Flacco started five games for the Browns in 2023, leading Cleveland to the playoffs

Kelsey Russo

The Browns have brought back a familiar veteran quarterback, as they have agreed to terms with QB Joe Flacco on a deal.

Flacco returns to Cleveland after joining the Browns in Week 12 of the 2023 season. He started five consecutive games beginning in Week 13, and during that stretch, the Browns went 4-1 with Flacco at quarterback. His tenure was highlighted by the Week 17 win over the Jets on Thursday Night Football that officially clinched their playoff berth their first playoff appearance since 2020.

While in Cleveland, Flacco completed 123 of 204 passing attempts for 1,616 passing yards and 13 touchdowns during the regular season. That season he became the first player in NFL history to record at least 250 passing yards and two touchdown passes in each of his first five games with a team. The Browns ended the 2023 season with an 11-6 record and earned a trip to the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Flacco then spent the 2024 season with the Colts, appearing in eight games with six starts. He completed 162 of 248 passing attempts for 1,761 passing yards and 12 touchdowns.

Throughout the 2025 offseason, the quarterback position has been the main topic of conversation around the Browns. With the No. 2 overall pick and 10 total picks in the 2025 NFL Draft the discourse has centered around Cleveland adding a rookie quarterback. Yet, those discussions have also included the addition of a veteran quarterback someone like Flacco, who brings 17 years of experience in the NFL.

At the 2025 NFL Annual Meeting, Managing and Principal Partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said Flacco had been part of conversations as they discussed the direction of their veteran quarterback. Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry also added at the NFL Annual Meeting they had a more narrowed focus for the type of veteran they wanted to add to their roster.

As free agency took its course and the Browns continue preparation for the draft, those conversations ended with Flacco as their guy.

Now, Flacco comes back to Cleveland to the quarterback room with his veteran leadership. He joins a group that primarily consists of Kenny Pickett who the Browns acquired in a trade with the Eagles at the start of the new league year on March 12 as Deshaun Watson recovers from a re-ruptured Achilles tendon that will cause him to miss significant time of the 2025 season.