Joe Flacco is not a fan of the New York Super Bowl. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback calls 2014 MetLife site "retarded".
Joe Flacco is not known as the most exciting player in the NFL (just ask his dad about that), but the Ravens quarterback made his opinions known about next year's game, which is set to take place in the cold of February in New York at MetLife Stadium
"I think it's retarded. I probably shouldn't say that. I think it's stupid," he told reporters after the Ravens arrived in New Orleans for Sunday's Super Bowl. "If you want a Super Bowl, put a retractable dome on your stadium. Then you can get one. Other than that I don't really like the idea. I don't think people would react very well to it, or be glad to play anybody in that kind of weather."
The game is being held Feb. 2, 2014, at the building shared by the Giants and Jets in East Rutherford, N.J. It will be the first time the game is held outdoors in a cold weather city and the Farmer's Almanac says to expect bad weather, with "an intense storm, heavy rain, snow and strong winds."
The editor of the book says that NFL should be prepared. "This is going to be one for the ages," Pete Geiger, editor of the book, told the Associated Press.
According to the Daily News: "the National Weather Service said the average high in nearby Newark on Feb. 2 is 39.8 degrees and the low is 24.2. The average precipitation on that date going back to 1931 is about one-eighth of an inch."
The coldest weather at Super Bowl was 39 degrees when Dallas beat Miami in January 1972 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. According to ESPN.com, last week, a 24-degree Thursday in Manhattan that felt a lot colder because of the wind, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is "thrilled" that next year's Super Bowl is being hosted in the New York region, while adding that they'll be "prepared" in the event of harsh weather conditions.
"We made this decision [to play the game here], obviously not knowing what the weather would be, but football is made to be played in the elements," Goodell said Thursday during a news conference at City Hall, adding that temperatures were forecast to be about 50 degrees in the coming days.
There also were details released on how the two teams will prepare for the game, with the NCF squad working out and practicing at the Giants' practice facility in East Rutherford, N.J., while the AFC team will practice at the Jets' facility in Florham Park, N.J. Both teams will stay at hotels in New Jersey.
Flacco's father made some headlines on Monday as well, saying that his son is as "dull" as he seems. Flacco is known for his even-keeled demeanor much like last year's Super Bowl champion Eli Manning.
Joe is dull," Steve Flacco told The New York Times in a telephone interview. "As dull as he is portrayed in the media, he's that dull. He is dull."
Flacco himself has been dominating headlines over the past couple days as reports started coming out the quarterback wants a new contract worth up to $20 million.
According to Yahoo Sports, reports say that Flacco is looking to negotiate a new contract that will pay him $20 million per season. He is set to be a free agent when the year ends and is in the last year of a five-year, $29.75 million contract.
Flacco wants to be paid like the best quarterbacks in the league, which would put him in a conversation with two one-time Super Bowl winners: Peyton Manning, who has a five-year, $96 million deal; and Drew Brees, who has a five-year, $100 million contract. Three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady has a five-year, $78.5 million deal.
During the regular season, Flacco completed 59.7 percent of his passes for 3,817 yards with 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and has been excellent in the playoffs, completing 51 of 93 attempts (54.8 percent) for 853 yards with eight touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Flacco was a first-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft and brought the team to the AFC Championship last season, but couldn't get the job done against the Patriots after wide receiver Lee Evans dropped what would have been the game-winning touchdown. He has started every game since he was drafted and was the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to win two playoff games.
Last season Flacco threw for 3,610 yards and 20 touchdowns, but had 12 interceptions while completing just 57 percent of his passes, one of the lowest in the league. In his first three seasons Flacco completed over 60 percent of his passes each year, but also threw 34 interceptions.
