Joe Flacco Is The Most Misunderstood QB Of All Time

Joe Flacco Is The Most Misunderstood Man In The Football World

Joe Flacco is the most misunderstood player I have ever seen in professional sports. People argue about everything from his merit to his personality. It’s clear that some people just don’t get Joe.

Just the other day a co-worker (at my other job) was telling me that Flacco lacks the required emotion to be great. It’s not like we haven’t heard this argument before. Quite frankly, its worn out.

The argument is just so flawed. First of all Flacco, as eccentrically dull as he is, happens to be a human being. Everybody has emotions. No one is required to wear their heart and soul on their sleeve like Ray Lewis. Secondly, regardless of whatever you think of him, how can you someone so accomplished does not care? Flacco is a very competitive and driven player, but he has a low-key personality. Deal with it.

Nov 15, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) looks to pass on the run during the third quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at M&T Bank Stadium. Jacksonville defeated Baltimore 22-20. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

In all fairness, Peyton Manning is a pretty mild-mannered guy as well. He’s just not as awkward as Flacco, so he is easier for people to connect to. While nobody is as mellow as Joe, many of the greats were not overly outward people. Why does Mr. Flacco have to be?

I don’t think people realize how much love there is in the Ravens organization for number five. Flacco never throws teammates under the bus. He always takes accountability when things go poorly and often gives the credit to his teammates. Flacco leads by example. He believes in himself and his teammates believe in him.

Flacco even has shown flashes of his sense of humor. He’s an all around good guy. He has a picture perfect family, he never is in the news for a bad reason; it’s just mind-boggling that we’re talking about the most polarizing Raven here.

Joe created a debate for the ages when he said that he was elite. He essentially said that you have to believe in yourself to be successful. What did the reporter asking the question want him to say? Since then many have debated this issue. The Ravens have backed Joe 100% of the way. Here are two quotes from former offensive coordinator, Gary Kubiak which I retrieved from Garrett Downing’s article on the Ravens website:

"Is Joe Flacco elite? You bet he is,” Kubiak said with a laugh. “He helped me. That’s probably why I’m standing up here [as a head coach again] today.”“Joe was tremendous. I really enjoyed working with him,” Kubiak said. “He’s as talented a human being as I’ve ever coached, as good of a person as I’ve ever coached.”"

After the 2014 playoff win against the Pittsburgh Steelers, John Harbaugh called Joe Flacco the best quarterback in the NFL. While many gave the Ravens coach a double look when he said that, and walked away thinking he was insane, it shows how strongly he feels about his quarterback. Harbaugh knows that in the playoffs, as long as they have the former Delaware Blue Hen under center, they have a chance to win.

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Terrell Suggs has defended Flacco on ESPN’s First Take against Skip Bayless. Bayless is the best at what he does: taking a polarizing player and using it as a mindless debate. But do you really want to be the best at that? He’s essentially known in Baltimore as the foremost Flacco hater. The very fact that Bayless made Flacco one of his chief talking points proves my point. Flacco has done nothing to be controversial. It is people who don’t get it (or simply refuse to get it) that create the polarizing image that Flacco has.

I actually admire Flacco for the same reason I admire Ray Lewis. Flacco, like Lewis is completely authentic and genuine. Flacco is who he is, every moment is real. There is an unshakable honesty in Flacco. While it is probably the only similarity you’ll ever find between Flacco and Lewis, it is an important one. Being genuine and not conforming to the pressure of the outside world are huge building blocks of playing like a Raven.

We need to understand what Flacco is. He is one of the best big moment quarterbacks we have ever seen. He gives the Ravens a chance to win it all. He has won it all and was the Super Bowl MVP. His record in the playoffs, great team behind him or not, is the stuff of legends.

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There are countless examples, but the point is that the Ravens love them some Joe Flacco. Most of the Ravens fans do as well. The world does not have to like him. People can say whatever they want. Joe Flacco is our quarterback in Baltimore. Like our head coach said after the Pittsburgh playoff win: we’ll “take him every day and twice on Sunday.”

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