After an offseason of wild speculation and conjecture, the Cleveland Browns announced that 17-year veteran quarterback Joe Flacco will start in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
It didn’t surprise anyone, given the competition and injury status of his fellow signal-callers, but it’s now official.
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Flacco hasn’t appeared in either preseason game this year for the Browns, but coach Kevin Stefanski noted that Flacco “earned it.”
“I thought he’s done exactly what we’ve asked him to do and I think we have a lot of confidence in him,” Stefanski said.
“He earned it. And I understand with the injuries how that may look. That’s really not the case here. Joe performed really well both in practice, in the joint practices, in the meeting room — you name it — in the walk-through. Just what he’s able to bring to the football team, he’s earned that role.”
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Flacco is the only one with any real starting experience, including a Super Bowl MVP. Stefanski and the Browns will rely on that to help younger players in their development.
“Honestly, I think the guys do believe in Joe, but I want to give credit to that entire group,” Stefanski said. “I think those guys are working very, very hard. We have a standard for that position regardless of who’s in there. Practice, games, how we operate, what we believe in — we have a very, very high standard.
“Obviously, Joe having done it at a high level, has done it here as well, that lends itself to confidence in himself and confidence in his teammates.”
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.