently, Flacco is a -140 favorite to start at least one game in the 2024-25 season. If you aren’t confident in Flacco receiving one start, then you can bet on him to stay on the bench or his couch at even money.
The 38-year-old owns an implied probability of 58.3 percent to start a game in 2024-25. Flacco fans were likely anticipating a higher probability than 58.3 percent. Nevertheless, there is value on the board if you like a team to call his number.
The Browns only called on Flacco after Deshaun Watson, P.J. Walker, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson became either injured or unavailable. Watson is done for the season, while Walker did not impress across five games.
Rookie Thompson-Robinson was injured after taking a hard hit from the Broncos’ linebacker Baron Browning on November 26. With Flacco available, after not being signed to a team this season, the Browns took a chance on the 16-year veteran.
Flacco Throws More Touchdowns Than In Two Years With Jets
Flacco spent his last three seasons with the New York Jets. He spent 11 years with the Ravens from 2008 to 2018 and then had an uninspiring season with the Broncos in 2019. In his three years with the Jets, Flacco passed for 2,253 yards, 14 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
In his last two seasons with the Jets, he connected for eight touchdowns, which is fewer than the 10 touchdowns he has thrown in four games with the Browns this season.
On Thursday, December 14, Flacco officially signed an incentive-laden one-year contract with the Browns. The deal includes bonuses for winning games, and going further in the playoffs. Flacco will earn $75,000 for each regular season game that he wins.
If the Browns reach the playoffs, Flacco will make $250,000 for a win in the Wild Card Round, $500,000 for the Divisional Round, $1 million to win the AFC Championship, and then another $2 million to win Super Bowl 58.
In his four games on the field, Flacco has passed for 1,307 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He has completed 59.4 percent of his passes on 175 pass attempts, on his way to three straight wins and a season record of 10-5. Browns’ offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt has dialed up the playbook for Flacco.
Despite not throwing a pass this season, until December 3, Flacco is taking chances and playing like a gunslinger. Even if Flacco and the Browns don’t have success in the playoffs, he’s likely already earned a shot at a roster spot for a team next season.
At a minimum, Flacco is likely going to be with a team in training camp. There should be an opportunity for Flacco to engage in a QB battle on a team with an uncertain quarterback situation. Also, if QBs continue to get injured at the same rate as this season, Flacco wouldn’t have long to wait to start a game if he’s a backup.
Flacco’s NFL Comeback Player of the Year Odds On The Move
Oddsmakers and the betting public have been paying attention to the meteoric rise of Flacco in December. Flacco’s NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds have been skyrocketing. Currently, at BetOnline, Flacco has the second-shortest odds to win the award.
Flacco has +200 odds to win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. Only the Bills’ Damar Hamlin has better odds than Flacco. At -250, Hamlin is favored to win the award, though he went into this season as a larger favorite.
In September, Hamlin was -350 to win the 2023-24 NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Flacco was absent from the odds to open the season. His odds continue to rise, and if it wasn’t for Hamlin’s medical emergency last year, Flacco would be the odds-on favorite to win.
