Ex-Browns QB Makes Absolutely ‘Wild’ Trade Pitch Involving Steelers’ Mike Tomlin

Getty NFL analyst Brady Quinn proposed a "wild" trade scenario where the Cleveland Browns acquire Mike Tomlin from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mike Tomlin is closing in on his 18th non-losing season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tomlin could secure that accomplishment on November 21 versus the Cleveland Browns.

Over the past 18 years, the Browns have gone 100-184-1 with nine different head coaches.

Tomlin will enter Week 12 with a 26-8-1 all-time record versus Cleveland.

As the saying goes, “if you can’t beat them, join them.” That’s at least the approach NFL analyst and former Browns quarterback Brady Quinn took while discussing Tomlin and the Browns on FOX Sports Radio’s 2 Pros & a Cup of Joe.

During his radio appearance on November 18, Quinn argued for what he referred to as a “wild [expletive]” trade idea. He suggested the Browns should give the Steelers whatever they want for Tomlin.

“As you talk about the model of consistency and you talk about Tomlin, the culture. I kept thinking about Cleveland right now, who dropped another game, wasn’t even competitive against New Orleans,” Quinn said during the radio appearance. “I don’t know what the means for Kevin Stefanski. It seems rather odd he could get fired after being Coach of the Year last year in the NFL.

“If they did though and that became vacant, I would call. I would call the Steelers, dude.

“If you are willing to sign DeShaun Watson to that contract, and if I’m [owner] Jimmy Haslam, I’m going to offer whatever it takes to get Mike Tomlin, and at least make them say no. Make them an offer that they can’t refuse. And see if they’ll say no. That would be the approach I would take.”

Quinn didn’t get any more specific on what trade compensation it might take for the Browns to acquire Tomlin from the Steelers.

Could the Steelers Trade Mike Tomlin?

It would be a fun hypothetical debate to discuss what Tomlin might be worth on the trade market. But it’s not worth discussing because it’s honestly so hard to comprehend how unlikely it is the Steelers trade Tomlin, who is 13 regular season victories away from becoming the winningest coach in franchise history.

And the very last place the Steelers would trade Tomlin, if they did move on from him, would probably be Cleveland. Even Quinn seemed to realize the improbability of his idea even as he continued to tout it.

“It would be an amazing twist. It’s never gonna happen,” added Quinn.

“It sounds crazy, and I’m sure people from Pittsburgh will criticize me, and people from Cleveland will think it’s dumb, but if that job came open, and I was part of the group trying to do it, I’m trying to get the best possible out there, and that’s who I would be trying to get.”

Quinn concluded by saying that Tomlin has “a lot” of coaching left in him. Tomlin is in his 18th season as the Steelers head coach, but he’s only 52 years old.

Could Steelers Get Another Browns Head Coach Fired?

With a 2-8 start to the 2024 season, the Browns firing Kevin Stefanski just a year after he won his second Coach of the Year award is a distinct possibility. It would be fitting if it happened after a loss to the Steelers.

Since Tomlin came to Pittsburgh in 2007, the Browns have fired their head coach immediately after a defeat to the Steelers six times. With five of those occasions, the Steelers beat the Browns during the final week of the regular season.

Stefanski, though, has beaten Tomlin’s Steelers almost the same amount of times as all of those other six head coaches combined. He is 3-5 versus Pittsburgh in the regular season.

Stefanski might have to beat Tomlin again to save his job. But as far as Tomlin coaching in Cleveland, “never say never but never.”