Divisional rivalries just mean more to people like Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
Tomlin did not shy away from some harsh criticism of the Cleveland Browns, who traded veteran quarterback Joe Flacco within the division to the struggling, quarterback-needy Cincinnati Bengals prior to Week 6.
The Steelers’ head coach went right at Browns general manager Andrew Berry with some strong thoughts on the Browns’ trade on Monday, one day after Tomlin’s team defeated Cleveland in a Sunday divisional clash.
‘Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us,’ Tomlin said, ‘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 Browns named Flacco their Week 1 starter during training camp in August. Flacco started the first four games for Cleveland this season, going 1-3 to begin his second stint with the Browns before he got benched.
When the Browns announced rookie Dillon Gabriel would be their new starting quarterback ahead of Week 5, Flacco became an immediate trade candidate.
The Bengals were a somewhat obvious trade partner. Backup Jake Browning had been struggling behind center in relief of the injured Joe Burrow, and Cincinnati had lost three straight.
Within one week, the 40-year-old Flacco had been traded to a team not only within the AFC North division but within the same state. Ahead of Week 6, Bengals named the newly acquired Flacco their new starting quarterback, replacing Browning as Burrow remains sidelined with a turf toe injury.
The Flacco-led Bengals dropped their Week 6 game to the Green Bay Packers to fall to 2-4, but the 18-year veteran threw for 219 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Flacco has now started at least one game for every team in the AFC North besides Tomlin’s Steelers. His career began in 2008 with the Baltimore Ravens, one year after Tomlin took over as the head coach in Pittsburgh. Flacco played 11 years in Baltimore and has since played out two separate five-game stints with the Browns before joining the Bengals this year.
Tomlin and the Steelers will face Flacco and the Bengals for the first time this season on Thursday night.
Pittsburgh will be gunning for a fourth straight win, while Cincinnati is hoping to stop a four-game slide after a 2-0 start to the season.