Martin Rogers
FOX Sports activities Insider
Joe Flacco was as soon as brutally flattened by a future UFC fighter – and popped proper again up once more. That was 17 years in the past when he was nonetheless a digital unknown taking part in for FCS faculty Delaware towards Hofstra earlier than ultimately being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens and placing collectively a protracted NFL profession.
Within the years that adopted, the Hofstra lineman, Gian Villante, who delivered the bone-crunching hit on Flacco, would go on to show himself as a world-class skilled in bodily punishment, preventing on the identical mixed-martial-arts playing cards because the likes of Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones and Georges St. Pierre.
Villante now coaches highschool soccer on Lengthy Island and, by pleased coincidence, is an avowed Cleveland Browns fan, turned to the Dawgs by his outdated coaching companion and former UFC heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic, a diehard Clevelander.
And Flacco, towards all cheap odds, remains to be getting hit and popping again up once more, topping it off by profitable soccer video games for the Browns at some extent when most appeared positive he was destined for duties as a nasty crew’s placeholder or backup.
Nope.
The previous two weeks have been an exciting trip for Cleveland with Flacco on the coronary heart of it, restoring and maybe even enhancing perception that had light when Deshaun Watson went down.
His expertise, calmness and composed play have led the crew to a 9-5 document behind wins towards the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Chicago Bears, with final weekend’s effort highlighted by a spectacular late comeback and a collection of clutch throws on the ultimate drive when nothing else would suffice.
“I watched the sport and I can’t consider that man I performed towards all these years in the past remains to be on the market doing it at such a excessive degree,” Villante advised me by phone on Thursday. “It blows my thoughts.
“Consider all of the hits Joe has taken over time, from guys like me and so many others. As a fighter, you clearly get hit brutally exhausting, however you may take six months till your subsequent combat. “Quarterbacks are attempting to get off a throw, they’ll’t defend themselves, however they’ve bought to return subsequent week and do it once more.”
Joe Flacco speaks on discovering success with Browns | FOX NFL Sunday
Joe Flacco sat down with Mark Sanchez to debate discovering success with the Cleveland Browns late in his profession.
Sufficient time has handed that it isn’t really easy to trace down individuals who intersected with the early a part of Flacco’s profession, however there are many simple reminders as to only how lengthy he has been doing this.
Keep in mind within the distant previous when Beyoncé did her halftime factor after which the Tremendous Bowl lights went out within the New Orleans Superdome? That was the Tremendous Bowl that Flacco gained, almost 11 years in the past, beating Colin Kaepernick’s San Francisco 49ers within the large sport.
Again then, LeBron James had simply gained his first NBA championship months earlier and LeBron is a supporter of the Flacco revival now. Why wouldn’t he be? James is a Browns fan, he turns 39 on Dec. 30, simply 18 days earlier than Flacco does the identical, and the notion of 1 outdated geyser rooting for an additional to shine on behalf of his hometown crew appears completely becoming.
Having spent the primary two months of the season on his sofa, subsequent up for Flacco is a go to to Houston on Sunday to tackle the Texans. Frankly, it’s a little exhausting to work out if the extra stunning factor is that he’s nonetheless right here or how effectively he’s doing.
If not for his superior years, the success would not be a shock in any respect. His profession tallies are 43,259 passing yards (nineteenth all-time) and 239 touchdowns (thirtieth), and even when bouncing between the Jets (twice), Broncos and the Eagles, he by no means let his professionalism waver. As a lot as something, that’s what a proficient however considerably inexperienced Browns squad is benefiting from.
“You already know what’s forward and what’s form of promised to us, we’re not blind to all that,” Flacco advised reporters. “However the guys have a singular focus.”
So too, does the fan base, ignited by seeing a veteran shining in ways in which, frankly, guys stepping in for this type of position aren’t anticipated to.
“Everyone seems to be pumped,” Villante advised me. You could possibly see the air exit of the season with Watson’s harm, then it has all come flooding again – possibly much more so.”
Joe Flacco, Browns SHOCK Justin Fields, Bears – Dave Helman reacts | NFL on FOX Pod
Dave Helman sits down to investigate the Cleveland Browns’ victory over the Chicago Bears alongside Mark Sanchez and Kevin Kugler. How did Joe Flacco and the Cleveland Browns pull off the unbelievable victory? Did Justin Fields price the Chicago Bears the victory? Helman additionally makes positive to offer his private ideas to the Browns victory.
If the chalk holds within the loaded AFC, an 11-win tally could be what is required to make the postseason. With Flacco firing, such a goal appears attainable, although this weekend shall be an enormous step within the course of with a winnable sport towards the Jets and a harder one towards the division rival Bengals to observe.
By all of it, it’s price contemplating that it is a considerably odd and delightfully sudden piece to the profession saga for a former Tremendous Bowl MVP, together with his exploits over latest weeks such that some followers got here to treat his salt-and-pepper beard as a fortunate allure – however now hope it wasn’t as a result of he shaved it off midweek.
For Villante, the connection from the previous provides one thing to the viewing expertise. Not many followers get to say that the QB they’re cheering for is a man they as soon as drove into the turf.
“I really feel all of the aches and pains in my physique, and I’m in awe of how he’s capable of preserve doing it,” Villante mentioned. “Let’s hope he has a number of extra weeks left in him.”
Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports activities and the writer of the FOX Sports activities Insider publication. Comply with him on Twitter @MRogersFOX and subscribe to the day by day publication.
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