BALTIMORE _ Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was a full participant in practice Friday but was still awaiting clearance to play in Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, coach John Harbaugh said.
Flacco, listed as questionable on the team's injury report, was limited in practice Wednesday by his right hip but was close to full participation Thursday, Harbaugh said. His recovery moves him one step closer to returning to a team that might no longer need him under center. Flacco hasn't played since a Week 9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and despite returning to practice last week, he wasn't cleared for the Ravens' game Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
In his absence, the Ravens have won three straight games with rookie Lamar Jackson starting. Harbaugh acknowledged Friday that there was a "scenario" in which Flacco could be a backup Sunday, something he's never done in his 11-year career in Baltimore. But he declined to say whether he had a decision to make at quarterback.
"I'm not getting into all that," he said. "It's not something that we're just going to even have to talk about. I'm not trying to be coy or clever or anything like that. We're just rolling. We're just going to play the games. We don't feel like we owe any explanations to anybody or anything like that. We're just going to put our best team out there and try to go play some football."
Flacco would risk a potentially career-altering hip dislocation if he returns too soon, according to medical experts, but Harbaugh said the Ravens' longtime starter showed no ill effects in practice.
"He threw. He handed off. I mean, really, what more do you want me to say?" Harbaugh said. "He played quarterback. He looked good. He looked like he always does. ... I think we did the right things. It looks to me like _ my amateur eye _ it looks like it was the right thing (to do), and it looks like it was the right thing to give him the rest. We'll see what the docs say."
Flacco was at his locker briefly after Harbaugh spoke but did not talk to reporters.
