The Cleveland Browns have officially named veteran Joe Flacco their starting quarterback for the upcoming 2025 season, concluding one of the NFL’s most closely watched training camp competitions. The team announced on Monday, August 18, that the 40-year-old will be under center for their regular-season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 7.
Flacco’s appointment as QB1 comes after he outperformed a crowded field of contenders, including fourth-year quarterback Kenny Pickett, rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, and the recently acquired Tyler Huntley. Throughout the preseason, Flacco consistently took first-team reps and remained atop the team’s unofficial depth charts, leveraging his experience and familiarity with the Browns’ system.
The path to the starting job was cleared further by injuries to his main competitors. Pickett, who was expected to be Flacco’s primary challenger, was hampered by a hamstring injury during camp. Sanders, a promising rookie, suffered an oblique injury that sidelined him for the second week of the preseason. Meanwhile, Deshaun Watson, recovering from a second torn Achilles, was not a factor in the competition.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed the decision was made ahead of the final preseason game to allow the starters to treat it as a full dress rehearsal. Flacco is now expected to make his 2025 preseason debut against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.
“Joe’s the same guy that he was then,” Stefanski said on August 13, referencing Flacco’s previous stint with the team. “He’s the same guy every single day. I think that’s one of the things you admire about Joe is how he approaches his business. He’s done a really nice job in camp. He’s also done a really nice job just providing leadership to the quarterback room, to the offense and to the football team.”
This marks a remarkable continuation of Flacco’s career resurgence in Cleveland. In 2023, he joined the team late in the season and authored a storybook run, leading the Browns to a 4-1 record in his five starts and securing a playoff berth. His performance earned him the 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. After a brief spell with the Indianapolis Colts in 2024, Flacco returned to Cleveland in April 2025 on a one-year, $4 million deal, rejoining the organization where he had found such unexpected success.
Flacco’s experience as a Super Bowl XLVII MVP and his steady presence as a pocket passer were key factors in the team’s decision. He expressed his growing confidence during training camp. “The last couple of weeks, honestly, it’s been pretty good for me,” Flacco said. “I’ve gotten to get more reps and get comfortable and feel like I’m doing things at a pretty high level.”
With Flacco at the helm, the Browns are banking on veteran leadership to guide them through the 2025 season. The decision shifts the focus for the team’s other quarterbacks, with Pickett likely settling into the primary backup role while rookies Gabriel and Sanders continue their development. For now, the spotlight belongs to Flacco, whose improbable second act in Cleveland has earned him the undisputed starting job.
