It’s as though Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin knew what was going to happen.
On Tuesday, Tomlin wondered why the Cleveland Browns would trade quarterback Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Browns did that on Oct. 7. Flacco practiced three days and went into the Bengals’ starting lineup on Sunday for Jake Browning, who was playing because of an injury to Joe Burrow. Flacco’s second start for Cincinnati came on Thursday night against the Steelers.
“It was shocking to me,” Tomlin said about the trade. “(Browns general manager) 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 feeling.”
On Thursday night, Flacco threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns in the AFC North game. It would have been four, but wide receiver Tee Higgins intentionally went to the turf with 1:39 remaining so the Bengals could run out most of the clock.
Former Fort Payne High School standout Evan McPherson made the strategy pay off by kicking a 36-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining to snap Cincinnati’s four-game losing streak with a 33-31 victory.
Even though Flacco is 40, he wasn’t the oldest QB in the game. Forty-one-year-old Aaron Rodgers threw for four touchdowns for Pittsburgh and had his 60-yard Hail Mary knocked down at the goal line on the final play of the game.
But Rodgers was intercepted twice, including by Cincinnati safety Jordan Battle. After getting two interceptions in his first two NFL seasons, the former Alabama defensive back has three in seven games in his third campaign. Battle’s third interception of 2025 came at the Bengals 24-yard line on a deep throw with 4:25 to play. Four snaps later, Flacco threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Higgins as Cincinnati took a 14-10 lead.
Each team overcame a 10-point deficit, with the Steelers getting back in front 31-30 on a 68-yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to tight end Pat Freiermuth with 2:21 to play.
Three players from Alabama high schools and colleges got on the field during the Pittsburgh-Cincinnati game:
Jordan Battle (Alabama) started at safety for the Bengals. In addition to his interception, Battle made five tackles.
Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive.
Bengals defensive end Cedric Johnson (Davidson) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Bengals center Seth McLauglin (Alabama) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Bengals kicker Evan McPherson (Fort Payne) made three other field goals in addition to his game-winner. He hit a 49-yarder on the final snap of the first half to extend Cincinnati’s lead to 17-10, a 23-yarder for the game’s next points with 7:55 left in the third quarter and a 45-yarder to give the Bengals a 30-24 lead with 6:58 remaining. McPherson also made three extra points.
Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (Park Crossing) was designated as a game-day inactive.
Steelers punter Corliss Waitman (South Alabama) punted twice for a 42.0-yard average with no return yards. Waitman had a 39-yard punt for a fair catch at the Cincinnati 17-yard line and a 45-yarder downed at the Cincinnati 10.
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Pittsburgh (4-2) stays in prime time for its next game as the Steelers play the Green Bay Packers at 7:20 p.m. CDT Oct. 26 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Cincinnati (3-4) plays the New York Jets at noon Oct. 26 at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle intercepts a pass during an NFL game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle intercepts a pass during an NFL game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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