The Cleveland Browns have one of the more unique quarterback situations in the NFL’s history. Four players have legitimate chances to earn the starting job, and the team has created two separate quarterback controversies.
Joe Flacco is the veteran presence in the QB room, but he’s already said he won’t be a mentor. That did not sit well with a former teammate, turned ESPN radio host.
Chris Canty Rips Ex-Teammate Joe Flacco Over ‘Mentor’ Comments
Flacco has grinded out a 17-year career after being selected in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He spent his first 11 years with the Baltimore Ravens, winning Super Bowl 47, before becoming a journeyman.
After three years with the New York Jets, Flacco signed with Cleveland late in the 2023 season. He won four of the five games he started down the stretch, throwing for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. The Browns secured a playoff berth but lost to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round.
Flacco spent 2024 with the Indianapolis Colts and returned to Cleveland on a one-year, $4.25 million contract this offseason. He returned to the Browns expecting to compete with the recently acquired Kenny Pickett. However, Cleveland selected Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft. Flacco is now likely to be a mentor for the young signal-callers, but he doesn’t want to do that.
Joe Flacco gets very candid about the whole being a mentor narrative #Browns pic.twitter.com/oBjr8CsSal
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) May 28, 2025
During the team’s recent OTA schedule, the veteran said, “I’m not a mentor. I play football.” This did not sit well with his former teammate Chris Canty. The two overlapped with the Ravens from 2013 to 2015.
Canty co-hosts ESPN’s “Unsportsmanlike Radio” and went in on Flacco during a May 30 edition of the show.
“Mentoring a young player is only going to make that player better, which makes the team better. You’re only as strong as your weakest link. The whole point of the exercise is that everybody makes everyone better. That’s why you practice. You’re making each other better. It’s what you’re supposed to do. You do that with the reps on the practice field, but you also do that by sharing points and notes in the film room,” he said.
“It’s a ridiculous answer from Joe Flacco.” He continued, “Just because you’re mentoring, doesn’t mean you can’t be the starting quarterback. His answer is nonsensical. I hate going so hard at one of my former teammates, but it’s one of the dumbest things I’ve heard Joe Flacco ever say.”
Flacco has a history of not wanting to be a mentor to young quarterbacks. This isn’t uncommon for veterans who can still compete at a high level late in their careers, but being called out by a former teammate adds some spice to Flacco’s comments.
The veteran is coming off a shaky season with the Colts, during which he threw for 1,761 yards, 12 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in eight games. He’ll have to hold off Pickett before he can “mentor” the rookies with his play on the field.
Pickett appeared in five games last year for the Philadelphia Eagles, throwing for 291 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception on 42 attempts.
Gabriel and Sanders have their own quarterback battle to win. Gabriel played in 64 college games and led Oregon to an undefeated regular season and the Big 10 Championship, throwing for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2024.
Sanders was exceptional in his final college season at Colorado, throwing for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns, but slipped to the fifth round after being in the first-round pick discussion.
Cleveland’s QB battle will be one of the best storylines through the summer, and Flacco’s comments fuel the fire.