When a former Super Bowl MVP nears the end of their career, they might need an extra source of motivation. That could mean wanting one more postseason run, proving they still have something left to give the game or sharing special moments with your family. It is possible all of those reasons apply to Joe Flacco, but it is that last one that is making his time with the Cleveland Browns so unforgettable on a personal level.

Now in his age-38 season, the veteran quarterback is playing an inspiring brand of football for a franchise perpetually bogged down by adversity. Joe Cool and the team officially overcame it all on Thursday Night Football, beating the New York Jets, 37-20, to reach the playoffs. Flacco's wife and five children were in attendance at Cleveland Browns Stadium to witness this momentous occasion and bask in the elation with No. 15 himself.

Browns' Joe Flacco not losing sight of what's most important

“It's so rare {for a player} to have kids at the age my kids are,” Flacco told the Amazon Prime postgame crew. “You don't get opportunities to do that…It's such a cool thing. I think it's really cool for them, but in reality, I'm going to be the one who remembers this the most. And they'll remember it and they think it's unbelievable, but at the same time, this will be a memory me and my wife are going to have forever.”

Flacco just gained even more supporters with that heartfelt statement about being a father in the world of professional sports. His 309 passing yards and three touchdowns certainly engaged fans on Thursday, but it is the innate likability of the former Baltimore Ravens star that has helped him become a folk hero in Cleveland in just five weeks.

Family values resonate with countless people. The fact that Joe Flacco isn't taking any of his or the team's recent success for granted speaks to the professionalism and character of this previously dismissed signal-caller. With his children watching, how fitting is it that Flacco is helping this Browns' offense come of age late in the 2023-24 season?