Ravens' quarterback Joe Flacco knew he needed a big season to warrant the lengthy and expensive extension he planned on receiving at the end of the 2012 season, when there were questions about whether he was the type of player a franchise should commit to. He went out and led the Ravens to a championship and won the Super Bowl MVP in the process, and now has agreed to a six-year, $120.6 million deal, as first reported by Fox Sports.
Flacco's new deal will pay him $20 million a season, making him the highest-paid signal-caller in NFL history. Flacco threw 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions during the 2012 postseason, cementing a reputation as a big-time quarterback with a strong playoff resume. He is 9-4 in his postseason career he and won four road games during his 2012 championship run.
Flacco's regular season numbers pale in comparison to the two players he just passed, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, who make $20 million and $19.2 million a year respectively. His single season career-high in touchdown passes is 25, which he did in 2010. Last season alone, Brees tossed 43 touchdowns and Manning had 37. Tom Brady, who Flacco has faced in the past two AFC Championship games and owns the single season touchdown record of 50, ranks fifth on the quarterbacks list at $14 million.
Flacco has time on his side, however, having just turned 28, and his combination of size (6'6, 232 lbs.) and arm strength make him a devastating weapon in any game. Flacco's numbers do not jump off a page, but he proved in the Super Bowl that he can make difficult throws into tight windows, and lead fleet-footed receivers on deep throws; he averaged 12 yards a completion in 2012. For his career, Flacco has engineered 10 fourth quarter comebacks, and 15 game-winning drives.
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