Joe Fagnano takes the reins in Baltimore
The Baltimore Ravens are turning to an undrafted rookie to navigate one of the most difficult stretches in the franchise’s recent history. Joe Fagnano, the team’s No. 3 quarterback, has been named the starter for Thursday night’s matchup against the 5-2 Jacksonville Jaguars, according to reports from NFL.com and ESPN.
This decision follows a sudden and catastrophic collapse in the Ravens’ quarterback room during Sunday’s 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Lamar Jackson was placed on injured reserve due to a right thumb injury, while backup Tyler “Snoop” Huntley was diagnosed with turf toe and faces a potential move to injured reserve as well, Sports.Yahoo.com reported.
The #Jaguars will face the #Ravens rookie QB Joe Fagnano on #TNF after Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley deal with injuries from Sunday. Ravens are looking for a backup QB. @ActionSportsJax
Fagnano’s ascent to the starting role is a dramatic shift from his status earlier this season. After an impressive preseason that led the Ravens to keep three quarterbacks on the initial 53-man roster for the first time in three years, the rookie had seen virtually no regular-season action until Sunday. In his brief debut, he completed 10-of-21 passes for 91 yards and one interception.
The stakes for Thursday night are immense. The Ravens, currently sitting at 4-4, are attempting to snap a three-game losing streak that has left them at the bottom of the AFC North. Facing a Jacksonville squad that currently leads the AFC South, Baltimore enters the game as a 10-point underdog via DraftKings—the largest home underdog margin the team has seen in 11 years.
A depleted roster faces a primetime test
The instability in Baltimore extends beyond the quarterback position. As the team scrambled to find depth this week, they added Kedon Slovis to the active roster and placed Austin Reed on the practice squad. Fagnano himself has been managing physical setbacks; while he was upgraded to a full participant in Tuesday’s practice, he was seen wearing a brace on his right ankle during Monday’s session.
The impact on special teams is also notable. The Ravens placed kicker Tyler Loop on injured reserve with a right groin injury. To fill the void, the team is elevating Jake Moody, a 26-year-old former third-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers, from the practice squad. Moody, who posted a 90% success rate last season with the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders, will make his first appearance for Baltimore this season.
The statistical reality of the current Baltimore depth chart highlights the difficulty of the task ahead. Sports.Yahoo.com noted that the current trio of Fagnano, Reed, and Slovis possesses fewer career passing touchdowns than starting running back Derrick Henry, who has four.
| Player | Role | Key Context |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Fagnano | Starting QB | Undrafted rookie; 10-of-21 for 91 yards in debut |
| Derrick Henry | Starting RB | 4 career rushing touchdowns |
| Jake Moody | Kicker | Elevated from practice squad; 90% FG last season |
| Kedon Slovis | Backup QB | Added to active roster this week |
The path from the living room to the NFL
Fagnano’s journey to the starting lineup is a story of preparation meeting unexpected opportunity. The UConn product, who began his collegiate career at Maine in 2019 before finishing at UConn, has used unconventional methods to stay sharp. He has been running plays in his living room with his wife, Lydia, to master the playbook.
“She probably knows the playbook just as well as us at this point,” Fagnano said, according to ESPN.
Fagnano becomes only the second undrafted rookie quarterback to start for the Ravens in their 32-year history, joining Anthony Brown, who started in Week 18 of the 2022 season. He also joins an elite group of undrafted rookies to make a career start in a primetime game, a feat previously achieved by Cooper Rush of the Dallas Cowboys in 2021.
While Fagnano lacks the signature mobility of Lamar Jackson or Huntley—having recorded only 223 rushing yards and four touchdowns during his college career—Ravens coach Jesse Minter has expressed confidence in the rookie’s mental approach.
“He’s cool, calm and collected,” Minter said. “He doesn’t really get rattled.”
Matching a rookie against a surging defense
The matchup presents a specific tactical challenge for Baltimore. While the Jaguars boast a high-performing offense, the Ravens may attempt to mitigate the pressure on Fagnano by leaning heavily on the ground game. NFL.com suggested that Baltimore will likely utilize Derrick Henry early and often, particularly against a Jaguars run defense that recently lost starting defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton for the season.
The game serves as a crossroads for the Ravens’ season. If Baltimore can secure a win behind an undrafted rookie, it could stabilize a collapsing campaign. If not, the loss of Jackson and the potential departure of Huntley to injured reserve may leave the franchise searching for answers well into the winter.
Can an undrafted rookie, managing a lingering ankle issue, orchestrate a comeback against one of the AFC’s top teams? The answer will be determined under the lights this Thursday.
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