Jets quarterback Joe Flacco got good news Thursday when he went to see a specialist in Philadelphia for an update on his recovery from neck surgery.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, all is well with Flacco’s neck and he could be back on the field soon. The 35-year-old is on track to miss only one or two games. He has his final checkup in early September, but Flacco has made significant progress since undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disk in April.
Flacco signed with the Jets in May on a one-year, $1.5 million deal to serve as Sam Darnold’s backup and mentor. His decision to undergo surgery was one he wrestled with on a daily basis, as he was not sure he wanted to continue his playing career. After deep contemplation, Flacco ultimately opted for surgery and another go around in the NFL with New York.
“My mind was just all over the place, even a couple of months into the offseason,” Flacco said in an interview with Sirius XM NFL Radio after signing with the Jets. “I was kind of going crazy about the whole thing. The fact that I finally got [the surgery] done and put all that behind me, I can move forward and look forward to football.”
Although he is nearing a return, Flacco will still be out for the Jets’ season opener against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 13 and possibly another week or two after that. It is unlikely that he will be cleared for contact at any point in training camp and will likely be relegated to light, non-contact work for the next month.
With Flacco on the shelf, David Fales and rookie James Morgan have assumed backup duties behind Darnold.