Steelers' Mike Tomlin takes swipe at Browns GM for trading Joe Flacco to Bengals

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin took a shot at Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry on Monday over the decision to trade Joe Flacco to a team within their division.

The Browns traded the Super Bowl champion quarterback to the Cincinnati Bengals last week after benching him for rookie Dillon Gabriel. The Browns, Steelers and Bengals each play in the AFC North.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin shouts in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Tomlin and the Steelers dominated the Browns in Week 6 and now play the Bengals on Thursday night to start Week 7.

"To be honest, it was shocking to me," Tomlin said of the trade, via Pro Football Talk. "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 starter to a divisional opponent that’s hurting in that area. But that’s just my personal feeling."

Cleveland Browns managing and principal partner Jimmy Haslam, left, and executive vice president, football operations and general manager Andrew Berry, middle, and executive vice president, partner JW Johnson watch during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on July 28, 2025. (Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)

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Tomlin went on to praise Flacco’s savviness as he gets more ingrained into the Bengals’ offense.

Flacco led the Browns to a victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 21. His performance in that game gave fans and experts the expectation that he would help the Bengals on Sunday.

Flacco had 219 passing yards and two touchdown passes, but the Packers came out on top 27-18.

Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Flacco sits on the bench before an NFL football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

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Pittsburgh topped Cleveland, 23-9, on Sunday. The Steelers are 4-1 this season.

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