Whether he likes it or not, Steelers' Mike Tomlin ready to face old nemesis Joe Flacco

Mike Tomlin has one reason to be upset the Cleveland Browns traded Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals last week.

Scratch that. Make it 10 reasons.

That’s the number of times Flacco started a game and beaten the Pittsburgh Steelers in the regular season during his 18-year NFL career.

No active quarterback has gotten the best of the Steelers more often than Flacco, who will start against Tomlin’s team Thursday night. It will be his second start in nine days since Cleveland shipped him to Cincinnati in a swap of third-day draft picks.

“It was shocking to me,” Tomlin said Monday before venting his frustrations at Browns GM Andrew Berry for trading his opening day starting quarterback within the division.

With Joe Burrow sidelined indefinitely because of a toe injury, Flacco also could start against the Steelers on Nov. 16 in the rematch at Acrisure Stadium.

That obviously doesn’t sit well with Tomlin, who thought he had avoided Flacco when he was benched by the Browns in favor of rookie Dillon Gabriel.

Instead of the Steelers facing Jake Browning, who is 0-2 lifetime against them, they will encounter the 40-year-old Flacco, a grizzled veteran who is in his 18th NFL season.

Flacco holds a 10-11 record in starts against the Steelers. He came off the bench to help the Indianapolis Colts defeat the Steelers, 27-24, and spoil their 3-0 start last season. That win, though, technically went to starting quarterback Anthony Richardson, although some websites credit Flacco with the victory.

Related

• Ben Roethlisberger's idea to fix the field at Acrisure Stadium? Evict Pitt!
• Mark Madden: Mike Tomlin is wrong; Andrew Berry did what's best for the Browns
• Tim Benz: Mike Tomlin might have said even more about the Joe Flacco trade than he let on

The only quarterback in NFL history to defeat the Steelers more often in the regular season is Ken Anderson, who was 11-13 in 24 starts against them from 1971-86. Flacco resides in second place along with Steve McNair and Warren Moon (10 wins apiece).

“He can throw the football, and he’s always been able to throw the football — arm strength, accuracy, anticipatory passer, fluid movement through progressions,” Tomlin said. “That’s always been his game.”

The start for Flacco will be No. 197 in his career. Browning, by comparison, has made 10 in three seasons with the Bengals. And so it is that the Steelers won’t match up against an inexperienced passer just four days after sacking Gabriel six times and flustering him throughout a 23-9 victory against the Browns.

“A lot of times if you make a mistake against a rookie, he may not punish you,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “If you make a mistake against a veteran, those guys usually punish you because they find it and see it. So, that’s really the big thing for us, to be really good in that regard. Don’t give him an opening to get the ball to the guys that can make the big plays because he probably won’t miss a guy.”

Flacco showed little difficulty getting acclimated to the Bengals system in his debut against Green Bay on Sunday. He completed 29 of 45 attempts for 219 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in a 27-18 loss. Although the Bengals lost their fourth game in a row, it was the most fluid their passing game looked since Burrow went down in the second week of the year. Ja’Marr Chase had 10 catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. Tee Higgins added five catches for 62 yards.

“I think that is what they were missing with the young guy they had in there before: anticipating throws,” cornerback Darius Slay said. “He’s doing a great job of it. One thing is, he’s seen every coverage possible. All we can do is keep continuing to play ball and compete.”

Flacco and Aaron Rodgers will become the second set of quarterbacks age 40 or older to match up in a game. Tom Brady and Drew Brees did it three times, including playoffs, in 2020.

Rodgers, like Flacco, is on a new team, but he at least has been with the organization since June when he signed on the eve of minicamp. What Flacco did mere days after joining the Bengals caught the 41-year-old quarterback’s attention.

“I’ve just always enjoyed watching him throw the ball,” Rodgers said. “I mean, he’s got one of the prettiest, prettiest balls, tight spiral, great deep ball thrower. He is one of the old-school 2000s, ’90s prototypical quarterbacks.”

After 10 years as the Baltimore Ravens’ starter, Flacco was phased out in 2018 in favor of a new-age quarterback in Lamar Jackson. Over the next six seasons, he bounced from Denver to the New York Jets to Indianapolis to Cleveland twice. He also was with the Philadelphia Eagles briefly in 2021 and was Slay’s teammate.

Flacco made just 28 starts in those six seasons, yet he earned Cleveland’s starting job to open this season. And he has enjoyed a bit of a career rebirth after leading the Browns to the playoffs in 2023.

“I have been in the building with Joe, so I know he’s mentally tough,” said Austin, a former assistant with the Ravens. “Doesn’t let things bother him. He’s a good football player and never wavers in that belief. I have a big appreciation for guys like him.”

Tomlin also has an appreciation for Flacco, which is why he isn’t happy to be dealing with his long-time nemesis one more time Thursday night. To close his weekly press conference Monday, the coach was asked how difficult it is for a quarterback to make two starts with a five-day span for a new team.

“It doesn’t appear to be hard for Joe Flacco,” Tomlin said before walking off.