EXCLUSIVE: Joe Flacco puts Tom Brady and Peyton Manning on his All-Time QB Mt Rushmore, Talks “Is Joe Flacco Elite?” debate

Few NFL quarterbacks have built a résumé quite like Joe Flacco’s. Entering his 19th NFL season this fall, the Super Bowl XLVII MVP has cemented himself as one of the most accomplished quarterbacks of his generation. From leading the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl title and one of the greatest postseason runs in NFL history to becoming one of the league’s most respected veteran leaders, Flacco has enjoyed a career defined by longevity, consistency, and success on the biggest stage.

Now in his second year with the Cincinnati Bengals, Flacco continues to make an impact both on and off the field. In addition to preparing for the 2026 season, the 40-year-old has partnered with Caddix, an innovative football cleat company focused on maximizing performance while helping reduce lower-body injuries. 

During an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints’ Rob Lepelstat, Flacco discussed what drew him to the brand, looked back on Baltimore’s unforgettable Super Bowl run, reflected on the iconic “Is Joe Flacco elite?” debate, revealed his Mount Rushmore of all-time quarterbacks, and shared his expectations for the Bengals heading into the 2026 campaign.

Joe Flacco-Caddix Cleats partnership

After nearly two decades in the NFL, Flacco knows exactly what he’s looking for in a football cleat. Having worn virtually every major brand throughout his career, he doesn’t take endorsements lightly, which made his decision to partner with Caddix especially meaningful.

The company has generated significant buzz across football thanks to its SmartStud technology, designed to provide elite traction while helping reduce the rotational forces that can contribute to lower-body injuries. For Flacco, the partnership wasn’t simply about attaching his name to another product—it was about finding equipment he genuinely believes gives players an advantage on the field. He discussed what initially stood out about the cleats, why he decided to become involved with the company and what makes Caddix different from the countless products he’s worn throughout his NFL career.

“I think we’re always kind of looking for new things to move the game forward,” Flacco explained. “With the amount of games taking place on turf these days, I think this is an easy way to combat some of that stress that you deal with”

When asked about what sets Kadak apart from traditional footwear, Flacco pointed directly to the mechanics underfoot. As he explained, the edge comes down to how the sole reacts at the moment of impact: 

“What makes them different is the technology in the plate… the fact that these cleats give a little bit, it just reduces some of that stress and allows for a little bit of freedom when you’re contacting the ground.”

Ahead of the 2026 NFL season, the brand announced a significant expansion of its retail footprint through new placements with SCHEELS and DICK’S Sporting Goods. The rollout will bring Caddix products to 17 retail locations across the two sporting goods retailers.

Magical 2012 Super Bowl Run

Although Flacco enjoyed sustained success throughout his time in Baltimore, his legacy will forever be tied to the Ravens’ unforgettable Super Bowl run during the 2012 season. It’s a postseason that still ranks among the greatest ever by an NFL quarterback.

After defeating rookie Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card Round, Baltimore stunned Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in one of the most memorable playoff games ever played before knocking off Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in Foxborough to reach the Super Bowl.

The Ravens then defeated Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers to capture the franchise’s second championship. Flacco was spectacular from start to finish, throwing 11 touchdowns without a single interception throughout the playoffs while also earning Super Bowl MVP honors. More than a decade later, he reflected on that remarkable playoff run:

“When you’re in that moment and when you’re winning those football games, there is a certain level of, ‘Man, this kind of feels easy. How come we don’t do this every year?’ But there’s so many things that have to go your way—one bounce of the ball here or there, and it changes your whole season.”

Joe Flacco looks back at the ‘Is Joe Flacco elite?’ debate

Throughout much of his career, one question seemed to follow Flacco everywhere he went: “Is Joe Flacco elite?”

The debate dominated sports television, radio, and social media throughout the early 2010s, reaching its peak during Baltimore’s championship run. While some pointed to his consistency in the postseason and ability to win on the biggest stage, others questioned whether his regular-season production placed him among the NFL’s very best quarterbacks.

