“Fire him”: NFL fans outraged at Ryan Clark for Joe Flacco-Jesus Christ comparisons on live TV after Browns QB wins starting job 

NFL: Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers - Source: Imagn
NFL: Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers - Source: Imagn

A former NFL safety is facing some heat for his comments about the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback. Joe Flacco was named the starter on Monday, in his second stint with the club at 40 years old. On ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown, Ryan Clark marvelled at the former Super Bowl MVP’s ability to still play at a high level given his age.

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“Joe Flacco must have the faith of a mustard seed. “Because this is the greatest resurrection since Jesus the Christ,” said Clark at 0:16.
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The comparisons to Jesus did not go over well online.

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“Fire him,” one fan recommended.
“Ryan Clark’s act is old and tired already. Time to move on from that guy and his overdramatic takes,” added someone else.
“It is an inappropriate analogy whether you’re a Christian or not,” another fan said.

Flacco first came to the Browns as an emergency quarterback in November 2023 after an injury to Deshaun Watson and guided them to the postseason on that occasion despite not having played an NFL game for months. The New Jersey native had started just nine games between 2020 and his first stint with the Browns in 2023. Clark, 45, is a former Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers and has been a panellist on various ESPN football programs since 2015.

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Like Flacco, Mayfield’s career seemed to be going nowhere with the former first overall draft pick of the Browns bounced around from different teams after his exit from Cleveland. He’s found a home with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, though, putting together his best two seasons regarding passing yards with them and making the Pro Bowl in two successive campaigns.

Monday Night Countdown this week featured Adam Schefter, Clark, Jason Kelce and Marcus Spears. That show finished the 2024 regular season with 1.34 million viewers per show, according to ESPN, up 5% year-over-year.

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Clark believes the Browns made the “wrong move”

While Clark had high praise for Flacco’s abilities at 40, he doesn’t believe that Flacco starting is what’s best for the Browns right now.

“I think that’s the wrong move [to start Joe Flacco]. I think you should have looked at one of these rookies to see if you had your franchise quarterback in the building, whether it’s Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel, who I felt both had good debuts here in the preseason,” Clark said on Tuesday’s “Get Up” episode via Browns Nation.
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The Browns won both their preseason games without Flacco taking a snap. Sanders threw for 138 yards and two touchdowns on a victory over the Carolina Panthers and Gabriel had 143 yards through the air when they beat the Philadelphia Eagles.

Their final preseason contest is Saturday when they host the Los Angeles Rams at Huntington Bank Field.

Cleveland Browns Nation! Check out the latest Cleveland Browns Schedule and dive into the Browns Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

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Edited by Joel Lefevre
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