Veteran Joe Flacco will be the starting quarterback when the Cleveland Browns open the regular season on Sept. 7 against the visiting Cincinnati Bengals.

Cleveland named Joe Flacco the starting quarterback Monday. “Joe Cool leading the way,” the Browns official account wrote on X, adding a saluting face emoji. It took any remaining drama out of the unique quarterback competition that included Kenny Pickett and two rookies in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

The Cleveland Browns returned to practice on Tuesday, and both Joe Flacco and Kevin Stefanski talked to the media.

C, live at 4 p.m., or watch later on as host Dave Bacon leads discussions on the big issues in Cleveland sports.

Flacco served as the team’s QB late in the 2023 season to lead Cleveland to its second postseason appearance under head coach Kevin Stefanski and that familiarity likely helped the 40-year-old signal-caller secure the job. In his Tuesday press conference, Stefanski said Flacco has done really well in the offseason program and training camp.

The Cleveland Browns announced their final depth chart before their last preseason game and Shedeur Sanders was listed fourth.