Joe Fagnano woke up Sunday as the Ravens' third quarterback. He'll go to bed as the likely starter for Thursday night.
The undrafted rookie made his NFL debut in Sunday's 36-10 loss at Buffalo after Lamar Jackson injured his right thumb on the game's first snap and backup Tyler Huntley left in the second quarter with a toe injury. Afterward, head coach Jesse Minter said Jackson needs surgery and is headed to injured reserve, potentially for the rest of the season. Huntley's status for Thursday is uncertain.
That leaves Fagnano as the only healthy quarterback on Baltimore's roster with a short week to prepare for the first-place Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) at M&T Bank Stadium.
"If it's Joe, we got a lot of belief in Joe," Minter said.
Why Joe Fagnano Is Likely the Ravens' Starter vs. Jacksonville
Jackson will miss at least four games on injured reserve, and his thumb injury could end his season. Huntley, who started the previous three games while Jackson recovered from a high ankle sprain, was seen limping after Sunday's game, and a Thursday kickoff gives him only three days to heal.
Unless Huntley's toe responds quickly or the Ravens bring in a quarterback off the street (something Minter didn't completely rule out), Fagnano is in line to get the start. Running back Justice Hill served as the emergency option behind Fagnano on Sunday.
Fagnano himself didn't sound like someone counting on anything.
"That's out of my hands," he said when asked about leading the offense going forward. "If it is me and whoever's down or whatever it is, I'm just going to put my best foot forward and give the Ravens everything that I have. That's all I can do at the end of the day."
How Joe Fagnano Played in His NFL Debut
Fagnano entered in the second quarter and played the rest of the game, finishing 10 of 21 for 91 yards with an interception. He was sacked three times and lost a fumble, and the offense stalled after its opening drive of the third quarter.
There were flashes early. On his first drive, he found rookie tight end Josh Cuevas for 15 yards and rookie receiver Ja'Kobi Lane for 13, moving the Ravens inside the Buffalo 10.
He also took a hit to his lower leg in the second half. Asked whether he'd be ready for Thursday, he brushed it off.
"Yes, I think so," Fagnano said. "After a football game, you're always going to have bumps and bruises."
He didn't think the Bills were taking shots at his knees, either. "Just probably a football play," he said. "Guys are out there playing physical, so I don't think so."
Minter credited his rookie for staying in it. "[Joe] hung in there," he said, "did some good stuff."
Joe Fagnano on Getting the Call
As the No. 3 quarterback, Fagnano took no first-team reps during the week. He said the preparation is built for exactly that scenario.
"Me and 'Snoop's' job as the backup quarterback is to come out and prepare like we are the starting quarterback," Fagnano said. "That's something that I've learned from 'Snoop' and from 'L.' Just knowing [that] anything can happen, as we've seen, and whether you're getting reps or not, you know the game plan."
He admitted the speed of a real game was an adjustment. "It's a little different, obviously, [with it] being my first time, but you prepare for those situations like that," he said.
Fagnano also had a front-row seat for Jackson's rehab over the past month, which made Sunday harder to watch.
"I had firsthand witness of him coming in the training room every day, fighting to get back for this team, and then [in] one play, that happens," he said. "But this is the NFL, and crazy things happen."
Asked for the best advice he'd gotten for this moment, he landed on a phrase he repeated throughout his postgame session.
"Control what I can control, be ready for when you're called up," Fagnano said. "This is a crazy, crazy league, and you never know when your number is going to be called."
What Ravens Teammates Saw From Fagnano
Tight end Mark Andrews liked how the rookie handled the huddle.
"I thought [Joe Fagnano] did some really good things. He's able to command the huddle," Andrews said. "For us, it's just [about] whoever's in there being able to make plays and be there for our quarterback."
Running back Justice Hill pointed to his demeanor. "Joe's poised. He [will] never bat his eye at the moment," Hill said. "I know he wished things went better, and we all wished things went better. But I feel like he handled it well. He's a pro."
Wide receiver Zay Flowers was blunt about how hard Sunday was on everyone.
"It's different when you lose not one, but two of your quarterbacks," Flowers said. "Now you're on your third, and your third is your last, and you never know what's going to happen after that."
Who Is Joe Fagnano?
Fagnano, 25, grew up in Williamsport, Pa., the home of the Little League World Series. Without an FBS offer coming out of high school, he walked on at Maine in 2019, earned a scholarship and took over as the starter that October. He threw 17 touchdown passes against three interceptions and was named the program's offensive rookie of the year.
After four seasons at Maine, he transferred to UConn. A shoulder injury cut short his first season there, but he took over the job in 2024 and was named offensive MVP of the Fenway Bowl in a win over North Carolina.
His final college season was his best. In 2025, Fagnano completed 69% of his passes for 3,448 yards and 28 touchdowns with just one interception as UConn went 9-3. He finished his college career with 94 touchdown passes.
The Ravens signed him as an undrafted free agent in April, and he beat out former Vanderbilt star Diego Pavia, whom Baltimore waived before training camp. Fagnano then led all NFL quarterbacks with 509 passing yards in the preseason, throwing three touchdowns against one interception, and the Ravens kept three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster for the first time since 2020.
What's Next: Jaguars at Ravens on Thursday Night Football
Baltimore (4-4) has lost three straight and now faces one of the AFC's hottest teams. Jacksonville leads the AFC South and is coming off a 42-7 rout of Indianapolis on Sunday.
Expect the Ravens to lean on Derrick Henry and the run game to protect a rookie quarterback making his first start. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle will have three days to build a plan around him.
Fagnano knows what his approach will be.
"I'm always preparing like the starter," he said. "This is a game that I love, so I'm going to continue to enjoy it."
Kickoff Information
Matchup: Jacksonville Jaguars at Baltimore Ravens (Week 9)
When: Thursday, Nov. 5, 8:15 p.m. ET
Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
TV: Prime Video (national broadcast)
Radio: 98 Rock (97.9 FM) and WBAL NewsRadio (AM 1090 / FM 101.5)
For the latest on Jackson, Huntley and the rest of the roster, follow the Ravens injury report and the Ravens depth chart.