Steelers' Mike Tomlin has strong feelings about Browns trading Joe Flacco to Bengals

The Cleveland Browns made one of the more surprising in-season NFL trades in recent memory on Oct. 7 when they agreed to send veteran quarterback Joe Flacco and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick to the Cincinnati Bengals for a 2026 fifth-round selection. 

Flacco started Cincinnati's game at the Green Bay Packers on Sunday and passed for 219 yards with two touchdowns in a 27-18 loss that dropped the Bengals to 2-4 on the season. The 40-year-old is now on track to start when Cincinnati hosts the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) this coming Thursday night. 

While speaking with reporters on Monday, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin addressed Browns general manager Andrew Berry trading his club's Week 1 QB1 to an AFC North foe in the middle of a campaign. 

Mike Tomlin doesn't appreciate Browns doing Bengals a solid

"To be honest, it was shocking to me," Tomlin said, per Brendan Howe of Steelers Now. "Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us. Because it doesn’t make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening day starter to a division opponent that’s hurting in that area. But that’s just my personal feelings." 

The Bengals lost starter Joe Burrow to a toe injury in Week 2, and temporary replacement Jake Browning played poorly across three straight defeats before Cincinnati acquired Flacco. Meanwhile, the Browns lost three of four September games before they benched Flacco in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel has since dropped back-to-back starts, including a 23-9 loss handed to the Browns by the Steelers on Sunday afternoon. 

Flacco's two touchdown passes against the Packers occurred in the second half of that game, which could indicate he grew more comfortable targeting his new teammates with each drive. On Monday, Tomlin suggested he expects Flacco will make things difficult for the Pittsburgh defense at Paycor Stadium on Thursday evening. 

Acquiring Joe Flacco "certainly made sense from Cincinnati’s perspective"

"It certainly made sense from Cincinnati’s perspective," Tomlin added. "He can throw the football, and he’s always been able to throw the football. Arm strength, arm accuracy, anticipatory passer, fluid movement through progressions, that’s always been his game."

As of Monday afternoon, ESPN BET had the Steelers as 5.5-point road favorites for the Week 7 "Thursday Night Football" game. One wonders what Tomlin will have to say about Berry and the Browns if Flacco turns the clock back and torches the Steelers during what becomes a Cincinnati win.