The debate over whether Joe Flacco is an elite quarterback is sure to rage on. But you can’t deny that he has an elite agent — not after the Baltimore Ravens signed Flacco to a six-year, $120.6 million contract that makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
On the surface, it hardly seems shocking for a Super Bowl MVP and his team to agree to a massive contract extension. But then you recall the army of doubters that even just last December were unconvinced that Flacco could put his team over the top. You realize that he has never been selected to the Pro Bowl. You remember the universal mockery he received last April when he stated he was the best quarterback in the NFL.
That sentiment didn’t seem so absurd after an excellent postseason in which Flacco outplayed four more heavily hyped counterparts: the top pick of the 2012 draft (Andrew Luck), two all-time greats (Peyton Manning and Tom Brady) and one of the league’s most dynamic players (Colin Kaepernick).
But while Flacco’s record-setting deal has plenty to do with the skill he demonstrated in that 11-touchdown, zero-interception playoff run, it probably owes more to perfect timing and a little bit of luck.
Because Flacco delivered the Lombardi Trophy to Baltimore, the Ravens had no choice but to bring him back at any cost. That wouldn’t have been the case had Broncos safety Rahim Moore properly timed his jump on the last-second heave that turned into a 70-yard Jacoby Jones touchdown.
If Moore at least got a hand to the ball, the Ravens would have slumped off the field with a fan base questioning how much its inconsistent free agent quarterback was worth. But instead, they walked away with a shocking 38-35 victory on the road in double overtime, and that quarterback got two more weeks to show his improved level of play. Perhaps Flacco would have gotten fewer years and/or annual dollars; perhaps the Ravens would have let him walk. In any case, he would not have ended up $120 million richer.
Flacco has always been tough to figure out. Statistically, his play has always been shaky. Flacco was 33rd out of 38 quarterbacks with at least 175 regular season pass attempts in adjusted accuracy percentage (which accounts for drops, spikes and throwaways in addition to regular completion percentage), ranking behind the likes of Blaine Gabbert and Nick Foles.
But Flacco has been in too many playoff games, thrown too many touchdowns and led Baltimore to too many big wins to be as bad as those stats and some of his detractors have made out. At the very least, he has proven to be a solid leader who can be trusted not to falter on the biggest stages – a player that any team without Brady or a Manning brother would value.
Now, Flacco will have to become more like those two legends for the Ravens to consistently threaten in the postseason, for attrition will adversely Baltimore’s dependable defense. Ray Lewis has retired, and the aging Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed won’t play like superstars forever. In addition, the team may lose starters like linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and cornerback Cary Williams to free agency — in part because of all the salary cap space eaten up by Flacco’s huge deal.
The 2013 season will provide new tests for Flacco. He no longer has to prove that he can win big games. Now he has to do so under a financial microscope and against opposition hungry to knock off the world champions. His performances will be compared even more harshly – in relation to his lesser-paid counterparts and to games he turned in during the playoffs.
If Flacco’s swift and stunning turnaround from lightning rod to franchise leader continues, the Ravens will have nothing to regret. History shows, however, that there’s plenty of reason for doubt.
Regardless, the money means that all eyes are now on Flacco. Only he gets to confirm or deny Baltimore’s show of faith. Only he gets to define his lasting legacy.
