In a playful yet pointed jab that has fans buzzing, the Cincinnati Bengals took a not-so-subtle dig at the Cleveland Browns during the release of their 2025 NFL schedule. The video, which dropped on Wednesday as part of the league-wide rollout, leaned heavily into the rivalry between the two AFC North teams—especially highlighting the Browns’ well-known instability at the quarterback position.
Set to face the Browns in Week 1, the Bengals couldn’t resist the opportunity to poke fun at their division rival’s ever-rotating cast of quarterbacks. Cleveland, since its NFL return in 1999, has infamously cycled through a staggering number of starting signal-callers—40 and counting. It’s become a running joke among fans and analysts alike, and the Bengals clearly saw an opening to capitalize on it.
This offseason hasn’t done much to change the narrative. In fact, it may have intensified it. The Browns added veteran quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett to the roster, both of whom have starting experience but question marks about their long-term upside. If that wasn’t enough, Cleveland also drafted two rookies: former Oklahoma standout Dillon Gabriel and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, son of NFL legend Deion Sanders. With four quarterbacks vying for the starting job, the Browns’ quarterback room feels more crowded than ever — and, perhaps, more uncertain.
The Bengals’ video, part of their larger social media campaign for the season schedule reveal, cleverly poked fun at that situation through a segment featuring defensive linemen Kris Jenkins, B.J. Hill, and Joseph Ossai. The players casually discussed the Week 1 matchup with the Browns, tossing around witty comments about not knowing who Cleveland’s starter will be.
“That Browns game about to go crazy,” one player says.
“We don’t even know who they about to be starting,” another replies.
Joseph Ossai delivers the punchline: “Doesn’t matter, I’m sacking him.”
Then, the kicker — a voice off-camera ends the scene by saying, “Man, they out here collecting QBs like they Pokémon.”
The humor wasn’t lost on fans. The video quickly gained traction on social media, with Bengals supporters praising the creativity while Browns fans bristled at the shade thrown their way. Some Cleveland loyalists fired back with reminders of the Bengals’ own decades-long playoff drought before the arrival of Joe Burrow, while others conceded that the jab was well-crafted — and hard to argue with.
For Bengals fans, it was another chance to relish in the stability they’ve found at the quarterback position. Joe Burrow, when healthy, has firmly established himself as one of the NFL’s elite signal-callers. His presence alone gives Cincinnati an edge not just in Week 1, but throughout the season.
Meanwhile, the Browns’ quarterback situation remains a major storyline. Head coach Kevin Stefanski will eventually need to name a starter, but with four contenders and limited preseason snaps, clarity may not come until late in training camp.
Whether the Bengals’ joke lands as trash talk or truth depends on where you stand in the AFC North rivalry. But one thing is for sure — Week 1 just got a lot more interesting, and the Bengals have already landed the first hit.
Let the games (and the trolling) begin.