Joe Flacco didn’t come back to the NFL last year to be a savior-but that’s exactly what he became. Thrown into a crumbling Browns offense, the 40-year-old stepped up, tossed 12 touchdowns in five games, and dragged Cleveland into the playoffs. It was fun. It was unexpected. And now, it’s probably over.
According to CBS Sports, Flacco is expected to retire after the 2025 season. He signed a one-year deal to return to Cleveland following a short stint with the Colts, and at this point in his career, he’s not sticking around just to hold a clipboard. “Playing through your age-40 season would be a natural cutoff point,” the report noted. It makes sense-Flacco hasn’t started a full season since 2017, and the Browns clearly aren’t building around him.
But Flacco’s looming departure isn’t just about him-it’s a message to the Browns front office. Cleveland is once again juggling quarterbacks: Kenny Pickett is trying to reclaim his career, Dillon Gabriel is learning as he goes, and Shedeur Sanders is waiting in the shadows. And then there’s Deshaun Watson.
Watson’s Fade, Flacco’s Exit, and a Roster Stuck in Limbo
Once the face of a $230 million gamble, Watson is now buried behind the scenes. Reports from Cleveland.com suggest he may not even play this season. “The ship has sailed,” wrote Mary Kay Cabot, and few are arguing otherwise. Even Garrett Bush of The Barbershop Podcast said the team’s focus has shifted to rehab, PR spin, and quiet damage control.
So where does that leave head coach Kevin Stefanski? In a corner. Warren Sharp, a respected NFL analyst, put it bluntly: stop clinging to the past and start giving your rookies a real chance. Because the longer the Browns delay, the more muddled their future becomes.
Flacco might not say much on his way out, but his retirement-expected or not-should push this franchise to finally act. Cleveland’s spent decades cycling through quarterbacks. If the plan is to stop the cycle, now would be a good time to start.
Read the full article here
