Joe Flacco has said he's among the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, and his performance in this postseason proves it. 
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has reason to be smiling after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. Flacco is expected to get a big payday off his Super Bowl MVP performance. (Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports) Story Highlights - Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was named Super Bowl XLVII MVP
- Flacco's agent says he deserves to be paid with the elite NFL quarterbacks
- Flacco three 11 TD passes and no interceptions in the playoffs
NEW ORLEANS -- Joe Flacco told us he was good. And now we believe him.
The Most Valuable Player in Sunday's Super Bowl had a whirlwind day on Monday: big news conference in the morning, the requisite trip to Disney World in the afternoon and an evening visit scheduled with David Letterman, all the trappings of modern NFL celebrity encapsulated in one sweetheart of a day after.
When the Baltimore Ravens' field general suggested last spring that he was an elite quarterback there was a lot of polite coughing, except where there were outright guffaws. How could a quarterback who'd never been to a Pro Bowl, let alone a Super Bowl, think he was elite?
MORE : Flacco has more big news
XLVII: Summed up in 10 moments
FORECAST: Looking ahead to 2013
Now we know: Flacco's playoff performance compares favorably with Joe Montana, and one of Sunday's Super Bowl advertisements had fun comparing Montana to a deity.
Flacco threw 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions during these playoffs, just like Montana in the playoffs following the 1989 season. That includes Flacco's 287-yard, three-touchdown showing in Sunday's 34-31 victory against Montana's ancestral team, the San Francisco 49ers
Add it all up and Flacco is in the driver's seat — not only of the 2014 Corvette Stingray bequeathed to the game's MVP, but in talks for a for more lucrative pact from his team. Flacco gambled on himself when he tabled a long-term contract offer before the season — and won big.
He joked after Sunday's game about pounding on the desk of Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti.
"Me and Steve have had some good talks through the last few months," Flacco said. "I'm pretty optimistic. But who knows? This is a great organization. I love being here. It's a great city. I don't anticipate any problems."
It doesn't sound like Bisciotti does, either.
PHOTOS: Joe Flacco's Super Bowl MVP performance 
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is hoisted by his teammates after defeating the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) hoists the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) celebrates winning Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis celebrates with quarterback Joe Flacco after winning Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. JD Mercer, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) celebrates winning Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) eludes a defender in the fourth quarter in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Chuck Cook, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) throws a pass during the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Anquan Boldin (not pictured) against the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) drops back to pass against the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Derick Hingle, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) throws a touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones (not pictured) against the San Francisco 49ers during the second quarter in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) celebrates with wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) and quarterback Joe Flacco (5) after scoring a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in the second quarter in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries: Replay 
Autoplay Show Thumbnails Show Captions Fullscreen Last Slide Next Slide "Bottom line is we have our quarterback for the next 10 years, and we're going to ride Joe," he said last week.
The one-year franchise tag for quarterbacks in 2012 was $14.6 million; the exclusive franchise tag, which wouldn't allow Flacco even to talk to other interested teams, could run in the $20 million range in 2013.
"It never got contentious," Bisciotti said of last year's talks, "so I can't say cooler heads will prevail. It will just take time. And we have the franchise tag available."
Deserving of top-five QB pay?
Flacco's agent, Joe Linta, talked to USA TODAY Sports from the plane taking Flacco and his family to Disney World.
"We want to make sure it's a contract that stands the test of time," Linta said. "You don't want to be in a situation where three years from now that he's the 17th highest-paid quarterback. I'm not ready to say whether it's $18 (million) or $22 million a year. Until we sit down and see what the (salary) cap is down the road, any of the numbers you saw speculating came from other people, not me."
Linta told USA TODAY Sports during the season that his client is deserving of "top-five" quarterback money. That would put him in the $18 million-$20 million-per-year neighborhood of former Super Bowl MVPs Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, who signed a five-year, $96-million deal with the Denver Broncos last March. Brees received a five-year, $100-million deal before the 2012 season started. Brady is halfway through a four-year, $72-million extension signed in 2010.
BELL: Super Bowl non-call the right call
"From the team standpoint you try not to get caught up in the moment," said Andrew Brandt, a former team executive and agent and current ESPN analyst. "From the agent standpoint you have justification to ask for $20 million a year, $60 million guaranteed like Drew Brees.
"The reason it's taken so long is the Ravens haven't bought into that level of contract. Your leverage can't be better than as Super Bowl MVP."
Flacco is 9-4 in postseason play. His 63 wins in his first five seasons rank as most in the league by a quarterback since he was drafted 18th overall out of Delaware in 2008.
"When you do a deal of this magnitude, you look at body of work until now and what are the expectations going forward," Linta said. "He's going into the prime of his career. He's been a model citizen, and he's in that rarefied air of most playoff road wins" — six, not counting the neutral-site Super Bowl.
Flacco, 28, led the Ravens in playoff wins against Indianapolis Colts rookie Andrew Luck, Manning and Brady before trumping 49ers dual-threat star Colin Kaepernick. Was he shocked to be named MVP?
