Joe Flacco won’t be using the “R” word ever again after slipping up before the Super Bowl last season. Which “R” word are we talking about here? During the 2013 Super Bowl media day, Flacco was asked what he thought about the idea of playing the 2014 title game at MetLife Stadium, which he responded , “I think it’s retarded. I probably shouldn’t say that. I think it’s stupid.”
As you can see, the rising Ravens’ star immediately corrected his statement during the press conference, and now he’s decided to completely erase the word from his vocabulary. Flacco wasn’t the only Ravens’ player who signed the pledge, as tight end Ed Dickson and center Gino Gradkowski also joined in.
Flacco has widely been considered a stand-up guy, and he even apologized again the day after correcting his slip-up that Monday.
“Obviously, it was a bad choice of words. I wish I hadn’t said it,” Flacco said during the second day of media at the 2013 Super Bowl, via Mike Garafolo of USA Today . “I have a great relationship with Special Olympics back in Baltimore and have had one for many years. I didn’t mean to offend anybody, but I definitely apologize for it.”
Nearly four months later, Joe Flacco has pledged to never use the “R” word again, and he signed off, along with his two teammates, at the Maryland Special Olympics’ offices in Baltimore. Interestingly enough, it’s the same location that he mentioned during his apology in January.
The Maryland Special Olympics posted a photo of the group, big smiles and all, on Twitter after they signed the pledge.
@ teamflacco , @ginograd56, @ eddickson84 of the @ ravens sign the @ r_word_campaign pledge to eliminate use of r-word twitter.com/SpOlympicsMD/s…
— Special Olympics MD (@SpOlympicsMD) May 19, 2013
Well, though they all seem to be smiling, Joe Flacco and Ed Dickson must of missed the countdown before the photo was snapped. Either way, Joe Flacco and the “R” word won’t be crossing paths ever again.
[Image via Keith Allison ]