Joe Flacco began his victory tour right away on Monday, just hours after winning the Super Bowl and being named MVP. The first stop was New York City, where the Baltimore Ravens' quarterback sat down with David Letterman on the "Late Show." The two discussed everything from Ray Lewis to the now-famous blackout and that lingering new contract.
Letterman did not hesitate to ask Flacco about the potential of getting a new contract. He pried the quarterback on whether or not he had spoken to team owner Steve Bisciotti about the issue.
"Well...when I wasn't signing what they wanted me to sign, Biscotti said, 'Listen, when the time comes, I mean, you come and beat on my desk,' and I said, 'Alright, I'll take you up on that,' and I think the time has come," Flacco said.
He also noted that prior to the AFC Championship game against New England, Biscotti gave Flacco his vote of confidence in the quarterback. Biscotti said that the entire organization had faith in Flacco and this team would be his for a long time to come.
The Super Bowl was the completion of a strong postseason run for Flacco who threw for 11 touchdowns and no interceptions in four games. He then led the Ravens to a 34-31 victory on Sunday.
Flacco is set to become a free agent this year. He turned down the extension offer from the Ravens' last year after not being pleased with the numbers. Flacco's agent, Joe Linta, said he and Ravens' general manager Ozzie Newsom have only had brief discussions about the new contract, but nothing had been done yet. Linta says the pressure is on the Ravens' to make a move soon and they should want him back with his future being brighter than ever.
After winning the Super Bowl, Flacco could cost the Ravens up to $20 million per year which is around what Tom Brady and Eli Manning are at. The team could place the franchise tag on Flacco for 2013, only costing the team around $14.6 million.
The 28-year old is currently in the prime of his football career. A first round draft pick in 2008 out of Delaware, Flacco is the only quarterback to win a playoff game in each of his first five seasons with a team.
Appearing on Letterman is a tradition for the winning quarterback of the Super Bowl. Flacco shows off a sense of humor as he discusses Ray Lewis and deer antler spray and that blackout the team was forced to sit through.
