On Thursday, the Pittsburgh Steelers will face off against the Cincinnati Bengals. Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco will be under center for Cincinnati during that game. Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin recently got the attention of the football world when he made it known he was shocked to see how Flacco ended up with the Bengals.
The veteran head coach called out Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry by name and questioned his decision to send Cleveland’s Week 1 starter to a division rival that was struggling. Tomlin’s honesty caught fans and media members off guard, and it turns out his comments shocked the league as well.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero made that clear on a recent episode of The Rich Eisen Show, explaining that Tomlin’s comments have been the storyline he’s been contacted about the most in recent days.
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has everyone talking after calling out Browns
Pelissero didn’t specify what exactly people throughout the league were saying to him about the comments, only that Tomlin’s words have rippled throughout the league, creating a variety of thoughts. The insider did emphasize how unprecedented it was for Tomlin to openly criticize a trade of an opposing general manager.
Some have wondered if this was Tomlin’s way of sticking up for another coach, shifting blame to Berry instead of Cleveland’s Kevin Stefanski, and others have argued the Pittsburgh head coach was just truly frustrated that an AFC North team would throw a lifeline to a sinking rival. Tomlin also could’ve just really been surprised to see the move happen and let that be known.
Only the head coach knows his intentions. A few things are clear, though: this isn’t a move Tomlin would’ve signed off on, the Steelers will face a Flacco-led Bengals on Thursday, and the Browns are still at the bottom of the division.