Joe Flacco makes his return to Baltimore for the first time as a visiting player when the Cleveland Browns visit the Ravens in an AFC Central battle on Sunday afternoon.
The 40-year-old Flacco was Super Bowl MVP when Baltimore beat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 to cap the 2012-13 season. He is also the franchise’s all-time leader with 38,245 career passing yards and 212 touchdowns.
But a hip injury during Baltimore’s ninth game in 2018 derailed Flacco’s tenure. Then-rookie Lamar Jackson took over and the Ravens said goodbye to Flacco after the end of his 11th season.
Flacco was traded to the Denver Broncos and has played for four teams in his post-Baltimore career. This season marks his second stint with the Browns.
“We were on good terms when I left,” Flacco said Wednesday of his departure. “But at the same time, you know, it’s natural to feel a certain way when you’re going against a team that you’re not playing for anymore.
“I’ve been a part of other players that do that and you kind of try to act normal, but it is a big deal. You do want to go beat them, and it’s a little bit of a difference.”
Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said he looks back fondly at Flacco’s tenure with the team.
“In terms of looking back, what an amazing run. What an era for the Ravens, the Joe Flacco era,” Harbaugh said. “He’s iconic in Baltimore football history. I respect that and admire that, and I still keep in touch with him, except not this week.”
Jackson said he remembered fun times while sharing the quarterback room with Flacco.
“Just him being in the meeting room and how cool he was with things he would say and how funny he was,” Jackson said of Flacco. “I don’t know if people know, but Flacc’s funny, dawg. He used to have me rolling as a rookie.”
Jackson accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in Baltimore’s 41-40 opening-game road loss against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. Derrick Henry rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns but also lost a key fumble.
The Ravens (0-1) excelled for more than 56 minutes of the contest but the final 3 minutes and 56 seconds were a colossal nightmare as Buffalo scored 16 unanswered points.
“I don’t want the Ravens to be known as the team that gets up big and blows the lead,” star safety Kyle Hamilton said. “It’s not who we are, and we have to prove that to everybody else.”
An irate band of Baltimore players might not be good for the Browns (0-1), who also lost their opener by one point.
Flacco passed for 290 yards and one touchdown but also was intercepted twice.
The Browns now look to avoid their first 0-2 start since their winless 2017 campaign.
“Obviously, we know it’s a division opponent for us. It’s Baltimore who we know well. They know us well,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We expect it to be hard fought like it always is.”
Cleveland rookie running back Quinshon Judkins missed Wednesday’s practice to meet with the NFL as part of an investigation into whether he violated the league’s personal conduct policy due to his July arrest on charges of misdemeanor domestic violence and battery. Charges were dropped in August.
Offensive tackles Jack Conklin (eye, elbow) and Dawand Jones (knee), guard Joel Bitonio (no injury), defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (knee) and cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder, Achilles) were all limited in practice Wednesday.
For the Ravens, fullback Patrick Ricard (calf), tight end Isaiah Likely (foot) and defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike (ankle) sat out. Cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) was limited.
The Browns have won four of the past seven meetings.
