BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Joe Flacco as the team’s starting quarterback for the Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. The 39-year-old veteran, who went 4-1 in five starts for Cleveland in 2023 and led the team to the playoffs, beat out contenders including Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders.
Despite being the only Browns quarterback to remain healthy through training camp, Stefanski emphasized that the decision was based on performance, not just availability. Flacco, poised to become one of just 11 QBs in NFL history to start a Week 1 game at age 40 or older, expressed confidence in his play and focus on consistency.
Backup quarterback roles remain unsettled as Pickett returns from a hamstring strain and Sanders deals with an oblique injury. General Manager Andrew Berry has one week to decide whether to keep four quarterbacks—a rare move in the NFL Flacco and the starters are expected to play in Saturday’s preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams.
