Colts QB Joe Flacco Reveals Why He Chose Indianapolis in Free Agency

After leading the Indianapolis Colts to victory over the Steelers, QB Joe Flacco talked why he chose the Circle City.

Sep 29, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco (15) throws a pass during the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24 after losing Anthony Richardson (hip) in the first quarter. The veteran was signed during the 2024 offseason (one-year, $4.5 million per Over The Cap) and is already showing his value before September is over.

Flacco entered and didn't skip a beat, finishing the game 16/26 passing (61.5%) for 168 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Flacco's 17 years of NFL experience and standing behind an elite offensive line paid off with consistent connections to Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs.

Flacco was a guest on The Pat McAfee Show and mentioned some interesting information on several things, but one that stood out was his reasons for coming to Indianapolis. The veteran and former Super Bowl MVP revealed the head coach of the Colts, Shane Steichen, as the primary motivation for coming to the Circle City.

Shane's obviously, probably the reason when the Colts reached out that I was very willing and excited about coming here. I felt like if I did have to go in there and play that I'd be put in a good situation to play good ball.

- Joe Flacco | Indianapolis Colts QB

"Shane Steichen is the reason why I was very excited about coming here..

I knew that he would put me in a good situation to play good ball" ~ @JoeFlacco #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/kYKURadPhx

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 30, 2024

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

Flacco likely noticed what Indianapolis did in 2023 with Gardner Minshew (Las Vegas Raiders) commanding the offense for the majority of the campaign. But, recent news was also released that the Cleveland Browns didn't approach the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year with any contract offer.

The Cleveland Browns did NOT make a contract offer to Joe Flacco this offseason #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/4Qf7yvzw0Z

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 30, 2024

While it's fair to assume that Cleveland not offering anything to Flacco is a good reason why he looked toward Indy, the fit with Steichen's vertical-style offense is also a culprit. Flacco, while being nearly 40 years old, still throws the deep ball as well as any. Flacco isn't mobile, but the deep passing was what Minshew couldn't provide in relief of Richardson last year. This passing ability makes an offensive weapon like Alec Pierce still deadly.

The Colts are fortunate to have Flacco backing up Richardson. While Richardson has had a slew of injuries, it's still early in his career and these setbacks will occur with an athletic, mobile passer. Flacco will be prepared and ready if he gets the call to start against the Jacksonville Jaguars in week five.

---

Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X; subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.