PHOTOS: Best images from Super Bowl XLVII 
Super Bowl XLVII will be remembered for coaching brothers John and Jim Harbaugh opposing each other on the sidelines. Older brother John and the Ravens held off Jim and the 49ers for a 34-31 victory. Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns and was named Super Bowl MVP. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Playing in his final game, retiring Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis went out a champion. The future Hall of Famer won the second Super Bowl title of his career. Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) celebrates with the team's cheerleaders. Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Ravens coach John Harbaugh celebrates with his wife Ingrid and daughter Alison. Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Ravens running back Ray Rice celebrates with a kiss for daughter Rayven. Matthew Emmons, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Retiring Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, left, celebrates with coach John Harbaugh. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, left, celebrates with retiring linebacker Ray Lewis. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Ravens quarterback and Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco, right, celebrates with retiring linebacker Ray Lewis. JD Mercer, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Ravens safety Ed Reed celebrates with a kiss for the Lombardi Trophy. Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Surrounded by photographers, John and Jim Harbaugh share a postgame handshake. Richard Mackson, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
49ers coach Jim Harbaugh leaves the field after losing to the Ravens. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick leaves the field after losing to the Ravens. Kaepernick led a furious second-half rally, but the 49ers fell a little short. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has reason to be smiling after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. Flacco is expected to get a big payday off his Super Bowl MVP performance. (Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports) NEW ORLEANS -- Joe Flacco told us he was good. And now we believe him. The Most Valuable Player in Sunday's Super Bowl had a whirlwind day on Monday: big news conference in the morning, the requisite trip to Disney World in the afternoon and an evening visit scheduled with David Letterman, all the trappings of modern NFL celebrity encapsulated in one sweetheart of a day after. When the Baltimore Ravens' field general suggested last spring that he was an elite quarterback there was a lot of polite coughing, except where there were outright guffaws. How could a quarterback who'd never been to a Pro Bowl, let alone a Super Bowl, think he was elite? MORE : Flacco has more big news XLVII: Summed up in 10 moments FORECAST: Looking ahead to 2013 Now we know: Flacco's playoff performance compares favorably with Joe Montana, and one of Sunday's Super Bowl advertisements had fun comparing Montana to a deity. Flacco threw 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions during these playoffs, just like Montana in the playoffs following the 1989 season. That includes Flacco's 287-yard, three-touchdown showing in Sunday's 34-31 victory against Montana's ancestral team, the San Francisco 49ers Add it all up and Flacco is in the driver's seat — not only of the 2014 Corvette Stingray bequeathed to the game's MVP, but in talks for a for more lucrative pact from his team. Flacco gambled on himself when he tabled a long-term contract offer before the season — and won big. He joked after Sunday's game about pounding on the desk of Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti. "Me and Steve have had some good talks through the last few months," Flacco said. "I'm pretty optimistic. But who knows? This is a great organization. I love being here. It's a great city. I don't anticipate any problems." It doesn't sound like Bisciotti does, either. PHOTOS: Joe Flacco's Super Bowl MVP performance "Bottom line is we have our quarterback for the next 10 years, and we're going to ride Joe," he said last week. The one-year franchise tag for quarterbacks in 2012 was $14.6 million; the exclusive franchise tag, which wouldn't allow Flacco even to talk to other interested teams, could run in the $20 million range in 2013. "It never got contentious," Bisciotti said of last year's talks, "so I can't say cooler heads will prevail. It will just take time. And we have the franchise tag available." Deserving of top-five QB pay? Flacco's agent, Joe Linta, talked to USA TODAY Sports from the plane taking Flacco and his family to Disney World. "We want to make sure it's a contract that stands the test of time," Linta said. "You don't want to be in a situation where three years from now that he's the 17th highest-paid quarterback. I'm not ready to say whether it's $18 (million) or $22 million a year. Until we sit down and see what the (salary) cap is down the road, any of the numbers you saw speculating came from other people, not me." Linta told USA TODAY Sports during the season that his client is deserving of "top-five" quarterback money. That would put him in the $18 million-$20 million-per-year neighborhood of former Super Bowl MVPs Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, who signed a five-year, $96-million deal with the Denver Broncos last March. Brees received a five-year, $100-million deal before the 2012 season started. Brady is halfway through a four-year, $72-million extension signed in 2010. BELL: Super Bowl non-call the right call "From the team standpoint you try not to get caught up in the moment," said Andrew Brandt, a former team executive and agent and current ESPN analyst. "From the agent standpoint you have justification to ask for $20 million a year, $60 million guaranteed like Drew Brees. "The reason it's taken so long is the Ravens haven't bought into that level of contract. Your leverage can't be better than as Super Bowl MVP." Flacco is 9-4 in postseason play. His 63 wins in his first five seasons rank as most in the league by a quarterback since he was drafted 18th overall out of Delaware in 2008. "When you do a deal of this magnitude, you look at body of work until now and what are the expectations going forward," Linta said. "He's going into the prime of his career. He's been a model citizen, and he's in that rarefied air of most playoff road wins" — six, not counting the neutral-site Super Bowl. Flacco, 28, led the Ravens in playoff wins against Indianapolis Colts rookie Andrew Luck, Manning and Brady before trumping 49ers dual-threat star Colin Kaepernick. Was he shocked to be named MVP? PHOTOS: Best images from Super Bowl XLVII Story Highlights
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