Browns name Joe Flacco starting QB: Veteran beats out Shedeur Sanders, others in camp battle

The Cleveland Browns have landed on a starting quarterback for the start of the regular season. The Browns have named Joe Flacco the team's starting quarterback for its Week 1 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7, the team announced on Monday.

Flacco signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Browns in April. The Browns coaching staff elected to sit Flacco throughout the preseason as the veteran quarterback did not take a single snap.

Flacco was able to beat out a Browns quarterback room that include Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and Tyler Huntley. The team had acquired Pickett in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles in March, but he's been dealing with a hamstring strain throughout training camp. In addition, the team selected Gabriel and Sanders in the third and fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, respectively.

Sanders started the team's first preseason game and completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. However, Sanders suffered an oblique injury during a joint practice with the Eagles and was sidelined due to the injury. Meanwhile, Gabriel drew the start in the team's second preseason contest against Philadelphia and completed 13 of 18 passes for 143 yards and an interception.

Browns QB depth chart projection: Where do Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel fit with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett?

Brad Crawford

When it comes to Flacco, this will be his second stint with Cleveland after he played for the franchise during the 2023 season. In November 2023, Flacco signed with the Browns after starting signal caller Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Flacco completed 60.3% of his passes for 1,616 yards and 13 touchdowns to go along with eight interceptions in five games. He threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns in a Week 17 win against the New York Jets to help the Browns clinch a playoff spot. Flacco became the first player in NFL history to register 250 passing yards and multiple passing touchdowns in each of his first five games with a new team.

Following his success with Cleveland, Flacco signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts during the 2024 offseason. Flacco began the 2024 campaign as the backup to Anthony Richardson.

On multiple occasions throughout the 2024 season, Flacco ended up seeing the field after Richardson was injured. In total, the former Super Bowl MVP completed 65.3% of his passes for 1,761 yards to go along with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The 40-year-old will enter his 18th NFL season and has registered 45,697 passing yards to go along with 257 touchdowns during his career.