AFC Notes: Joe Flacco, Mike Tomlin, Bengals, Browns, Steelers

Bengals

• Mike Garafolo reports that the Bengals recently promoted Jordan Kovacs to secondary/safeties coach after blocking a request from the Chargers for an interview.

Browns

The Cleveland Browns and Haslam Sports Group spokesperson Peter John-Baptiste issued the following statement regarding the team’s future stadium plans:

“We’ve been clear on how complex future stadium planning can be. One certainty is our commitment to greatly improving our fan experience while also creating a transformative and lasting impact to benefit all of Northeast Ohio. We understand the magnitude of opportunity with a stadium project intent on driving more large-scale events to our region and are methodically looking at every possibility. We appreciate the collaborative process with the City of Cleveland and the leadership of Mayor Bibb in analyzing the landbridge and renovating the current stadium. At the same time, as part of our comprehensive planning efforts, we are also studying other potential stadium options in Northeast Ohio at various additional sites. There is still plenty of work to do and diligence to process before a long term stadium solution is determined and will share further updates at the appropriate time.”

• Ken Prendergast of the Neo-trans.blog reports the Haslam Sports Group has a contract to buy a 176-acre parcel in Brook Park, Ohio.
• The Browns are hiring Eagles assistant OL coach Roy Istvan for the same position on their staff. (Tom Withers)
• Browns QB Joe Flacco, who earned the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award, said he wants to continue his career in 2024: “I want there to be more, so we’ll see,” via ProFootballTalk.
• Flacco is also set to be an unrestricted free agent and has enjoyed his time in Cleveland: “It’s definitely been surreal. Listen, I’ve been grateful for the opportunity to get back on the field, and what an awesome place to go in the city of Cleveland.”

Steelers

• The Steelers hired former Chargers pass game specialist Tom Arth as quarterbacks coach, former Jets WRs coach Zach Azzanni for the same role, and former Falcons OL assistant Mateo Kambui as an offensive assistant, per Brooke Pryor. 
• FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer weighed in on the situation with Steelers HC Mike Tomlin on The Pat McAfee Show, saying there’s no way the Steelers would fire him. 
• He adds while some teams thought Tomlin could be available, Tomlin views it as Pittsburgh or nothing — and told Glazer as much.