Mike Tomlin Slams Cleveland Browns GM For Trading Joe Flacco Within The Division

Mike Tomlin don't play. The Pittsburgh Steelers coach is well beyond providing coach-speak in press conferences because he's not afraid what the media or fans or anybody will think. 

The coaching OG just speaks his mind.

And that happened Monday afternoon at his first press gathering of the week prior to the Steelers' game at the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night.

Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (56) and defensive end Rashan Gary (52) rush Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won the game, 27-18. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Tomlin was discussing Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco. And, in the process, trained his sights on Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry. Berry is the man who traded Flacco to the Bengals last week in a rare intra-division trade.

That trade, and the fact his team must now face Flacco, is obviously not too pleasing for Tomlin.

"To be honest, it was shocking to me," Tomlin said of the trade. "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."

Copy.

Jan 4, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talks with an official against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Tomlin Protecting Steelers' Interests

This needs no translation or interpretation.

Tomlin thinks Berry was out of bounds trading Flacco to the Bengals and giving a team that had lost three consecutive games without starter Joe Burrow – who is likely out for the season – new hope. 

And the fact that hope comes from a team within the division not only affects Berry's Browns but Tomlin's Steelers.

One assumes Tomlin is frustrated because maybe he thinks Flacco gives the Bengals a better chance to win than Jake Browning did when he started in place of Burrow. Browning was 0-3 as the starter.

And while Flacco lost his first game with the Bengals on Sunday, he did perform relatively well considering he'd been on the team only five days since being traded.

Oct 12, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) reacts after a successful two point conversion in the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Flacco Rallied Bengals 

Flacco threw two TD passes in a 27-18 loss to Green Bay. The 40-year-old did not throw an interception and actually authored something of a rally, pulling the Bengals within six points with just over four minutes to play.

Tomlin obviously doesn't like the prospect of facing that kind of performance on a short week of preparation. 

He understands the advantage an over-40 quarterback can provide because his starter, Aaron Rodgers, will be 42 in December.

And that reminds: This meeting of veterans reminds of Tom Brady versus Drew Brees in 2020.

The oldest starting quarterback matchup in NFL history was indeed Brady versus Brees in 2020. Brady was 43 and Brees was 41 at the time.