What Were the Browns Thinking? Joe Flacco’s Trade to the Bengals Might Be One of the Worst Mistakes in Franchise History

On October 7, 2025, the Cleveland Browns made a move that raised eyebrows across the NFL: they traded quarterback Joe Flacco and a sixth-round pick to division rival Cincinnati Bengals for a fifth-round pick. At the time, it may have seemed like a minor transaction. Flacco was 1–3 as a starter, completing just 58% of his passes with two touchdowns and six interceptions. Cleveland was spiraling at 1–4 and had just benched Flacco for rookie Dillon Gabriel. But what happened next turned this trade from a footnote into a full-blown nightmare scenario for the Browns.

Just nine days after the trade, Flacco torched the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns, leading the Bengals to a dramatic 33–31 comeback win on Thursday Night Football. It wasn’t just a win — it was a statement. And it left the football world asking: What were the Browns thinking?

To make matters worse, Browns GM Andrew Berry was publicly called out by none other than Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who said: “It doesn’t make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you thought enough of to make your Week 1 starter to a division opponent that’s hurting at that position.” When Mike Tomlin — a man known for rarely criticizing others — speaks out, something’s seriously wrong.

The situation looks even more absurd in hindsight. While Flacco looked washed in Cleveland, his struggles were hardly surprising. The Browns’ offense was ranked 31st in the league, their O-line was in shambles, and they were still reeling from the Deshaun Watson debacle and media distractions around Shedeur Sanders. In Cincinnati, Flacco was suddenly surrounded by elite weapons like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, and the difference was immediate.

Flacco had just four days to learn the Bengals playbook before his first start against the Green Bay Packers. While the Bengals lost 27–18, Flacco showed flashes of promise, throwing for 219 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. The offense looked competent again. And that was just the beginning.

In his second start — the now-famous “Unk Bowl” against 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers — Flacco turned back the clock. After falling behind 17–0, he led the Bengals on a 20-point rally, connecting with Chase and Higgins for key touchdowns. With just over two minutes left and trailing 31–30, Flacco engineered a perfect final drive to set up a game-winning field goal. His final stat line? 31-of-47, 342 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a 108.6 passer rating.

And let’s talk about Ja’Marr Chase — he broke the Bengals’ franchise record with 16 receptions on 23 targets for 161 yards and a score. Tee Higgins added 96 yards and a TD, and Chase Brown rushed for 108 yards. Suddenly, an offense that had been lifeless under Jake Browning looked like one of the league’s most dangerous units — all because of a quarterback the Browns practically gave away.

But as bad as the Flacco trade looks, it still might not even crack the Browns’ top three worst moves. That dishonor still belongs to the Deshaun Watson trade, where Cleveland sent three first-round picks and more to Houston and handed Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million deal — only for him to play in just 19 of 51 games, delivering bottom-tier production and suffering multiple season-ending injuries. Browns owner Jimmy Haslam even admitted in 2025 that the move was “a big swing and a miss.”

So why is the Flacco move so infuriating? Because it was avoidable. Cleveland didn’t have to trade him at all. Or, they could’ve sent him to the NFC, or at least outside the division. Instead, they handed a quarterback with Super Bowl experience to a desperate in-state rival that just needed someone competent to keep their playoff hopes alive until Joe Burrow returns from injury in December.

Now the Bengals sit at 3–4, just 1.5 games behind the Steelers (4–2) and ahead of the Ravens and Browns (both 1–5). The Bengals have winnable games coming up — against the Jets and Bears — followed by a Week 10 bye. If Flacco can lead them to a 5–4 record by Week 11, they’ll be right in the hunt when Burrow returns. And that should terrify the rest of the AFC.