Zach Wilson welcomes back Joe Flacco in elite fashion

Zach Wilson took to Twitter to give Joe Flacco a warm welcome back

Move over, “Fast and Furious”, because the New York Jets‘ quarterback room is giving a new definition to family.

Zach Wilson took a break from his Nashville-based workouts with Corey Davis to commemorate Joe Flacco‘s return to New York, which was made official by the team on Thursday.

Flacco, 37, will return for his third season in green and is expected to take on a larger mentorship role to Wilson as the latter embarks on his second NFL season. If his congratulatory tweet is any indication, Wilson is fully on board, to the point of bestowing Flacco a fatherly nickname.

Always helps to have an Elite QB in the locker room.

Welcome back, dad @JoeFlacco https://t.co/agdUaL6O90

— Zachary Wilson (@ZachWilson) March 24, 2022

“Welcome back, dad,” Wilson says, which draws a laugh from Mekhi Becton in the replies. He also remarks that it “(a)lways helps to have an Elite QB in the locker room”, referencing the debate around Flacco’s prime with the Baltimore Ravens that evolved into a gridiron meme of sorts.

With both Flacco and restricted free agent Mike White returning, each of the Jets’ starting quarterbacks from the 2021 season will be back in green.

Very few veteran backups have acquired the experience and accolades of Flacco, a first-round pick in the 2008 draft that guided the Ravens to a Super Bowl title with an MVP performance in the 47th edition. The Delaware alum and Audubon, NJ native holds several records in Baltimore and the NFL as a whole.

Of note, Flacco holds or shares several league postseason all-time marks including most road wins for a participating quarterback (7, with Tom Brady) and most touchdown passes without throwing a single interception in a single playoff trek during the aforementioned run to the Super Bowl in 2013 (11, with Joe Montana).

In addition to his victorious NFL experiences, Flacco has also risen to the occasion when the Jets have called upon him in relief of Wilson and Sam Darnold. In seven appearances over the past two seasons, Flacco has thrown nine touchdowns and three interceptions, amassing an 88.3 passer rating.

Flacco made one start last season after the Jets brought him back to New York through a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, earning 292 yards and two scores in a November loss to Miami.

Having Flacco in tow for spring and summer activities will be a stark contrast from Wilson’s first NFL preparation. The Jets spent most of offseason training with zero pass attempts of regular-season experience in their quarterback room, as the then-rookie Wilson joined White and 2020 draft pick James Morgan (now of the Indianapolis Colts) before the Jets added well-traveled veteran Josh Johnson (now of the Denver Broncos) in early August.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags