Kyle Shanahan Calls Joe Flacco One Of The Best Quarterbacks Of The Last 20 Years

If you're asked to pick the top quarterbacks of the last 20 years, a lot of people will quickly rattle off names like Brady, Manning, Mahomes, and Rodgers. However, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has another name to throw in the mix: Joe Flacco.

There was always that debate over whether or not Flacco was an elite quarterback even after he led the Ravens to a Super Bowl win. A Super Bowl win, coincidentally over the 49ers.

Now, with Flacco helping the Cleveland Browns to an improbable playoff run in his late thirties, that debate is flaring up again.

Shanahan seems to think that Flacco belongs among the best signal callers of the last two decades.

"I don't think people have ever given Flacco enough credit for his whole career," Shanahan said Thursday on KNBR's "Tolbert and Copes" show, per 49ers Webzone. "I think he's been one of the better quarterbacks of the last 20 years."

Shanahan Lauds Flacco's 'Unbelievable Talent'

Shanahan talked about how he tried to bring Flacco to San Francisco two years ago, only to lose out.

"Flacco has always been that type of thrower," the Niners coach said. "He's always been tough hanging in the pocket. He's got elite arm talent and he's a smart guy who's been around a lot of systems."

"His skill set never left. It's just sometimes you don't get that opportunity, you're not a starter anymore, you don't get in the best situation," Shanahan continued. "But it has always kind of blew my mind on a number of places that he was going to be available at this time of year because he's always had some unbelievable talent.

"He's put on a lot of good stuff on tape, and that talent, obviously, is still there."

Obviously. The unexpected run Flacco has led the Browns on has led to him earning a nice little bit of extra cash. We'll learn soon enough if he can guide the team to a nice playoff run.

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