Browns Digest

Joe Flacco proves Browns need a complete leadership change

Joe Flacco led the Cincinnati Bengals to a thrilling win Thursday night and proved the Cleveland Browns need a complete overhaul in leadership.
Steve Kubitza|
Jul 23, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, right, and executive vice president, football operations & general manager Andrew Berry watch the team during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Jul 23, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, right, and executive vice president, football operations & general manager Andrew Berry watch the team during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

In this story:

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns decided to move on from Joe Flacco last week, trading him to the Cincinnati Bengals. This move seemed logical at the time, as the veteran looked lost in the offense and unable to move the ball effectively or really at all.

Well, the joke is on us. Or rather, on Browns GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Flacco absolutely lit up the Pittsburgh Steelers defense on Thursday night, finishing with 342 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-31 victory. He saved the Bengals' season, took down the Steelers, and proved the Browns to be total fools.

How is Jimmy Haslam reacting this morning? How are the players in Berea reacting after seeing Flacco dominate on national television?

This is the latest embarrassment for this leadership group of Berry and Stefanski in 2025 and we are still only in the middle of October. At the time of writing this piece, Bengals fans on the broadcast were chanting "Thank you, Cleveland" to celebrate Flacco and the win.

The key takeaway from the game is what competent wide receivers can do for a quarterback with talent. Flacco connected with Ja'Marr Chase 16 times in Thursday's win, finding Tee Higgins six times. He targeted reliable hands, and they made sure to reward his confidence. That is a far cry from what was happening a month ago when Browns receivers seemingly couldn't hold onto any ball thrown from Flacco.

So where do the Browns go from here? Will Stefanski and/or Berry be fired this week? That seems like a stretch, even with the 1-5 record and all the doom and gloom surrounding the team. It is early in the year and firing the coach may only ruin the development of both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Firing Berry right now may also tank the 2026 NFL Draft preparation.

But what if the Browns fall Sunday to the 1-5 Miami Dolphins? That team seems to truly dislike each other in the locker room, and a loss at home to them could doom Berry and Stefanski before we reach Halloween.

As mentioned, firings at this point in time may not serve the greater good. However, the Haslams are known to operate in mysterious ways and may copy the path of the Tennessee Titans and make a change before things get too ugly.

We are in a bizarre reality where a 40-year-old Flacco lining up for the Bengals can doom the Browns. Yet one single run from the veteran may prove that the Browns just need a shakeup in all aspects of the organization. Where did this come from?

Browns fans are seeing Flacco thrive in Cincinnati and Baker Mayfield pursue an MVP trophy in Tampa Bay. This leaves everyone wondering when enough will be enough for this current regime.

Published
Steve Kubitza
STEVE KUBITZA

Steve is a lifelong Cleveland sports fan who proudly wears his Guardians, Browns, and Cavs gear in his current home of Santa Barbara. He has covered Cleveland sports online for the past decade and is still waiting for the Browns to draft a QB who signs a second contract in town.

Share on XFollow kubitzawrites
Home/News