Flacco Inks Record-Breaking Deal
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (WJZ) -- Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is now the highest paid player in NFL history.
Sports director Mark Viviano has details about the monster contract.
The big overall number is six years, $120.6 million. The significant figure is the $52 million guaranteed. That's part of what makes Flacco's contract the richest ever.
Spreading out the payments over time will greatly benefit the world champion Ravens, giving them salary cap relief this season to sign other players.
No glitz and glamour for Flacco. He wore blue jeans and a pullover to meet with the media to discuss his mega millions.
He's blue jeans and blue collar from a working class family in New Jersey to the top of the NFL. The Super Bowl champ has now signed a $120 million contract.
Related Story: Is Joe Flacco Worth $120M? Ravens Fans Weigh In
But he says the money won't change him.
"What I've done so far has been the right thing," Flacco said. "I think it'd be a bad move to do anything else. I'm going to be who I am and continue to get better every year and continue to get my guys better around me. But other than that, other than doing those things, other than continuing to push my teammates and myself, I'm going to do everything the same."
Many thought Flacco took a risky gamble when he turned down a contract before last season. And even though he helped the Ravens win the Super Bowl, Flacco says that does not change his value.
"I think I'm an asset to this team, and I'm worth what I'm worth," Flacco said. "The fact that we won the Super Bowl just comes with that. If we didn't win the Super Bowl this year I still think I'm worth the same. I still think I'm the same person in this organization."
Flacco vows to remain the same low key leader. He won't be using his fame to land new endorsement deals.
"When you get a $120 million contract, you don't need to be searching for too much money," he said with a smile. "If people are gonna be getting me off my couch, it already takes a lot. It's gonna take a little bit extra now."
Flacco's contract will surpass that of New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees--who is currently the highest paid in NFL history.
But Flacco joked that his record contract is not going to be a record for long. There are other quarterbacks scheduled for new contracts.
Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rogers is among those likely to exceed Flacco's.
Drafted by the Ravens in 2008, Flacco, 28, is the only player to lead his team to a playoff win in each of his first five seasons.
Web Extra: News Conference About Contract
Below are several notes/highlights in Flacco's career from the Baltimore Ravens:
- Flacco is the Ravens' all-time leading passer in yards (17,633), TD passes (102), completions (1,507) and attempts (2,489) and is second in completion percentage (60.5).
- In 2012, Flacco was named to USA Today's All-Joe Team (players who are critical to their team, but don't receive Pro Bowl nods) after posting career highs in passing yards (3,817 - second in franchise history: Vinny Testaverde, 4,177 in 1996) and completions (317 – second most in franchise history: Testaverde, 325 in 1996), while throwing 22 TD passes.
- In 2012, the Ravens scored the most points (398) in franchise history and posted the second-most total yards (5,640) in team history (5,723 in 1996). Flacco also rushed for a career-high 3 TDs.
- Flacco's 63 wins (including playoffs) are the most by an NFL starting QB since 2008, when he entered the league.
- Among all NFL quarterbacks since 2008, Flacco has produced an NFL-high 27 total road wins (including playoffs). Eli Manning and Aaron Rodgers are second with 24 road wins during that span.
- Having never missed a contest, Flacco has started every game of his career, with his 93 NFL starts (including playoffs) the most to begin a career by a QB in NFL history.
- Became the second QB in NFL postseason history (Joe Montana – 1989) to throw 11 TDs and 0 INTs in 2012.
- Flacco is the only starting quarterback in NFL history (since the 1970 merger) to win a playoff game in each of his first five seasons (2008-12).
- Set the Ravens' single-season record for completion percentage (63.1) in 2009 and QB rating (93.6) in 2010, while his 25 passing TDs in 2010 and 3,817 passing yards in 2012 rank as the second most in Ravens single-season history.
- Owns the Ravens' franchise record for 300-yard passing games (13).
- Became the first rookie QB in NFL history to win two playoff games; the second in the 2008 Divisional Playoff win at No. 1 seed Ten. (1/10/09).
- The tandem of John Harbaugh and Flacco, which in 2008 set the NFL record for most wins ever (13, including playoffs) by a rookie head coach starting a rookie QB, now own the league mark for earning the playoffs in their first five seasons.
- Flacco has led the Ravens to 33 career regular season wins at home, tied for the most among NFL starting quarterbacks since 2008 (Matt Ryan).
- In each of the past four seasons (2009-12), Flacco and Aaron Rodgers are the only NFL quarterbacks to throw for at least 3,600 yards and 20 TDs while posting 12 INTs or less.
