NEW ORLEANS – Super Bowl champion quarterback. Check. Super Bowl MVP. Check. One of only six NFL quarterbacks to throw eight touchdowns and no interceptions in a post-season and about to become a free agent. Check.
If you are Super Bowl XLVII MVP quarterback Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens, life is truly good. If you are Flacco’s agent, Joe Linta, then life just got even better.
Flacco, who would help lead Baltimore to it’s second Super Bowl title, is now an unrestricted free agent after the whistle blew in one of the most memorable Super Bowls in recent memory.
In leading the Ravens to a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, Flacco cemented his status as one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL with a sizzling display of poise under pressure and a hot hand.
Flacco would complete 22-of-33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns in Super Bowl XLVII and for the 2012-13 post-season would complete 73 of 126 passes for 1,140 yards, 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Flacco’s impressive 56-yard strike to Jacoby Jones, sealed the deal, and in my opinion, ceased all doubts as to whether or not he is an elite QB.
To put that in perspective, so-called “elite” quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Eli Manning and Aaron Rodgers have never accomplished such an impressive feat. Of the top-tier quarterbacks of this era, only one, Drew Brees has thrown at least eight touchdown passes and zero interceptions in a postseason (2009).
So with all due respect to Peyton, Aaron, Eli and Brady, it’s time to make room for a new member of your exclusive fraternity.
And if there is any more stats to back up the assertion of Flacco now being considered elite, consider that he now has nine post-season victories, and an impressive seven—counting Super Bowl XLVII, since the Ravens were designated as the road team—wins in his five-year career.
Now that Flacco can add “Super Bowl champion and MVP” to his football resume, now is the time for Linta to channel his inner Jerry McGuire/Ari Gold in demonstrating Leverage and Negotiating 101 to both the Ravens and any other possible suitors, as now is as good as a time to cash in, as Flacco’s stock as never been any higher.
Is Flacco worth a contract of $20 million a year?
Name another QB besides Flacco who has accomplished as much as he has in his first five years that has won a Super Bowl, been named MVP and has 55 NFL wins under his belt and we can talk.
Robert D. Cobb is the Founder/CEO/Senior Editor-In-Chief Of The Inscriber : Digital Magazine, for questions, comments and concerns email me at robcobb@theinscriber.com and follow the Inscriber : Digital Magazine on Twitter at @TheInscriber