Steelers Now
A former head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers believes they should sign one of their AFC North rival’s quarterbacks.
It’s no secret the Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up to land their next franchise quarterback next offseason, but one of their former head coaches thinks it would also be a good idea to add another familiar face at the position.
Former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher recently urged Pittsburgh to take a swing at Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco.
“The only quarterbacks who have played Mike Tomlin 10 times or more who have winning records are Tom Brady and Joe Flacco,” Cowher said on the NFL Today. “So my advice to Mike … just sign him in the offseason.”
"The only Quarterbacks who have played Mike Tomlin 10x or more who have winning records are Tom Brady and Joe Flacco."@CowherCBS's advice to Mike Tomlin? Sign Flacco 👀 pic.twitter.com/8N8cEJIm9c
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 19, 2025
Flacco has had his way with Tomlin for much of his career, boasting a 12-11 all-time record against him. So it may not be a bad idea for the Steelers to have the mindset, ‘If you can’t beat them, join them.’
Pittsburgh just got its latest taste of medicine from Flacco last Thursday night as he led the Bengals to a 33-31 victory while throwing for an impressive 342 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
It’s unclear if the 40-year-old will want to continue playing next season, but if he does, he could certainly serve as a great stopgap and mentor for whoever the Steelers select in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Tomlin seems to believe Flacco has plenty of gas left in the tank, too.
“To be honest, it was shocking to me,” Tomlin said. “Andrew Berry must be a lot smarter than me or us. Because it doesn’t make sense to me to trade a quarterback that you think enough of to make your opening day starter to a division opponent that’s hurting in that area. But that’s just my personal feelings.”
Joining Pittsburgh would also help Flacco complete his AFC North quadfecta, having now played for the Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens.
Flacco began his career as the Ravens first-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft and had immediate success, leading Baltimore to the AFC championship game as a rookie. He went on to play 11 seasons for the Ravens, winning Super Bowl XLVII and earning the game’s MVP honors.
Flacco then had a career resurgence in Cleveland in 2023, when he led the Browns to the playoffs while throwing for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions and was named the league’s Comeback Player of the Year.
A native of Voorhees Township, New Jersey, Flacco has thrown for 46,512 yards, 259 touchdowns and 168 interceptions in his professional career.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Ex-Steelers HC Urges Team to Sign AFC North Rival’s QB in Offseason
