Colts’ Joe Flacco: Packers’ historic Lambeau brings out ’the little kid in you’

INDIANAPOLIS – As he was about to take his next step into a career that would include a world championship, a Super Bowl MVP nod, more than 100 victories and 43,900 passing yards, 24-year-old Joe Flacco paused.

His inner child got the best of him.

“No matter who you are, when you’re a little kid and you think of the NFL, you think about the Green Bay Packers back in the day and that stadium,’’ Flacco said earlier this week. “Every now and then, you get that little reminder of that little kid in you. That’s one of those places.’’

That would be Lambeau Field, the site of the Indianapolis Colts’ Sunday meeting with the Packers.

It remains one of the NFL’s most hallowed venues, and that’s why Flacco, at the time the Baltimore Ravens’ starting quarterback, hesitated as he walked from the visitor’s locker room to the tunnel leading to the playing field on Dec. 7, 2009.

“I was walking down the stairs from the locker room and through the tight tunnel,’’ he said. “I took a couple of steps into the tunnel that leads to the field and I say, ‘Aw, screw this. I’m going to go get my phone.’’’

This was one of those moments that had to be captured and shared.

“I recorded the walk all the way down the stairs and through that tunnel and out into the stadium so I could send it back home to my family,’’ Flacco said. “It’s just such a cool environment.’’

Sunday marks Flacco’s sixth visit to Lambeau. He was the Ravens’ starting quarterback three times, Denver’s starter once, the New York Jets’ backup in 2022 and now No. 2 to Anthony Richardson.

Once again, he anticipates an initial rush of nostalgia.

“Every time I’ve been there, especially the first time, I’ve felt it brought you back to 1950,’’ Flacco said. “That walk was something else. The tunnel is this wide.’’

He held his arms as far apart as possible.

“There’s pipes, it’s green turf and yellowish walls,’’ Flacco said. “It was a time machine that took me back to the 1950s.’’

The Colts signed Flacco to be that veteran presence behind Richardson, who’ll make just his sixth NFL start on Sunday. This week, that included Flacco sharing his Lambeau experiences.

“I hear a lot of stories,’’ Richardson said. “Joe told me a couple of stories about going there. He showed us a video of him walking through the tunnel and everything. So, I’m excited. It’s early in my career as well, so I definitely appreciate that.’’

Several players are hyped as they head to Green Bay.

Alec Pierce attended high school in Illinois, but his father and other family members live in Milwaukee. Many will make the trip to Green Bay. He attended a couple of games at Lambeau Field as a youngster.

“I grew up a Packer fan,’’ Pierce said. “Wisconsin is near and dear to my heart.’’

Jonathan Taylor was an all-world talent at Salem (N.J.) High School before moving on to a prolific career at Wisconsin.

“I’ve been waiting for this one,’’ he said. “Definitely hoping I get a Lambeau Leap in.’’

That can be risky for an opposing player. Adult beverages have been used to dampen TD celebrations.

“Hopefully, I don’t get anything poured on me,’’ Taylor said. “I’ve seen reports of that. But it’s really going to be fun. Wisconsin should be one heck of a state to be in right now, especially Saturday.’’

Taylor’s Wisconsin Badgers entertain No. 4 Alabama on Saturday at noon.

Coach Shane Steichen has been on the Lambeau sidelines twice, both as an assistant with the San Diego Chargers. In 2012, it was a preseason game. In 2015, it was a Philip Rivers showcase performance.

Rivers completed 43-of-65 passes for 503 yards with two touchdowns in a 27-20 Chargers loss.

“It was a fun game to be a part of,’’ Steichen said.

He mentioned Lambeau’s “aura.’’

That won’t be new to several Colts.

DeForest Buckner played at Lambeau with the San Francisco 46ers in 2018. Matt Gay kicked there with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 and ’22. In the latter game, the temperature was 15 degrees with a wind chill of 7.

“It’ll be first time playing there when it’s good weather,’’ Gay said.

The forecast for Sunday: 86 and a slight chance of rain.

“It’s going to be awesome,’’ Gay said. “The nostalgia, the history there. I love playing there.’’

Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly was a rookie when the Colts last ventured to Green Bay. It was 2016 and Indy rode Jordan Todman’s 99-yard touchdown with the opening kickoff and Andrew Luck’s 281 passing yards to a 31-26 victory.

“It was such a surreal moment to play in Lambeau in your rookie year and have a win in (November) was a lot of fun,’’ Kelly said. “I told the guys it’s a great stadium, it’s a great atmosphere of football. I think suddenly, sometimes you get to play in that kind of historic event. So, I told you guys, it’s nothing more than a game though. I mean . . . we have to execute what we do on offense and play well but enjoy it. I mean, it’s a cool venue. A lot of cool history in that locker room, thinking of all the guys that have sat there before you.’’

Many of the younger players haven’t had the opportunity to step onto Lambeau Field, and that subject has been broached this week.

“I think they know, really, the aura,’’ Steichen said. “Obviously, we’ve talked about it, how special it is to go play in Lambeau, the history there. I think the guys are fired up . . . they’re excited for the challenge going in there.’’

The challenge is real even though the Packers likely will follow the lead of backup quarterback Malik Willis. Starter Jordan Love is listed as questionable after spraining the MCL in his left knee in the opener and not practicing this week.

The Packers have won a franchise-record 11 straight home openers. That’s the longest active streak in the NFL. The next longest is three.

To further hype its season opener, Green Bay will recognize dozens of former Packers, including Jerry Kramer, James Lofton, Lynn Dickey, Don Majowski, LeRoy Butler, Antonio Freeman and Frank Winters.

You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51 .

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