The discussion became one of the defining storylines of Flacco’s career and remains one of football’s most memorable debates. Looking back years later, Flacco reflected on how he viewed the conversation then, whether it ever bothered him, and how he thinks about it today after building a résumé that includes a Super Bowl championship, Super Bowl MVP, and numerous playoff victories.

“It’s amazing that that conversation is still, and that question is still getting brought up! But listen, I’ve learned to have fun with it. It’s all good… You know what I think. But that doesn’t really matter… I have my thoughts on why that is such a topic, even today, but I try to have as much fun with it as I can.”

Following that historic postseason run, Flacco cashed in on his bet on himself by signing a six-year, $120.6 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens in March 2013. The deal featured $52 million in guaranteed money and a $29 million signing bonus, briefly making him the highest-paid player in NFL history. By delivering a Lombardi Trophy and immediately demanding top-of-the-market quarterback money, Flacco effectively put a punctuation mark on the infamous “Is Joe Flacco elite?” debate; whether critics agreed with the title or not, the Ravens’ front office validated his elite status in the most absolute way possible; with their checkbook.

Flacco names his Mount Rushmore of all-time QBs

Having spent nearly two decades in the NFL, Flacco has competed against many of the greatest quarterbacks the game has ever seen. From Peyton Manning and Tom Brady to Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers, and Patrick Mahomes, he’s had a front-row seat to several generations of elite quarterback play.

With that perspective, Flacco was asked to build his personal Mount Rushmore of quarterbacks. Whether based on championships, talent, longevity or overall impact on the game, his selections carry extra weight coming from someone who has shared the field with many of football’s all-time greats. He explained which quarterbacks made his list and what separated them from the rest.

• Tom Brady
• Peyton Manning
• Joe Montana
• Dan Marino

“When I was in high school, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning were the guys… those are the guys that I was looking up to as a kid. And then when I go back to like when I was a younger kid, the guys that I looked up to… were Montana and Marino… It’s so hard to come up with a list, there’s so many good guys out there… but there’s four guys that I would say I think pretty highly of.”

Few quarterbacks in modern NFL history knew the challenge of facing Tom Brady in January quite like Flacco, who went toe-to-toe with New England in multiple high-stakes playoff clashes. When asked where the seven-time champion stands in the pantheon of all-time greats, Flacco made it clear that any debate over the “G.O.A.T.” title is long over: 

“He’s made it impossible to argue that he’s not… When you win seven Super Bowls and get to a handful more, and you’re in the AFC Championship year after year after year… I don’t care what the argument is against it, if you can come up with one… It’s so hard to be that consistent. There’s more to it than whatever you’re trying to say it is… It’s just so beyond impressive, and what we thought was possible, that it’s impossible to argue that he’s not.”

Joe Flacco looks ahead to the Bengals’ 2026 season

While much of the conversation centered around Flacco’s decorated career, his focus remains firmly on helping the Bengals compete for a championship in 2026.

Cincinnati enters the season with one of the league’s most talented offensive cores led by franchise quarterback Joe Burrow and star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Despite dealing with injuries and slow starts in recent years, the Bengals still believe they have the roster to compete with the AFC’s elite. As one of the league’s most experienced veterans, Flacco brings valuable leadership to the quarterback room while serving as an important mentor behind Burrow. It’s certainly a different feeling this time around for Flacco, who’s been around the block a few times.

“It’s not quite the same buildup as it was 20 years ago when you had to get your mind right and just get ready for the long haul,” Flacco explained. “I’m much more relaxed about heading back for training camp these days than I was 15, 20 years ago. But it’s always exciting! Just like all the fans out there, football is the sport here, and we all love it.”

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Rob Lepelstat is an experienced sports media professional with over 7+ years in content creation, editorial, social media, reporting/interviewing, etc. His work has been featured in USA Today, Yahoo Sports, Bleacher Report, and more. Check out more of his interviews, including Jay-Z, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lawrence Taylor, Ray Lewis, Derek Jeter, Ice Cube, “Dr. J” Julius Erving, Drew Brees, and Livvy Dunne here.

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