Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco is quickly emerging as a Baltimore football legend. In fact, he's about to become the greatest quarterback in the city's history. Flacco has led the Ravens to the playoffs in all five of his NFL seasons. He threw 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions -- tying Joe Montana for most postseason touchdowns without a pick -- in helping the team claim its second Lombardi Trophy earlier this year. And he earned the Super Bowl MVP award in the process. But none of that really has anything to do with the fact that Flacco will become Baltimore's most loved player ever this summer ... thanks to the magic of the movies.

John Unitas Jr. is not happy with his half-brother's choice of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco to play their father, Baltimore Colts legend Johnny Unitas, in the football scenes of the upcoming biopic "Unitas We Stand. " In an interview with USA Today, John Unitas Jr. called Flacco "a goofball" and said a better choice to play his late father would be a modern-day legend who played many years for the Indianapolis Colts. "If you want a quarterback, go with Peyton Manning," said John Unitas Jr., one of five children from Johnny Unitas' first marriage.

It seems that every year, a quarterback who usually doesn't get a lot of notice becomes a star in the postseason. This year it's Joe Flacco's turn. But is the Baltimore Ravens quarterback part of the elite quarterback club? Who would be in that club? Well, among active players, you would include, among others, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. Of course, they have all won Super Bowls; Flacco hasn't. Does that prevent him from becoming a member? His teammates and opponents don't think so. "He is one of the elite quarterbacks," New England Patriots safety Steve Gregory said after his team lost to the Ravens in the AFC championship game Sunday.

Joe Flacco is quickly emerging as a Baltimore football legend. In fact, he's about to become the greatest quarterback in the city's history. Flacco has led the Ravens to the playoffs in all five of his NFL seasons. He threw 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions -- tying Joe Montana for most postseason touchdowns without a pick -- in helping the team claim its second Lombardi Trophy earlier this year. And he earned the Super Bowl MVP award in the process. But none of that really has anything to do with the fact that Flacco will become Baltimore's most loved player ever this summer ... thanks to the magic of the movies.

There has been no outcry against CBS from viewers angry with the network's unintentional airing of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco swearing while celebrating the team's Super Bowl win, according to a senior executive at the network. "We've gotten a handful of complaints [but] there are more people asking questions about the blackout," said Martin Franks, executive vice president of planning, policy and government affairs for CBS. In an interview, Franks said the only way the network could have avoided picking up Flacco's swearing would have been to put the entire game on a tape delay.

Joe Flacco's life changed forever Sunday night. He's now a Super Bowl champion -- and a Super Bowl MVP on top of that -- after leading the Baltimore Ravens to a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Not only has he silenced his seemingly ever-present critics, he almost certainly will become one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL after a performance that included three first-half touchdowns. But there's more, something that has nothing to do with football. At his private post-game party for family and friends, Flacco and his wife, Dana, announced that they are expecting their second child -- news they had kept to themselves until that point.

Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco just led the Ravens through the playoffs and to a Super Bowl victory, throwing for 11 touchdowns and no interceptions along the way. The Super Bowl MVP is set to be a free agent this off-season, and many are speculating that he might receive a salary in the $18-20 million range. Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss whether Flacco deserves to be paid like an elite NFL quarterback and whether he ultimately will start receiving such paychecks.

NEW ORLEANS -- Joe Flacco will play his last game under his rookie contract against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Super Bowl XLVII, but owner Steve Bisciotti made it clear that he intends to keep the quarterback in a Ravens uniform for a long time. Bisciotti said Thursday that the two sides were “real close” to a deal when the talks were tabled just before the start of this season, and he's “very comfortable” that an agreement on a long-term contract extension for Flacco will be reached in the coming months.

In the days before Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco signed his $120-million six-year NFL contract , speculation mounted about how he might celebrate (go back to Vegas? Disneyland? family pizza party?). And the first thing he does after filing the biggest contract in NFL history? He headed to McDonald's in Aberdeen, Md., on the way to his house in New Jersey and ordered a 10-piece Chicken McNugget meal with fries and unsweetened tea for $6.99, according to the McDonald's employee at the drive-through window who snapped his picture.

John Unitas Jr. is not happy with his half-brother's choice of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco to play their father, Baltimore Colts legend Johnny Unitas, in the football scenes of the upcoming biopic "Unitas We Stand. " In an interview with USA Today, John Unitas Jr. called Flacco "a goofball" and said a better choice to play his late father would be a modern-day legend who played many years for the Indianapolis Colts. "If you want a quarterback, go with Peyton Manning," said John Unitas Jr., one of five children from Johnny Unitas' first marriage.

