Only two NFL playoff quarterbacks have won four or more playoff games. Patrick Mahomes and Joe Flacco have won a total of three Super Bowls.
Although they have won three Super Bowls combined, Mahomes and Flacco’s situation is a little different this season. Mahomes is the reigning MVP and led the Chiefs to a championship a year ago. Flacco stayed home with his family until late November, when the Browns gave him a spot on the practice squad.
The rest is history. Flacco, 39, went 4-1 as Cleveland’s starter after Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending injury and started five games despite receiving little preseason interest. He threw for over 300 yards in four of those games.
If Flacco continues his winning ways and leads the Browns to playoff success, he could make a lot of money.
More: Complete timeline of Joe Flacco’s NFL teams
Here’s a breakdown of Flacco’s unique contract situation with the Browns.
Joe Flacco contract breakdown
Flacco signed a one-year contract with the Browns on December 14 after spending three weeks on the team’s practice squad and being promoted to the active roster week by week.
The contract had a base salary of $370,800, but the Browns gave Flacco an incentive-packed contract with a signing bonus of $400,000.
Flacco earned $75,000 for each win the rest of the regular season, totaling $225,000 for wins over the Bears, Texans and Jets.
Now, Flacco has a chance to earn even more money in the playoffs.
Joe Flacco Contract Incentive
Flacco will earn an additional $250,000 if the Browns beat the Texans in Saturday’s wild-card round, and even more if Cleveland advances in the playoffs. Here’s the full breakdown:
Achievement | incentive |
Wildcard victory | $250,000 |
division round win | $500,000 |
AFC Championship Winner | $ 1,000,000 |
winning the super bowl | 2 million dollars |
More: Does Kevin Stefanski deserve Coach of the Year honors?
Will Joe Flacco play for the Browns in 2024?
Flacco is not under contract through 2024, but it’s hard to imagine the former Ravens starter not being able to secure a spot on an NFL roster if he wants, even in his age-40 season.
Is that the case with the Browns? Only time will tell, but at this point the marriage is a success. It appears Cleveland intends to keep Deshaun Watson at quarterback next season, but Flacco probably won’t be an ideal starting option considering they can’t see a way to part ways with him on a huge guaranteed contract. . Even if he starts five or more games and finds success in 2023, he’s still old.
As long as Flacco wants to continue playing football, he has proven that he can be a valuable asset to any quarterback room.
Joe Flacco Statistics 2023
to start | record | Completion rate | yard | T.D. | INT |
Five | 4-1 | 60.3% | 1,616 | 13 | 8 |
Flacco threw for 1,616 yards and 13 touchdowns in just five starts and is on pace for 5,494 yards and 44 touchdowns in 17 games.
Although that pace wasn’t sustainable and his interception rate was high, Flacco was far better than any other Browns quarterback this season. Cleveland averaged 28.6 points per game in five starts.