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Yesterday morning in this very Morning Win space I wrote about how the Browns would be easy to root for if you’re looking to jump on a bandwagon in the NFL playoffs.
I wrote about all the awful seasons the team and its fanbase have suffered through over the years and that now things have changed and they are ready to be a factor in the playoffs, something they haven’t even made it to in 18 years.
Then later on Tuesday we found out some stunning news – Browns coach Kevin Stefanski will not be able to be on the sideline or coach from home on Sunday after testing positive for COVID-19.
I mean, good grief.
We knew this wasn’t going to be easy for the Browns, a franchise that recently won just one game over two seasons. But now a global pandemic is getting in their way, too, which is unbelievable and so 2020 even though we are now in 2021.
I’m not downplaying this at all. Stefanski’s health is the most important thing here and we’ve all learned just how dangerous COVID can be.
What I’m saying is how much of a bummer this is for the Browns, who can still beat the Steelers on Sunday night in Pittsburgh.
What I’m also saying is it’s just a gigantic bummer for their coach, who will likely win the Coach of the Year award, who can’t be there with his team to lead them into their first playoff game since a loss to the Steelers in the 2002 NFL season.
The Browns haven’t won a playoff game since the 1994 season. The fans have seen some truly awful football in a large number of seasons since then. Now they’re in the playoffs and their coach can’t be there for them.
Brutal.
Hopefully the team is able to stay away from more COVID cases in the days leading up to Sunday night’s game, which we know is far from a guarantee. This franchise deserves to go into this game at as close to full strength as possible.
I’m still very much on their bandwagon because a win on Sunday night would be huge for the team and the city.
Now it would be even bigger.
Quick hits: Ranking the playoff QBs… Watt apologizes to his QB… DeVonta Smith’s great Heisman speech…. And more.
– Charles McDonald ranked all the QBs playing in the NFL playoffs this year.
– This moment between J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson after Sunday’s final game of the season was heartbreaking.
– DeVonta Smith had a powerful message for kids after winning the Heisman Trophy.
– Nick Saban’s daughter accused Ohio State of making up COVID outbreak… then deleted that tweet.
– Mike Sykes looks at Giannis Antetokounmpo and how he’s playing at an MVP level but no one is talking about it.