Anquan Boldin was a key reason San Francisco lost the Super Bowl to Baltimore last month. He led the Ravens with six catches for 104 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Flacco to help deal the 49ers a 34-31 loss. Someone's going to feel a bit sheepish when he faces his new teammates for the first time. In an apparent salary cap move, Boldin has been traded from the Ravens to the 49ers for a sixth-round draft pick in 2013 pending a physical, multiple sources are reporting.

In the days before Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco signed his $120-million six-year NFL contract , speculation mounted about how he might celebrate (go back to Vegas? Disneyland? family pizza party?). And the first thing he does after filing the biggest contract in NFL history? He headed to McDonald's in Aberdeen, Md., on the way to his house in New Jersey and ordered a 10-piece Chicken McNugget meal with fries and unsweetened tea for $6.99, according to the McDonald's employee at the drive-through window who snapped his picture.

Joe Flacco became the highest-paid player in NFL history Monday, but not because he led the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl XLVII championship or that he was that game's most valuable player. Or that he threw 11 touchdown passes and had no passes intercepted in four playoff games during the postseason run. Flacco told reporters he received his six-year, $120.6-million contract because ... well, just because he's worth it. “Listen, winning the Super Bowl, winning the Super Bowl MVP doesn't make me as valuable as I am,” said Flacco, who avoided the franchise tag by signing Monday.

The Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco have reportedly agreed to terms on a six-year contract worth more than $120 million. But is the fifth-year quarterback worth more than the Saints' Drew Brees, the NFL's highest-paid player at $20 million a season? Or the Patriots' Tom Brady? Or the Packers' Aaron Rodgers or the Broncos' Peyton Manning? They are all Super Bowl winners, and last season Flacco, 28 and entering his prime, joined 49ers legend Joe Montana atop the playoff record book by throwing 11 touchdowns without having a pass intercepted.

Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens reached a tentative agreement Friday on a new contract that would make the Super Bowl most valuable plater the highest-paid player in NFL history. If the deal is finalized, the veteran quarterback would receive in excess of $120 million over six years, according to a person close to the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract has not yet been signed. Flacco would earn more than the $20-million average salary Drew Brees receives with the New Orleans Saints.

Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco just led the Ravens through the playoffs and to a Super Bowl victory, throwing for 11 touchdowns and no interceptions along the way. The Super Bowl MVP is set to be a free agent this off-season, and many are speculating that he might receive a salary in the $18-20 million range. Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss whether Flacco deserves to be paid like an elite NFL quarterback and whether he ultimately will start receiving such paychecks.

The Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco have reportedly agreed to terms on a six-year contract worth more than $120 million. But is the fifth-year quarterback worth more than the Saints' Drew Brees, the NFL's highest-paid player at $20 million a season? Or the Patriots' Tom Brady? Or the Packers' Aaron Rodgers or the Broncos' Peyton Manning? They are all Super Bowl winners, and last season Flacco, 28 and entering his prime, joined 49ers legend Joe Montana atop the playoff record book by throwing 11 touchdowns without having a pass intercepted.

Beyonce kept her top on during the halftime show but Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco's excitement over winning the Super Bowl included dropping some swear words on national TV. At the end of a long game that included a power outage that stopped play for about 30 minutes, a happy Flacco screamed some expletives. He was close enough to some microphones to be heard quite clearly by viewers at home. Flacco's enthusiasm would probably be classified as a fleeting expletive.

There has been no outcry against CBS from viewers angry with the network's unintentional airing of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco swearing while celebrating the team's Super Bowl win, according to a senior executive at the network. "We've gotten a handful of complaints [but] there are more people asking questions about the blackout," said Martin Franks, executive vice president of planning, policy and government affairs for CBS. In an interview, Franks said the only way the network could have avoided picking up Flacco's swearing would have been to put the entire game on a tape delay.

Writers from around Tribune Co. choose their favorite Super Bowl commercial. Let us know which one you liked best. Diane Pucin, Los Angeles Times Sweet horses, Fleetwood Mac, winner. Even for someone who hates beer, who gets a little queasy when there's even a hint of hops, the best Super Bowl ad was the Budweiser creation entitled "Brotherhood. " The company has used the iconic Clydesdale horse before but not with such a sweet-looking foal. The baby Clydesdale used in the ad was born on Jan. 16. There was an entire story told.