The Cincinnati Bengals needed a new quarterback. Starter Joe Burrow has been out since Week 2, when he suffered from severe turf toe. Backup quarterback Jake Browning took over and led Cincinnati to a win that week over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but then turned into an unfortunate turnover machine over the next three weeks.
Cincinnati could've considered signing an available free agent and still had Desmond Ridder on its practice squad at the time. Instead, the Bengals front office decided to trade for another team's backup quarterback, and the chosen team shocked fans.
The Cleveland Browns traded veteran quarterback Joe Flacco to Cincinnati. Flacco had started the first four games of the season for the Browns, going 1-3 in that span. Eventually, the Browns handed the reins to rookie Dillon Gabriel and traded Flacco to Cincinnati. The Bengals beat the Browns in Week 1 and have another matchup scheduled for Week 18.
The move made sense to most, despite it being intra-division, but Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin didn't hold back with what he thought of the move from the Cleveland side.
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Here is more on what Tomlin said about the Browns trading away Flacco.
What did Mike Tomlin say about Browns trading away Flacco?
Tomlin has been the Steelers' head coach since 2007 and has seen his fair share of trades. Usually, though, those deals don't involve a quarterback of one divisional opponent getting traded to another.
About the deal, Tomlin said the following about the move in a press conference.
"To be honest, it was shocking to me. 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."
Tomlin is known for his repetitive sayings, affectionately known as "Tomlinisms." He is fairly robotic during the season, with many fans trying to play a game with what famous phrase could be used on a given day. Thus, it made it all the more surprising that the Pittsburgh head coach was so outspoken about the move. Cleveland GM Andrew Berry, who Tomlin mentioned by name in the conference, has been with the franchise since 2020.
Tomlin has always been big on gamesmanship. He does a good job of giving credit where it is due to his opponents of the week, and very rarely ever gives them bulletin board material. The comments in question came a day after the Steelers beat the Browns and Gabriel, and three days before the Steelers take on the Bengals in Week 7's "Thursday Night Football" matchup, where Tomlin and the Steelers will see Flacco himself under center.
This is where Tomlin went back to his roots, saying it was a good move for the Bengals. "It certainly made sense from Cincinnati's perspective. ... 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."