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Twitter can be a wonderful place sometimes.
Other times, it can be a really, really awful place, like tonight where Ravens QB Joe Flacco was the center of yet another fake death rumor. This time, a very popular Ravens fan account was hacked, tweeting out the message that Flacco had passed in a serious car accident.
The account, @RavensNationLIVE, which has over 60.5K followers, tweeted the following, sending Twitter into panic mode:
Twitter, being it's usual self, flew off the handle, despite no credible sources confirming the death. Instead, Flacco's verified account, @TeamFlacco, was inundated with heartfelt messages of "rest in peace" and "we'll miss you." The hoax prompted a #RipJoe hashtag and, at one point, was the number four trending topic in the US.
Joe flacco died bro whatttttttt
— Jahari Kay (@Calib0i) June 23, 2016
Joe flacco really died?
— Fallbackmitchy. (@KingJourdain) June 23, 2016
The Ravens account later tweeted they had been hacked and apologized to all of it's followers, but the damage had already been done.
ATTENTION: We are confirming that Joe Flacco has not passed away.
— Ravens Nation (@RavenNationLIVE) June 23, 2016
We were hacked and now have our account back. Thanks for your patience.
The Ravens have since put an end to the madness, officially confirming on Twitter what we all know: Joe Cool is still alive and kicking it. The man himself has yet to comment (his last tweet came a day ago), but don't hold your breath. Unless directly asked, it's doubtful the 2011 Super Bowl champion even acknowledges it. Still though, it has to be a strange experience reading about your own death.
Rest easy. Joe is alive and well. #DontBelieveEverythingYouReadOnTwitter
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) June 23, 2016
This is now the second time Flacco has been the target of a fake death story. The last came in November. This also comes on the heels of the Roger Goodell death hoax, in which hacked Twitter accounts reported that the NFL commissioner had met his untimely demise.
Never change, Twitter.
***
Joe Flacco has more Twitter deaths than the Bengals have playoff wins https://t.co/Phom95x05M
— TIGERS CLEMSON (@TIGER_FAMILY81) June 23, 2016
Joe Flacco is probably sitting in his living room looking at his phone like "wtf dude"
— Claire (@LivClaireW) June 23, 2016
We are deeply sorry for what has happen. It seems as though we have been hacked. Please be patient as we try to handle this horrible hacker.
— Ravens Nation (@RavenNationLIVE) June 23, 2016
Good lord. I have confirmed Joe Flacco is not dead. Stop the nonsense.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) June 23, 2016
Joe flacco don't deserve this
— ❌ (@DevFromSC) June 23, 2016
Joe Flacco phone blowing right now lol
— Rick (@Rickmilli87) June 23, 2016
Twitter tried to kill Joe Flacco smh
— Mr Perfect (@MetsMikey) June 23, 2016
First Twitter kills Roger Goodell, then Joe Flacco... Tom Brady has got to be behind this
— EnKay (@megahertz94) June 23, 2016