Jets Coach Robert Saleh Lavishes Praise on Backup QB Joe Flacco

Saleh says he believes Flacco is still good enough to be an NFL starter.

The Jets don’t have a quarterback controversy.

Zach Wilson, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, is poised to take the next step in his progression as he enters his second pro season. But if the BYU alum struggles this fall, observers might be a little quicker to wonder whether coach Robert Saleh will make a change under center.

That’s because Saleh was effusive in his praise of 37-year-old veteran backup QB Joe Flacco at training camp Wednesday, heaping praise on the erstwhile Super Bowl champion.

“He could start in this league. I believe that,” Saleh said when asked about having an experienced backup QB. “Sometimes, this league has a tendency to pigeonhole people or put labels on people, and their opportunities get limited. But Joe Flacco is a starting quarterback in this league. He’s really, really talented.”

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Flacco, entering his 15th NFL season, has completed 61.7% of his passes for 41,269 yards over his career with 227 touchdown passes and 144 interceptions. He guided the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory in February 2013, throwing 11 touchdown passes without an interception in four games that postseason.

That said, Flacco hasn’t started more than nine games in a season since 2017 with Baltimore. The Ravens supplanted him with Lamar Jackson as the starter the following year. Flacco has since played sparingly during stints with the Broncos, Jets and Eagles.

Wilson led the Jets to a 3–10 record in 13 starts as a rookie, completing 55.6% of his passes for 2,334 yards with nine touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. He turned 23 on Wednesday. 

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