New York Jets quarterback Joe Flacco confirmed speculation he won’t be ready to the season opener.
Flacco is rehabbing from from a recently repaired neck. The Jets are scheduled to open their season, September 13 against the Buffalo Bills.
“I can’t speak to exactly when I’m going to be ready, but it will not be day one,” Flacco said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL radio. “Obviously, we’ll get with the doctors and I have another checkup come August, so we’ll see where that goes.”
The Jets and Flacco agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. In games where quarterback Sam Darnold missed starts the past two years, the Jets were 0-6. Flacco brings peace of mind for head coach Adam Gase. When he looks over at his backups, he’ll see a seasoned veteran and a Super Bowl MVP.
“First and foremost, I want to help the team in any way possible and also be a guy Sam can lean on, that he can learn from,” Flacco said in his first interview since being released by the Denver Broncos after only one season. “I would say those are the two most important things: Help out the guys on the team and help out Sam to do all they can.”
Flacco underwent surgery earlier in the offseason for a herniated disc. He reportedly could be cleared for contact in early to mid-September. He’ll probably be limited to light work in training camp.
The NFL is ramping up preparations for football to begin it’s season on time, amid coronavirus concerns. Flacco is participating in the team’s virtual offseason program.
