Baltimore Ravens: 5 Players Who Lead The Way

4. The Stoic Quarterback: Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco is one of the Ravens leaders. On the surface that is hard to see. He doesn’t yell and he displays just a bit more emotion than somebody in a coma. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a leader. Flacco just does it in a quiet way. Flacco is one of those people who doesn’t raise his voice much, so when he does, each word carries an incredible weight. His teammates respect him, that is for sure.

Flacco never makes excuses. He is the quarterback and fans dump it all on him when things go wrong. Flacco never calls out teammates in the media. He shoulders the criticism and he moves on. Most importantly, Flacco is the symbol of toughness. When he’s banged up he refuses to acknowledge it and seeks no attention from it. How many people can walk off the field with a torn ACL?

Flacco also comes up with the big play. When it matters most Flacco is an unstoppable force. His 92 Yard drive to beat Pittsburgh was a revelation. His 70 yard touchdown bomb to keep the Ravens alive in the 2012 playoffs was a once in a lifetime play. When Flacco found Derrick Mason down the sideline in his first playoff game, it was the first sign that this quarterback was a clutch leader.

Next: 3. Making Others Better