For weeks, most of Cleveland’s media wrote him off.
They said Joe Flacco was washed. Finished. Done.
Except a few of us didn’t buy it — and we were right.
On Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football, Joe Flacco turned back the clock, shredded a division rival, and proved he still belongs.
Flacco completed 66 percent of his passes for 342 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, and posted a 108.6 QBR in a statement win over the Steelers. His composure and precision were everything the Browns have missed since letting him go.
Even the broadcast booth couldn’t believe it.
During the second quarter, analyst Kirk Herbstreit exclaimed:
“Joe Flacco is a unicorn! What is he doing out there?! … Ten days of knowing this offense!” — Kirk Herbstreit, Amazon Prime Video TNF
Play-by-play legend Al Michaels added early in the second half:
“We’ve known Flacco for years. Does anyone throw a prettier spiral?” — Al Michaels, TNF broadcast
At 40 years old, Flacco wasn’t supposed to do this.
But Thursday night, he did.
Joe Flacco: The Unicorn the Browns Let Go — and the Media Buried Too Soon
The Indictment of Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski
Flacco’s resurgence isn’t just a feel-good story — it’s a direct indictment of GM Andrew Berry and Head Coach Kevin Stefanski.
They didn’t just lose a quarterback; they lost a leader.
Veteran Browns reporter Tony Grossi called it immediately:
“Certifiably the 2nd worst trade in Browns history.” — @TonyGrossi, Oct 8, 2025
Cleveland shipped Flacco for a fifth-round pick — the same price they once paid to dump Baker Mayfield.
Even Stefanski admitted the move caught everyone off guard:
“The Joe (Flacco) trade took us all by surprise. They called us. So still working through all roster things. I have to be mindful of our players’ development.” — Kevin Stefanski, via @TonyGrossi, Oct 8, 2025
If “mindful of development” means trading your best and most experienced quarterback mid-season, then the process has gone completely off the rails.
Flacco’s Departure: Handled Like a Pro
According to Grossi, Flacco didn’t request a trade. His agent Joe Linta told him:
“Joe loves Cleveland and understands what happened over the last four weeks. He has really cherished his time in Cleveland and looks forward to a new challenge in Cincinnati.” — @TonyGrossi, Oct 7, 2025
Linta added:
“Joe is like any kid in America who plays football. He would much rather be on the field than on the bench.” — @TonyGrossi, Oct 7, 2025
That was Flacco in a nutshell — class, competitiveness, and quiet fire.
Mike Tomlin Knew Flacco Wasn’t Done
Even Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin recognized the mistake immediately.
When asked about the trade, Tomlin said sending Flacco to a division rival “doesn’t make sense” and was “shocking.”
“It doesn’t make sense,” Tomlin told reporters. “It was shocking to me. Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me — or us. The move makes sense for Cincinnati because Flacco still has that arm strength and accuracy. But a division trade like this is not logical.”
Tomlin knew what Berry and Stefanski ignored — Joe Flacco still had it.
So did Tony Grossi — and a few of us who refused to accept the narrative that Flacco was finished.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Grossi highlighted another stat that exposes the decision’s madness:
“The Browns have had 41 quarterbacks start a game since 1999. Only three have regular-season winning records in games started and completed for the Browns.
Case Keenum: 2-0
Brian Hoyer: 9-6
Joe Flacco: 5-4.” — @TonyGrossi, Oct 9, 2025
Let that sink in — the only active QB with a winning record for Cleveland is the one they traded away.
The Media Missed — Except Grossi and a Few Others
While many local voices mocked the move, Grossi and I saw it for what it was: a front-office blunder driven by ego and analytics over experience.
The Browns didn’t lose a player — they lost their backbone.
Wacko for Flacco — The Redemption Tour
On Thursday night, the Jungle went #WackoForFlacco.
The veteran QB Cleveland discarded commanded a new offense like he’d been there a season. He looked sharp, accurate, and confident — everything the Browns haven’t been.
As Prime Video’s former quarterback analyst, Kirk Herbstreit called Flacco “a unicorn.” And he was right.
The Bottom Line
I feel for Browns players and fans.
They deserve better leadership and a front office that values results over excuses.
Joe Vincent Flacco wasn’t washed. The wrong people made another terrible call in Cleveland regarding a Quarterback.
Now Flacco is proving them wrong under brighter lights and louder cheers.
Mike Tomlin knew it.
Tony Grossi knew it.
Some of us said it then — and the nation sees it now.
The Browns let their unicorn go.
And now that unicorn is on fire.
The post Joe Flacco: The Unicorn the Browns Let Go — and the Media Buried Too Soon appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.