Breaking: Joe Flacco Opens Up on Retirement Plans: Colts’ QB Shares Candid Thoughts on Retirement and NFL Legacy
The Indianapolis Colts have been without starting quarterback Anthony Richardson on numerous occasions already this year, and as the team prepares for their final two games of the 2024 season, they may once again be in that similar position. Richardson has missed the last three days of practice with back and foot injuries, leaving his status against the New York Giants this Sunday afternoon in doubt. During Richardson’s absence, it’s been veteran signal-caller Joe Flacco receiving the first team reps.
Flacco has already made six appearances this season and started four games in place of Richardson, who missed time thanks to an oblique injury and a surprising midseason benching. Thus far, Flacco has earned a 1-3 record as a starter while completing 67 percent of his passes for 1,167 yards, 9 touchdowns, 5 interceptions. Not too bad for a 39-year-old who appeared to be on his way out of the NFL only 18 months ago.
Joe Flacco’s time in the NFL will soon be coming to an end. But ask the 17-year veteran how soon, and he’s not going to have a good answer for you.
“I just try to stay in the moment,” Flacco said, per Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. “People ask me all the time, ‘How long do you want to play?’ and I don’t have an answer for them.”
For now, Flacco doesn’t need to come up with a definitive answer to that question. What matters is that the former Super Bowl MVP is ready to make his 190th and 191st career starts over the next two weeks if the Colts need him to. And with Indianapolis still in the postseason hunt, there may not be a better veteran to turn to than Joe Flacco, who led the Cleveland Browns to the postseason just one year ago. Again, not bad for a guy who was out of the league until mid-November last season.
“You can’t take for granted playing football games in this league,” Flacco said. “Any time you get the opportunity to, you have to put yourself back in your shoes when you were 20 years old, being a college player, wishing to play this game, wishing, ‘Am I ever getting a chance to play out my dream?’”
