The Indianapolis Colts outlasted the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon, winning 26-23 in overtime. The victory brought them to 8-9 on the season, but hardly mattered considering they were already eliminated from playoff contention.

When speaking with the media after the game, quarterback Joe Flacco was asked how close Indianapolis is to taking the next step—and relayed a brutally honest assessment about where the team is at:

"When you're 8-9, there's probably a ton of spots where you could look and convince yourself that we were almost there," Flacco said. "I don't necessarily think that's the right mindset. I don't think we should be trying to trick ourselves into thinking that we're almost there. I think we should acknowledge, 'Yeah, we are almost there, but we're not there.' I think when you acknowledge that, you free yourself up to get better and take that next step."

Well said.

Flacco signed a one-year deal with the Colts in March and is set to become a free agent again this spring. The 39-year-old was asked if he thought Sunday could have been his final NFL game.

"I did not," Flacco explained. "I have no thoughts about emotional about [this] being the last game. Listen, I mean to a certain extent some of those things are out of your control. This doesn't feel like it's the end, I don't want it to be."

Flacco was brought to Indianapolis, in part, due to his relationship with head coach Shane Steichen, who he worked with during their time with the Eagles in 2021. After Sunday's game, Colts owner Jim Irsay announced Steichen would return in 2025.

Perhaps another reunion with Flacco is on the horizon. He played in eight games for the Colts this season in place of 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson, throwing for 1,761 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Joe Flacco Gives Brutally Honest Assessment of Colts After 8-9 Finish to Season.

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