The Denver Broncos have already ruled out Joe Flacco for their Week 9 game because of a neck injury he suffered on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, and the veteran quarterback could end up missing a significant amount of time.
Flacco is seeking a second opinion on what the best options are for the herniated disk in his neck, and Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the initial belief is that he will miss five or six weeks. While Flacco is likely to avoid surgery and his career is not in jeopardy, that recovery timeline could force the Broncos to have to make a difficult decision.
#Broncos QB Joe Flacco is getting a second opinion from Dr. Jack Kelley today, but based on the initial read he could be out as long as 5-6 weeks, source said. Surgery is unlikely, and his career is not in jeopardy. However, Denver does have a roster decision to make.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 29, 2019
If Flacco misses six weeks, that means he will be out for the majority of the remainder of the season. With the Broncos clearly not in playoff contention, they may decide to shut him down for the year and give their younger quarterbacks some work.
Flacco is under contract through 2021, but he publicly bashed Denver’s coaching staff following the team’s tough loss to the Colts. If the neck injury turns out to be serious enough that he doesn’t play again this season, it would not be a surprise if the 34-year-old has played his last snap for the Broncos.
