Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco

Flacco signing autographs at 2008 training camp
Baltimore Ravens
Career information
College:	Delaware
NFL draft:	2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 18
Career history
Baltimore Ravens (2008-present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
ECAC Eastern P.O.Y. (2007) First-team All-CAA (2007) CAA Co-Offensive P.O.Y. (2007)

Joseph Vincent Flacco (born January 16, 1985 in Template:City-state) is an American football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Delaware.

College career

Pittsburgh

Joe Flacco is an Italian-American.

Flacco redshirted for a team that went 8-4 in 2003.

In 2004, Flacco was the second-string back-up quarterback finding limited playing time behind starter Tyler Palko. He saw action in three games against Ohio University, University of Nebraska, and the University of South Florida. He finished the season with a completion for 11 yards.

Delaware

Flacco transferred to the University of Delaware. Flacco was unable to get out of his scholarship at Pitt, so he was ineligible for action in the 2005 season with UD.

Flacco saw his first full time action during the 2006 season. Flacco put up good numbers with nearly 3,000 yards, and 18 touchdowns as opposed to 10 interceptions. However, due to injury of starting running back Omar Cuff, Delaware struggled to a 5-6 record, missing the playoffs.

The 2007 season proved to be his most successful. Flacco led his team to an 8-3 regular season record while compiling over 3,300 yards, 18 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions. Arguably his best game came against Division 1-A Navy where he threw for 434 yards and four touchdowns. Flacco showed another solid performance in the first ever meeting against Delaware State University in the first round of the playoffs. Behind Cuff's record-setting day, Flacco threw efficiently for 189 yards and a touchdown. Flacco continued UD's playoff run by upsetting the Northern Iowa Panthers 39-27 in the FCS quarterfinals and upsetting the Southern Illinois Salukis the next weekend in the semifinals. Flacco threw for over 200 yards and 2 touchdowns against both the Panthers and Salukis.

Professional career

Pre-draft

Flacco was initially invited to the East-West Shrine Game, but opted out to take part in the Under Armour Senior Bowl when Matt Ryan of Boston College decided not to participate. Flacco struggled on Monday's practice with several botched snaps, but steadily improved as the week continued and has garnered the attention of several NFL scouts and draft experts.

With a solid showing at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine, Flacco solidified himself as a top 5 QB in this year's NFL Draft. Most experts agreed that he would be off the board before the end of the second round.

Flacco won the long distance throw competition in ESPN's State Farm College Football All-Star Challenge with a 74 yard throw. He beat out Matt Ryan, Colt Brennan, Chad Henne, and John David Booty, then won the Taco Bell QB Scramble with a time of 15.74 seconds. He scored a 27 on the Wonderlic exam out of the 50 questions .

Baltimore Ravens

Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware. On July 16, he signed a five-year contract with a maximum value of around $30 million and $8.75 million guaranteed.

In Joe's second NFL play of his career, he was sacked and subsequently fumbled the ball with less than 10 minutes left in the third quarter in their game against the New England Patriots.

Endorsements

Flacco signed a three-year contract with Reebok as a rookie in 2008.

External links

• Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens bio
• Baltimore Ravens bio