Another Veteran Steelers Quarterback Target Emerges
Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco is in the mix for a job with the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to a report by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk last week.
Flacco, 40, is a free agent after spending the 2024 season as the backup, and eventual starter for the Indianapolis Colts, as youngster Trent Richardson dealt with injuries and poor play.
Included in that run with the Colts was a Week 4 game where Flacco engineered a 27-24 Indianapolis victory after Richardson left the game early.
Flacco didn’t get a decision in that game, but he a has an 11-11 all-time record against the Steelers in his 17-year NFL career, with more with against Pittsburgh than any team other than the Cleveland Browns.
Most of those came while Flacco spent 11 seasons as the starting quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens from 2008-18. Since losing his job to future NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, Flacco has become a bit of NFL vagabond.
He was with the Denver Broncos in 2019, the New York Jets from 2020-22, had an NFL Comeback Player of the Year run in 2023, leading the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs after Deshaun Watson was injured, and then to the Colts in 2024.
The 40-year-old finished 2024 with a 90.5 passer rating — identical to that of Steelers quarterback target Aaron Rodgers. He had a 53.4 QBR, compared to 48 for Rodgers, a 65.3 completion percentage compared to 63 percent for Rodgers, and 5.88 adjusted net yards per attempt, 0.01 better than Rodgers.
It seems that Rodgers is the Steelers’ primary target, but with him having already taken days to make a decision, and with no end of that situation in obvious site, the Steelers could pivot to Flacco to pair with Mason Rudolph in their quarterback room.
“Eventually, he’ll get an offer,” Florio wrote. “Maybe more than one. And if the Steelers are looking to go cheaper than Rodgers at the position, Flacco could be their best move.”
They could also wait for Rodgers to decide and then pivot to Flacco, assuming he’ll still be available. Florio reported that he is also in the mix with the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings.Flacco has visited with the Giants. Russell Wilson has visited with both the Browns and Giants.
Flacco played on a one-year contract worth $4.5 million last season, barely more in terms of average annual value than the two-year, $8 million contract the Steelers gave Rudolph last week.
The Steelers had also been connected to Flacco in free agency back in January by Sportskeeda.