When Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson went down with a season-ending injury earlier this year, the team suddenly had a hole at quarterback. The Browns turned to rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who admirably led the Browns to victory in the game where Watson got injured. The following week, Thompson-Robinson suffered a concussion and was also forced to miss time. Third-string quarterback PJ Walker finished that game, but it was clear the Browns needed to make a move.
Two weeks later, they’ve revitalized their playoff hopes with a new quarterback under center: 38-year-old Joe Flacco, who a month ago wasn’t even on an NFL roster.
Flacco was elevated from the practice squad for his first two games, but the team has now officially signed him to a deal for the full season. Flacco’s contract is worth $370,800, per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot, though he can potentially make more than ten times that amount.
Jason Miller/Getty Images
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Flacco has several incentives baked into the deal. He’ll earn an additional $75,000 for every regular season game he wins — with four games left in the season, that’s potentially $300,000. He’ll then make $250,000 for winning a wild-card round game and $500,000 for winning a divisional round game.
Should the Browns make the AFC Championship Game, Flacco will take home $1 million if they win and advance to the Super Bowl. Win the whole thing, and Flacco will make another $2 million.
In total, Flacco has the chance to add $4.05 million to his earnings for the year.
Before the official signing, Flacco and the Browns had plenty of familiar moments. Flacco was quarterback of the team’s AFC North rival, the Baltimore Ravens, from 2008 to 2018. And just last year, Flacco, then with the New York Jets, completed a pair of touchdown passes in the final 1:22 of a Week 2 game against the Browns, finishing a wild comeback with a 31-30 Jets win.
While this season is an opportunity to add a nice chunk of change to his bank account, Flacco has already had an impressive financial run in the NFL. His career earnings are a little over $174.8 million, making him the 16th highest-paid player of all time in terms of career earnings.
In fact, Flacco is more concerned about roster fit than money. He didn’t even know if he had received a check from the Browns yet.
Joe Flacco has no idea how much money he’s playing for now that he’s signed a one-year deal. Doesn’t know how much money he’s made on the practice squad either.
Just happy to have the opportunity to be in Cleveland.#Browns pic.twitter.com/Bm5JGFkM0p
— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) December 14, 2023
That’s a guy who’s set for life financially. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to add a little more to his career earnings — especially since doing so could mean another Super Bowl ring.