(Photo courtesy of AP News).
Is anyone else experiencing a significant impact from the seasonal shifts, particularly during daylight savings time? This author too. Hence the delay in Italian American Heritage Month articles. We may be late, but we are here honoring Italian Americans who have made fantastic contributions to the world of football. This time around, we will honor Joe Flacco.
Joe Flacco Is Us
Flacco is in the upper-mid range of QB skills if we’re being gracious. As soon as long-term mid-journey men QB and fellow Italian-American Vinny Testaverde retired in 2007, Joe Flacco was drafted in 2008. It was meant to be. He is definitely a journeyman QB, having played for six teams, playing for one twice, for 16 seasons so far. His relatability is what makes Joe Flacco such a standout, loveable player.
No, what makes Flacco such a gem is that he is all of us. At least as much as he can be as an old millennial. Young millennials can relate, and anyone born before 1981 can definitely sympathize with the QB. He’s in his 30s like many of us are or were; he has kids and a wife like many of us do; he also has a relatable hip injury. Hips are one of the first joints to go, it feels like. Most importantly, Flacco watches the game on his couch like all of us on Football Sunday. That’s where he was when he got called by the Cleveland Browns.
The inspirational part of it all is that he got up off the couch and led his team to the playoffs. Something we can all remind ourselves of when our glutes hurt half way up the hill or we are struggling to get out of bed for the gym after we skipped twice in a row. Hips popping or not, we can do it.
Flacco’s Origin Story
Our generational representative was born in 1985 in Audubon, New Jersey. If you’re not familiar with the area, you are in the majority. It’s a small town in a small county on the outskirts of Philadelphia. He was born to Steven and Karen Flacco and was the eldest of the couple’s four sons and one daughter. Talk about being a boy mom, Ms. Karen!
Like many of our stars, Flacco was a multi-sport athlete in high school. He played football, basketball, and baseball at Audubon High School. The other sports may have had their influence on his performance before he was stiff as a board in his late 30s. No baseball slides for Flacco; we need to keep him upright as much as possible.
Ironically, Joe Flacco was only rated as a three-star recruit and was the 39th rated QB recruit available for colleges in the class of 2003. I’m not hating on the other 38, but he is likely the best-known man in the QB group with the exception of Matt Ryan. Surprisingly, there are still four players in the NFL that were drafted in 2008, and one of them, Josh Johnson, is a quarterback. Duane Brown (OT) and Calais Campbell (DT) are both household names we know and love as well.
College
Flacco has always been a bit familiar with being a backup. In college, he had that role with the Pittsburgh Panthers in 2004, after being red-shirted in 2003. However, Joe knew he would be the representation for an entire generation and an NFL mainstay, so he said transfer portal or nothing. The University of Delaware became his new home from 2005 to 2007. For more information on his boatload of college accolades and the 20 records he made at Delaware, click here. Flacco made the Blue Hen’s fly.
The Draft
Joe Flacco has made a presence on many NFL teams in his 16 seasons on the team. So many, in fact, that if we went through each year on each team, we would be writing an article longer than the Bible. So instead, we summarize one of the coolest QBs to ever do it. Interestingly, Flacco almost never made it in the NFL.
He had doubts about anyone wanting to draft him and almost opted for baseball instead. However, his Delaware coach knew best and said hold on there, bud. The legend was drafted 18th overall by the Baltimore Ravens. He was the second QB to be selected in the draft and the first division 1-FCS player since Steve McNair to be drafted in the first round of a draft.
NFL? No Problem
People were critical of the Ravens trading around so much to get the 18th pick and using it on Flacco. Many draft critics felt he would still be around in later rounds. But you can’t tell Baltimore anything, as we know. They love being loyal to their franchise QB that they keep through thick and thin, and that’s a model more teams should get behind. As a matter of fact, Flacco was their man for 11 seasons before that one guy, Lamar Jackson, rolled in around the time Joe’s hip gave him some trouble.
