'Quarterback' Ep. 2 Review: Joe Flacco Rips 'Swaggy' QBs as Shedeur Sanders Stands Right Next to Him

Episode 1 of Netflix’s “Quarterback” featured some of best moments of Joe Flacco’s career with highlights of him leading the Ravens to a title and being named MVP, but Episode 2 hones in on the nadir of his NFL life, getting benched by the Browns.

It wasn’t as though Peyton Manning, Patrick Mahomes and the other producers of the documentary were piling on by showing several of Flacco’s turnovers. It wasn’t a necessary part of his story, because the benching was the move that set everything in motion for the Cincinnati Bengals to trade for Flacco after Jake Browning struggled in three games as the starter after Joe Burrow’s injury.

After a 2.5-minute opening montage, the show opens with Baker Mayfield in Tampa. The segment runs 12:30 minutes, which is more time than everyone except Flacco received in Episode 1.

Episode 1 Review: Flacco's wife and son benched him after loss to Bengals

The show pivots from Mayfield to Flacco with a shot of him driving through the streets of Cleveland, talking to a camera crew in the car about how much he loves the city even though it’s hard to be living away from his family in New Jersey.

Flacco talks about his decision to sign with the Browns because they were the only team giving him a chance to start. Then the focus shifts to the 2025 NFL Draft, when the team selected Dillon Garbiel in the third round and Shedeur Sanders in the fifth.

After draft day highlights and analysts questioning what the Browns were thinking, the cameras show Flacco on the practice field with Sanders and Gabriel talking about visor shields on helmets.

Flacco chides Sanders for trying to look too swaggy and insists quarterbacks shouldn’t wear visors and he doesn’t want to let his sons wear them.

Joe Flacco and Shedeur Sanders — Joe Flacco throws as Shedeur Sanders looks on during Browns training camp, Friday, July 25, 2025, in Berea. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“When I was a kid I wanted a visor, too, but then I realized they suck,” Flacco said.

Gabriel asks if he really won’t let his sons wear one.

“I’ll let them wear it, but I’ll tell them, you’re a quarterback, bro, and you’re wearing a visor? You look like a f--kin’ idiot.”

As he says that, Sanders is standing right next to him wearing a mirrored visor.

“But I like my mirror one,” Sanders said.

“I get it, I get it,” Flacco laughs. “Lets get a win, and maybe I’ll put a visor on.”

The scene shifts to the Week 3 home game against the Packers, who are 2-0 and viewed as one of the best teams in the league while the Browns are 0-2.

The first highlight they show is a Flacco deep ball into double coverage that results in an interception.

But the Browns score a late TD and kick a game-winning field goal at the gun to win 13-10.

Flacco laments how he played after a third consecutive poor offensive showing.

In head coach Kevin Stefanski’s postgame press conference, a reporter asks if he will stick with Flacco as the starter, and he confirms he will, ending the eight-minute segment.

Cam Ward gets nine minutes, Jayden Daniels just 3.5 and Mayfield, who had the least screen time in Episode 1, receives another 7.5.

The show switches back to Flacco with voiceovers from more talk radio about whether the Browns should make a quarterback change.

Flacco talks about trying not dwell on the sense of urgency before there is a highlight of him throwing another interception in the Week 4 game at Detroit.

The Browns lose 34-10 as Flacco throws two interceptions and loses a fumble.

Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) sacked Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“I felt like I didn’t play my football today, and that coupled with the sense of urgency felt in the building …,” he says while trailing off. “By Monday or Tuesday, there some things in my head where I was curious what they were thinking.”

After a shot of him walking dejectedly up the tunnel to the locker room in Detroit, the scene focuses to the Browns facility three days later, when Stefanski announces Gabriel will start the Week 5 game in London against the Vikings.

In a interview with producers, Flacco talks about quarterbacks having to shoulder all of the blame.

“You have to own the fact that you’re treated as the main reason things aren’t going well, and you have to deal with it.”

And the show fades to the credits, which means the trade to the Bengals should be a major part of Episode 3.

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