Move over Peyton and Eli, there’s another set of brothers with serious quarterbacking skills, only they hail from SJ. Big brother Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens quarterback, led his team to victory at last year’s Super Bowl. And at just 18, little brother Tom – starting quarterback at Eastern High School in Voorhees – is poised to follow in his brother’s footsteps.

How much has your brother taught you about the game?

It’s not really my brother who’s taught me – my dad is the guy who has guided me in football and taught me what to do. He’s the one who taught my brother. Every once in a while, I’ll ask my brother Joe about something, but I usually ask my dad. My dad played football and baseball for the University of Pennsylvania, but he never played professionally.

Has your brother Joe watched you play?

He’s been to a couple of games on his bye week. When he comes to watch, it’s nothing different – he’s still my brother. I’m sure the fans at Eastern like it. My other brothers come too. I’m the youngest of six, five boys and one girl. Everyone is athletic. My brother Michael is playing football at the University of New Haven. My sister is about to graduate from Rutgers’ pharmacy school. My brother John is on the Stanford football team, and Brian is playing baseball at a community college in Maryland.

So when you all get together for Thanksgiving, what’s that like?

When I was younger, it was crazy. We’d all play football, and all my little cousins would be running around. Now it’s more laid-back and Joe usually comes home, so it’s hanging out and talking to him. It’s usually just a bunch of crazy Italians making fun of each other.

Eastern’s football team is having a great year, and you’ve gotten credit for a lot of its success. Why do you think things are going so well?

I think we’re doing well because of the experience we got last year. We have a lot of people returning, and we work well together. Our coaches have a great game plan, and we’re executing that game plan. They are trusting me more and giving me the option to change plays and have the ball in my hands more. As a leader, I love that. It gives me the opportunity to excel. They also trust in the wide receivers and line. It’s a great thing to have that trust, where they know they can call a play and we’re going to be able to execute it.

You also excel at basketball and baseball. Which sport do you want to play in college?

I definitely see myself playing college football. I’d like to go to a big-time football school – a Division 1A. I’m interested in going on a full ride. My dream schools are UCLA – I’d love to go out west – or the University of Tennessee or Ole Miss; down south would be nice, too. I’m getting looked at pretty seriously for baseball too, so we’ll see what happens. I’d only go for baseball if I get drafted pretty high. This spring there will be a lot of rounds in the MLB draft, and maybe if I would get drafted high enough I would consider it.

Do you think it was important for you to play a lot of different sports instead of just doing one year-round?

Yes! I take pride in playing three sports. I think that’s really important, and has helped me out immensely. Basketball has kept me athletic, and baseball is a very mental game. As a quarterback, football is both. You never get sick of a sport when you’re playing all three. For recruiting, it could have hurt me a little bit, because there are a lot of camps going on, but overall I don’t think it mattered.

If sports didn’t work out, what would your back-up plan be?

I really don’t know. I’m thinking about majoring in accounting, but I’m not really sure that’s what I want to do. I haven’t even thought about that.

Do injuries ever cross your mind?

No, my father wasn’t worried about that. When I’m out there I never think about getting injured. Until you do get injured, that’s when you think about it. But I never play with fear like that.

Who are your heroes?

My dad and mom. They are both great examples who I can look up to. If I can do what they did, I would be happy.

What advice do you have for kids who want to excel at football?

Just have fun playing every day when you’re little. That’s what I did. I didn’t start playing on a football team until I was in sixth grade. I just played with my friends at the schoolyard, got touch games going on. I’d tell kids to go out and play instead of playing video games.