The Cleveland Browns’ defensive end, Myles Garrett, had a blunt take after watching Joe Flacco light up the Steelers on Thursday Night Football. The veteran QB, traded just a week ago by Cleveland, led the roster to an incredible 33-31 victory over Pittsburgh outdueling A-Rod in a game that left the NFL world stunned. However, Garrett had more interest in Cleveland’s system than in Flacco himself.
“Joe looked like Joe. It makes me see that whatever offense they’re committed to running to produce wins doesn’t see Joe as the most productive. Maybe his style doesn’t fit how we want to run it.”
Dude you took the money. Just enjoy the ride😂
— L'enfant 🇨🇲 (@Thekid_64) October 18, 2025
The quote quickly went viral, raising questions about what Garrett truly meant. The Browns’ defensive star wasn’t beating around the bush; he was honest.
He meant that while Flacco played well, what he expected from the veteran never showed its peak form in Cleveland. The offense simply didn’t bring out the best in him. Garrett admitted that the Browns’ system doesn’t complement Flacco’s old-school, pocket-passing approach—but he also gave credit where it was due: Joe looked like Joe again.
Joe Flacco Makes Browns Regret Trade After Torching Steelers
Myles Garrett and Joe Flacco
Myles Garrett and Joe Flacco | Credits: Imagn
At first, Cleveland’s trade of Flacco to Cincinnati with a sixth-round pick did not appear risky. As the early weeks of 2025 approached, Flacco had been unable to move the offense efficiently, and the Browns were willing to transition to rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel. But following Thursday night, this ruling kind of stung.
The 40-year-old veteran finished with 342 yards and three scores, making the Bengals offense with the poise and the deep-ball accuracy that once made him an MVP. In the meantime, the Browns, led by Garrett, are 1-5 and have been able to find no rhythm or direction, or even an identity with rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel under the helm.
Gabriel has played two games and made 430 yards with three touchdowns and a completion percentage of 57.3. The problems are not as superficial as the rookie. Their short-pass, run-heavy attack by the Browns has killed creativity, and it has not made use of its roster, and that is precisely what Garrett meant when he said the style of Flacco did not fit. When he said Flacco’s “style doesn’t fit.”
Five days before Flacco’s breakout, Cleveland lost 23-9 to those same Steelers. Garrett then voiced frustration, saying, “To lose the same way every time is frustrating as hell.” Now, his latest comments sound more like a warning, the team’s structure, not its personnel, might be the real issue.
Just as Garrett’s comments went viral, fans took multiple stances:
A fansaid, “Dude, you’re one and five. I don’t think any quarterback fits your style. You’re the laughingstock of the NFL. Why in the world a player as good as Miles would sign with that team is beyond me.”
Others remarked, “When you force Dillon Gabriel on your team, you lose the locker room by week 7, as you’re watching now.”
A fan gave a serious stance, “Browns don’t have any receivers that can catch a football.”
Others chimed in: “Basically he said our offensive players are trash. The Bengals have star receivers. Joe went off but couldn’t do that with our below-average shit squad.”
A fan joked, “Dude, you took the money. Just enjoy the ride.”
With tight end David Njoku out and multiple starters questionable ahead of Sunday’s game against Miami, things look grim in Cleveland. Garrett’s blunt words captured what many already fear—the Browns didn’t just trade away a veteran quarterback; they traded away the stability their offense desperately needed.