Kevin Stefanski gives cold answer on Joe Flacco's success with Bengals

Trading away Joe Flacco after five weeks may be aging badly, see what Kevin Stefanski has to say about Flacco's recent flourishment.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) congratulates Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) after losing to the Bengals in an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sept. 7, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns traded away quarterback Joe Flacco on October 7th to the AFC North and in-state rival Cincinnati Bengals. When this trade occurred, many Browns fans felt indifferent about the move. As Cleveland had two rookie quarterbacks, one in Dillon Gabriel, who had just started his first NFL game two days before, and Shedeur Sanders, who fans had been begging to get an opportunity this year.

Flacco started the first four games of the season for Cleveland, in which he went 1-3 with losses to Cincinnati, Baltimore, and Detroit. Flacco’s play in those games may have made it easier for the organization to ship him away, as he passed for 815 yards, two touchdowns, and six interceptions. 

The Flacco experiment was not working out as well as it did the first time in 2023; fans were eager to see what the Cleveland rookies had to offer, but the Browns were not winning games. 

Since Flacco has been in Cincinnati, he has turned his season around. The weapons of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have definitely given him a bump.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked how he felt about Joe’s success in Cincinnati and why he couldn’t do it in Cleveland.

“Yeah, I don’t really have a comment on Joe or any players on other teams. I don’t think it’s appropriate.” “I understand the question, but I don’t have a comment.”

In four games started with the Bengals, Flacco has passed for 1,254 yards, 439 more than his time in Cleveland, 11 touchdowns, nine more than Cleveland, and just two interceptions, four less than Cleveland. Ja’Marr Chase has accounted for 457 yards from Flacco, along with Tee Higgins with 323. Higgins scoring four touchdowns with Flacco at the helm, and Chase also contributing with two. 

The stats don’t lie, but if you’re Stefanski, what are you supposed to say? He isn’t going to blame his own offense for the shortcomings of Flacco, but also is not going to say that Cincinnati’s offense is miles ahead of his. 

Even though Flacco’s stats look great, the Bengals are also 1-3 with him starting. Coming off back-to-back losses to the Jets and Bears, Cincinnati sits at 3-6 this year, just above Cleveland in the north. 

The trade may look regrettable now, but knowing what you have at the quarterback position may be more valuable than a couple of pesky wins later in the season.