Mike Flacco hopes Jets rookie minicamp will lead to spot in NFL - like brother Joe
New York Jets rookie camp invitee / TE Mike Flacco, brother of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, has a laugh as he speaks with the media during Day 1 of rookie minicamp held at Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, N.J. on Friday, May 8, 2015. Credit: James Escher
Mike Flacco hopes he'll be here past the weekend.
The former New Haven tight end -- and brother of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco -- is one of 24 players the Jets invited to try out during their three-day rookie minicamp.
"I'm here and I'm hoping to stay here. We'll see how it goes after this weekend," the younger Flacco said after the first day. " . . . It just worked out that this was the best shot, and the guys that called first -- or, the only guys that called -- were the Jets."
The 28-year-old, who is two years younger than his Super Bowl champion brother, still lives in their hometown of Audubon, New Jersey, which is a little less than 100 miles from the Jets facility. Flacco said that before getting the call for the Jets tryout, he was taking classes at Villanova.
He spent some time with the Chargers during training camp last summer before ending up on Jacksonville's practice squad for a couple of weeks.
In his only season of football at New Haven, the 6-5 tight end caught 30 passes for 591 yards and nine touchdowns in 2013. He also played five years of minor league baseball.
But Mike Flacco said he's placing "no expectations" on the next two days. "Just giving my all and seeing what happens," he said.
As of Friday, Flacco said he hadn't spoken to his older brother this week. But he has learned a thing or two just by observing him. "Just watching Joe over the years, you kind of pick up on his relaxed kind of confidence," Flacco said. " . . . Probably just his state of mind. You've got to go in and trust yourself, believe in yourself and just be loose and play. And what's going to happen is going to happen."
So, does he ever get tired of always being referred to as Joe Flacco's little brother?
"No, never," he said. "I'm very proud of my brother and happy for everything he's done. So it's great when somebody asks me about him."
Notes: The Jets have signed their final two rookie drafts picks, first-rounder Leonard Williams and second-rounder Devin Smith.
