Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco took an inordinate amount of criticism this offseason, and when reporters asked him about it today as players reported to the Ravens’ facilities, Flacco fired back.
“It doesn’t matter what other people say,” Flacco said, per Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun. “I think I’m pretty damn good. I don’t need to go out and tell everybody that and show it on every given Sunday. I go out there and I play. You can think what you want about me. The bottom line is: I’m going to feel pretty good about myself no matter what you say.”
Flacco was responding to comments including Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley saying Flacco will never win a Super Bowl and Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones saying Flacco is easily confused and makes mistakes under pressure. Flacco isn’t sure where that comes from.
“I really don’t quite understand it,” Flacco said. “We’ve had a good team the last three years and I think I’ve gotten better each year and played pretty darn good. I really don’t understand it. There’s nothing you can do about it.”
But Flacco says he’s working hard to show that people like Woodley and Jones are wrong.
“What motivates me is being the best quarterback in the world,” Flacco said. “You don’t play this game to be average. I play this game to be the best.”
UPDATE: Flacco’s comments are eerily similar to comments he made to Florio on a January installment of PFT Live. Apparently he tries out his material with PFT Live and then re-uses it with the local media.