Joe Fagnano’s unlikely journey from a former UConn quarterback to a NFL roster continued when the Baltimore Ravens kept him as their third quarterback on the 53-man roster.
An undrafted rookie, Fagnano will back up two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley, giving Baltimore three quarterbacks on its opening-day roster for the first time since 2020.
The 25-year-old Fagnano turned heads throughout the preseason, leading the NFL in preseason passing yards. He appeared poised in the pocket, consistently delivered accurate passes and showed the decision-making of a more experienced quarterback.
For Fagnano, the roster spot represents another significant step in a football journey that began at Maine before taking him to Storrs.
Fagnano spent the final three seasons of his college career at UConn, where he developed into one of the Huskies’ most productive quarterbacks. He entered Baltimore’s training camp viewed largely as a camp arm, but his performance quickly changed that perception.
In three preseason games, Fagnano led all quarterbacks with 79 dropbacks, 56 completions and 509 passing yards. He was sacked only once and threw one interception, completing 75% of his passes.
His final preseason performance included a 21-yard touchdown pass to LaJohntay Wester.
Fagnano also excelled in the Ravens’ under-center offense. He completed 19 of 25 passes for 194 yards from under center, leading all preseason quarterbacks in that category.
Baltimore could have attempted to move Fagnano to its practice squad, but the Ravens did not want to risk losing him to another team. Fagnano’s performance made retaining him a priority, even with Huntley already under contract and roster needs elsewhere.
“My goal coming in was just to make the most of my opportunities,” Fagnano said after the last preseason game. “What I can control is what I wanted to control. The stuff that’s out of my hands is out my hands. I think I’ve done a nice job to put myself in a good position. I can put my head on the pillow tonight knowing that I gave it all that I had.”
Fagnano had a strong 2025 senior season at UConn, starting all 12 games and throwing for 3,448 yards on 285 completions and 28 touchdowns with only one interception.
Now, the former UConn quarterback will remain in Baltimore’s quarterback room and continue developing behind Jackson and Huntley.
Fagnano’s success also creates an intriguing dynamic for the Ravens moving forward. Huntley provides Baltimore with an athletic option who can make plays outside the structure of the offense, while Fagnano has shown a natural fit in the system installed by rookie offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.