The benching of Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh shocked NFL fans. The franchise chose to make a change despite his veteran status. However, they considered it necessary because his performance had fallen short. This decision raised concerns among Joe Flacco’s fans, as he now faces a similar risk of being benched.
Flacco’s inconsistency mirrors Wilson’s struggles. Contrary to what the Cleveland Browns expected when they signed him, the team has failed to stabilize. In fact, during the first three weeks of the regular season, Flacco has ranked among the lowest-performing quarterbacks in the league.
A bleak outlook for Joe Flacco
According to The Sports Rush, the Browns may replace Flacco with one of their backup quarterbacks: Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders. If things don’t change, this possibility looks very likely.
#Browns Kevin Stefanski said he’s sticking with Joe Flacco going forward despite the tough sledding. He was without 2 starting tackles
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) September 21, 2025
Despite Flacco’s mistakes and current struggles, head coach Kevin Stefanski publicly backed him. After the loss to the Ravens, he firmly shut down the idea of a quarterback change with a resounding “No.” He stated, “I don’t think we did well enough. Collectively as a team, as an offense, as a coaching staff—we all didn’t do a good enough job.”
On Monday, Stefanski confirmed that Joe Flacco remains the starting quarterback. He appears to be giving him a chance to redeem himself and avoid the bench. Still, the situation is tough, especially with their next matchup against the Detroit Lions, who own the NFL’s third-ranked defense.
Stefanski continues to bet on the veteran’s experience. His goal is to stabilize the offense while the rookies develop into future starters. But if nothing changes, he may have no choice but to make a quick decision to keep the Browns competitive this season.
