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Five takeaways from Kevin Stefanski and Deshaun Watson’s press conferences.
After the Cleveland Browns lost to the Washington Commanders 17-15 in their second preseason game, head coach Kevin Stefanski and quarterback Deshaun Watson addressed the media. The two shared their thoughts mainly on the first-string offense and the rest of the game.
Here are five takeaways from their media availability.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam says the team strongly believes QB Deshaun Watson deserves a second chance
Now that there is a final resolution on the Deshaun Watson suspension situation, Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam fielded questions in a press conference at the team’s headquarters. Haslam vehemently defended the team’s decision to trade for Watson despite the sexual misconduct allegations and the resulting 11-game suspension settlement between the league and the NFLPA.
“I think in this country and hopefully in the world, people deserve second chances,” Haslam stated with his wife and co-owner Dee looking on. “I really think that.”
Then Haslam turned more broadly and altruistically with his statement.
“And I struggle a little bit — is he (Watson) never supposed to play again? Is he never supposed to be part of society? Does he get no chance to rehabilitate himself?
That’s what we’re going to do. And you can say, ‘well that’s because he’s a star quarterback.’ Well of course! But if he was Joe Smith he wouldn’t be on the headlines every day. We think that people deserve a second chance. We gave Kareem Hunt a second chance, okay? And that’s worked out pretty well.
We’re hoping this will work out and we have a strong belief that it will. That doesn’t mean we don’t have empathy for people affected, and we will continue to do so. But we strongly believe — strongly believe — people deserve a second chance. We believe Deshaun Watson deserves a second chance.”
Hunt was signed in 2019 after a domestic violence incident at a Cleveland hotel while the running back and Cleveland-area native was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Hunt assaulted a woman in a hallway in an incident that was captured on video. The Chiefs quickly severed ties with Hunt, who was the NFL’s leading rusher as a rookie in 2017. Hunt has effectively stayed out of trouble since joining the Browns.
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Browns QB Deshaun Watson: ‘I’m moving on with my career’, maintains his innocence of the sexual misconduct charges
Deshaun Watson faced the media in Cleveland shortly after the revelation of a settlement between the NFL and NFLPA that results in an 11-game suspension for the Browns quarterback.
Watson began with an opening statement,
“I’m very grateful to the NFL and the NFLPA for this disciplinary to be to a close, to an ending, and to have some clarity. I’m looking forward to just moving forward with my career and being able to get back on the field as soon as possible.”
Watson fielded several questions from reporters on scene, and he reiterated his innocence of the sexual misconduct charges leveled against him. When asked if he wished to apologize to the women who accused him of sexual assault, he did not
“I’ve always been able to stand on my innocence, and always said I never assaulted or disrespected anyone,” Watson declared from Browns headquarters in Berea. “But at the same point, I have to continue to push forward with my life & career.”
When asked why he agreed to a settlement despite his insistence of innocence, Watson responded,
“I’m moving on with my career and my life. I’m going to continue to stand on my innocence. Just because the settlement and things like that happened, it doesn’t mean that a person is guilty.”
Watson did offer a written statement as well, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Deshaun Watson statement: pic.twitter.com/n54aGsYRiy
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 18, 2022
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Watson attempted to clear his name during his introductory press conference on Friday
New Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson faced the press on Friday for the first time since being traded by the Houston Texans. It was Watson’s first opportunity to address the multiple allegations of sexual misconduct that led to his fall from grace in Houston and to miss the 2021 NFL season.
“I understand these allegations are serious,” Watson said. “I never assaulted any woman. I’ve never disrespected any woman. I was raised to be genuine and to respect everyone around me.”
Watson has faced two grand jury cases in the Houston area that could have resulted in criminal charges, but neither grand jury found enough evidence to formally charge the 26-year-old. He still faces 22 civil court cases involving sexual impropriety with female massage therapists.
Later on, Watson was asked if he needs to seek counseling for any possible issues involving the allegations.
“I don’t have a problem. I don’t have an issue,” Watson said sternly.
Mayfield acknowledged he played profanely bad in the Browns win over the Lions
Baker Mayfield did not mince any words when he was asked about his poor performance in the Cleveland Browns’ Week 11 win over the Detroit Lions. Mayfield said what everyone was thinking while watching it play out in real-time.
“I’d be the first to tell you I played like sh**,” Mayfield told reporters on Monday.
Mayfield’s self-aware comment comes on the heels of his wife, Emily, defending his toughness on her Instagram page. After a rough afternoon where he threw two interceptions and missed several open targets, Mayfield skipped his usual postgame press conference.
He addressed that issue by stating he wanted to, “remove all the emotions from it.” Mayfield also noted that he owed it to his teammates to acknowledge that he played profanely poor in the 13-10 triumph over the winless Lions.
As for the next game, a Sunday night trip to Baltimore, Mayfield believes he’ll be ready.
“I do expect to be in better condition than I have in previous weeks”, Mayfield said of his injured body, which includes a broken left shoulder and knee and ankle injuries that left him visibly limping on Sunday.
Keenum offered up a great mic drop quote after guiding the Browns to the win over the Broncos
Case Keenum has earned the respect of being one of the NFL’s top backup quarterbacks. He proved why in Cleveland’s 17-14 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 7 with a solid performance. It was Keenum’s first start in place of an injured Baker Mayfield, who could miss significant time with a broken humerus bone and a torn labrum in the same left shoulder.