Not everyone knows this, but Flacco was a baddie on and off the field. The legend was named the handsomest man in the NFL twice (2017, 2020), which is a bit hard to believe considering we have another Italian American hero still roaming the NFL streets, Jimmy G. We will say that Flacco ages like wine, and as our generational representative, we are here for it.
On the field, he led the Ravens to the playoffs six times, winning the Super Bowl in February of 2013 against the 49ers. We love anyone who can beat San Francisco down as long as their name doesn’t start with Kansas and end with Chiefs.
The Super Bowl MVP didn’t stop there. That same season, he tied Joe Montana’s record for post-season touchdown passes without an interception (11). Being compared to the also Italian American QB Joe Montana is always positive, no matter how you look at it.
Age Catches Up To Joe Flacco
After being canned by the Ravens, Flacco has rolled with the punches landing where the football gods send him. In 2019, he went to the Broncos. However, a neck injury sidelined the chance of him playing, and he was let go. During 2020, he backed up Mr. I see ghosts on and off the field for the New York Jets. In 2021, he went to Philadelphia but was subsequently traded back to the Jets after the whole Zach Wilson injury debacle.
In 2023, Flacco was initially on his couch, but he became the Millennial man when he was signed on by the Cleveland Browns after he, who shall not be named, was injured. He took the Browns to the playoffs and took himself to the NFL award show, winning “Comeback Player of the Year.” Probably the only person who could win that award beside Damar Hamlin and not anger the masses.
This season Joe Flacco is the starting QB for the Colts because Anthony Richardson is too tired to be. This could be a problem since Flacco appears to be sleeping with his eyes (usually) open on the sidelines in between plays. Can he literally be any more relatable, ever? Maybe that’s why he also doesn’t talk to his teammates ever. Seemingly ignoring the world in his own kind of Aaron Rodgers-like retreat on the sidelines. That’s cool though; Flacco can do no wrong.
Other Stuff
Joe Flacco is everyone’s favorite endorsement representative. He’s the perfect poster child for any company. He had a deal with Reebok back in his rookie days; he also did a Nike one too. Did your stomach rumble when you were thinking about Flacco’s more foody endorsements? He was a convincing guy in his Pizza Hut and McDonalds ads too.
Why is Flacco the perfect poster child for most any company? Because he’s a nice, married man with a wholesome family that doesn’t go to parties with the devil. No, he get’s married in ornate catholic ceremonies to his wife Dana in 2011 in the same church that his parent’s tied the knot in. Much like his own family, he has four boys and one daughter and seemingly is ending things at five kids. He hasn’t had one since 2016, so the couple has probably hung up those cleats. He’s not Matt Ryan, but he’s in the same ballpark.
Last But Not The Least of Joe Flacco
Don’t forget the part we all came here to read. Let’s discuss the man, the myth, the legend’s Italian heritage. Steve Flacco’s full name is Giuseppe L. “Joseph” Flacco. It is unclear where Steve factors into that mouthful of a name. The football star’s grandparents were immigrants to America, having originally hailed from Isola del Gran Sasso. We know that Joe Flacco grew up in a tight-knit family, but the star hasn’t been particularly chatty about his heritage. He needs to save up his energy after sleeping on the sidelines in between each play that he performs with passion.
Conclusion
Although Joe Flacco hasn’t been overly wordy about his Italian American heritage, that certainly doesn’t mean it should be overlooked. He doesn’t talk about it; he is about it. Flacco personifies a role model and important Italian representation in the league by showing up and doing his best each and every week for the last 16 seasons in the NFL.
In that same vein, Flacco is also the unofficial generational representation for millennials, reminding us that we too can get off the couch and do great things. All while taking naps in any available downtime. Have a sore hip or neck? Joe Flacco feels your pain. Just be a little more careful dismounting the couch. This QB is a once in a lifetime kind of talent, and we appreciate his many contributions to football and the world.