The veteran effectively ran the Browns offense, avoiding mistakes and making just enough throws to piggyback off a commanding ground game from backup RB D’Ernest Johnson. Keenum completed 21 of his 33 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown to backup FB Johnny Stanton.
Keenum also demonstrated the proper mentality after the game as the leader of the backups. When asked by the broadcast crew if he would be ready to start when the Browns face the Steelers in Week 8, Keenum offered up a great mic drop quote,
“You don’t have to get ready if you stay ready.”
Boom. Keenum took some enthusiastic fist-bumps from the crew and walked off the set.
“You don’t have to get ready if you stay ready” 🎤 drop #Browns pic.twitter.com/UM723MWwnW
— MoreForYouCleveland (@MoreForYou_CLE) October 22, 2021
Browns 1st round CB Greg Newsome believes he should have been the No. 1 overall pick
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The Cleveland Browns selected Northwestern cornerback Greg Newsome with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. According to Newsome, that was 25 spots too late.
In his introductory press meeting via Zoom, Newsome’s confidence was on full display. He does not lack for belief in his own ability.
“The way I feel is if I’m not the first pick in the draft, then everyone made a mistake,” Newsome said. “That’s the type of confidence that I have. I could have been picked second overall, and I still would have had a chip on my shoulder. I’m just ready to work, and I’ll always keep that chip on my shoulder.”
That doesn’t mean Newsome thinks he’s too good. The 20-year-old noted he’s a big fan of new Browns teammate Denzel Ward and can’t wait to learn from him.
“I mirror my game after [Ward] a little bit,” Newsome said. “So that’s a guy that I love watching, and it’ll definitely be great to learn from a guy like him and a guy like Greedy. He was a top pick as well. So he has a lot to prove this season, so I love going into rooms that are just competitive. That’s something that I live for.”
Confidence is a trait all the great cornerbacks share. Newsome will have to properly harness the chip on his shoulder, but he’s got the right mindset to make it work.
Baker Mayfield ‘truly thankful’ Browns picked up his 5th-year option
Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is a happy camper these days. He’s sitting with a smile knowing he’s locked into playing in Cleveland for at least the next two seasons after the Browns picked up his fifth-year contract option late last week.
Mayfield spoke about the security and opportunity in a press conference Zoom session on Monday.
“It’s one of those things that’s not in my control,” Mayfield said. “But I’m truly thankful and grateful for them taking the chance, Andrew (Browns GM Berry) and the Haslam family for picking up that fifth-year option.”
Speaking on the third anniversary of the team drafting him No. 1 overall in the 2018 NFL draft, Mayfield continued,
“Making it one more year in Cleveland and extending this journey that we started three years ago today … I’m very happy about that.”
Mayfield then addressed the idea of a possible long-term extension.
“In terms of long-term deals or anything like that, I’m taking it one day at a time. Still got two years and two seasons left on this full rookie contract now. We’ll see what happens.”
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Kevin Stefanski on Sheldon Richardson: ‘I hope that there’s a scenario’ the recently released DT returns to the Browns
The Browns made a difficult decision late last week to cut starting defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. It’s a move that has proven largely unpopular with the fans and received some raised eyebrows around the league.
But the book on Richardson in Cleveland might not be fully written just yet.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski left the door open for the team to bring back Richardson in 2021. In his pre-draft press conference on Tuesday, Stefanski noted it was a salary cap-related move and nothing against Richardson the player. In fact, Stefanski sounded very much like he hopes Richardson doesn’t take it too hard and returns to Cleveland.
“As a coach, I want to keep everybody. There are salary cap restraints, as everyone understands, and these are hard decisions,” Stefanski said. “I hope that there’s a scenario (to bring him back).”
It’s not a move that would appear to be imminent, not with the NFL draft next week. Richardson has yet to publicly indicate what his plans are for 2021 since his release.
Stefanski did note that recently signed Jadeveon Clowney can fill at least some of the snaps lost with Richardson’s release. Richardson played over 775 snaps on defense in each of his two seasons in Cleveland, almost all of them at tackle. He registered 64 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 799 reps in 2020.
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Stefanski is driven to improve upon his very successful debut season
Kevin Stefanski won the NFL’s coach of the year honor in his first season at the helm of the Cleveland Browns. But Stefanski isn’t sitting back and resting on his laurels.
Stefanski made it clear in his press conference this week that he knows he needs to improve if the team is to find greater success in 2021.
“As we sit here in March, my focus and our focus as a staff and as a team is we have to get better,’’ Stefanski said Tuesday via Zoom. “We have to improve, and as coaches, really pull this thing apart and find ways to improve schematically. We have to evolve.”
He then pointed directly at the man in the mirror,
“I have to be a better coach next year for this team, and that’s my goal. We’re working really hard to find different ways for each of us to get better. That’s really the charge of what we’ve been working on the last few weeks. As we move forward in this offseason, we’ll see how it all shakes out and see what it looks like, but in the meantime, the focus is definitely we have to get better.”
It’s a refreshing dedication to driving forward in Cleveland, one of the reasons why Stefanski experienced so much success in his first year and why the ceiling is still well above the team’s division-round loss to the Chiefs.
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