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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski took questions from reporters on Friday with regard to preparing for the New York Jets, the Browns injury report, Shedeur Sanders, and more. Below is the transcript as provided by the Browns media relations department: More Cleveland Browns coverage Which New York Jets’ quarterback will start versus the Browns on Sunday? Can the Browns get it done against the Jets? Friday’s Sports 4 CLE ‘It’s like changing the rear bumper’: Why Terry Pluto doesn’t expect the play-caller switch to fix the Browns offense Opening Statement: “Beautiful day out there, got some work in the elements, which was good. Might have some rain on Sunday, so it’s always a great opportunity to get in the elements that you may face in a given week. So, the guys did a nice job of that. We have to play our best, like we talked about. Got to play our best on the road to get our first road win, so that’s where our focus is. Still have some more work to do going into the weekend and then get ready to go on Sunday. But, with that I’ll take any questions.” Carson (Schwesinger), how optimistic are you that, just from what you’ve seen out of him, that he’d be able to play on Sunday? “Yeah, I think, take these things by the hour, if you will. But he’s working very hard.” With that, Ced (Cedric Tillman), do you still expect him to be ready to go? “I do.” It looks like Shedeur (Sanders) came through your last couple practices okay. Will he be your number two? “He will be the number two, yes.” When did Harold (Fannin Jr.)’s injury pop up and what’s the status on him? “Yeah, popped up Wednesday. Didn’t practice yesterday, limited today. Very similar – see how he does over the next 48.” Cedric, is that move you make tomorrow to get him off? “Correct.” I know the forecast, but did you consider practicing inside today or were you always going to… “Yes, considered it. But, I think it’s a great opportunity to practice in the weather. You know, if it’s going to be a beautiful day on Sunday, I think you could go inside – similar to what we did a couple weeks ago when we were playing New England (Patriots), because it was going to be a nice day. But knowing that we may have to deal with rain, I think it’s a great opportunity to get out there and deal with the rain.” Having Ced back and if Harold can play, does this give you guys some size that has been missing a little bit? “Well, I think with Ced, you know, he’s been in that role for us, Mary Kay (Cabot) over the years. Is a very willing and productive blocker in the run game, and then he’s a big target in the past game and has made big plays for us. So, obviously it’s a good thing having Ced back out there, he’s a guy that we really trust, the quarterback trusts. So, good to have him out there.” Kevin (Stefanski), I know there’s a lot of factors that go into it, but the defensive numbers haven’t been as good away from home as they have been at home. Do you see anything there? “You know, we want to play our best, whether we’re at home or on the road. Obviously, I know the splits, what they are, and you can – each game kind of tells its own story, but the way we play is the way we play. It doesn’t change, home or away.” Kevin, seeing what the (New York) Jets have done on the ground this season, and with Breece Hall and Justin Fields, if he’s their starter, like, how important is that linebacker group, whether it’s Carson or Mohamoud (Diabate) or Jerome (Baker), whoever’s in there? “I think it’s really important, Ashley (Bastock), that, like you mentioned, you could name every player on the defense. With this rush attack, it’s not just one position that you’re leaning on – our defensive line has to do its job, has to be sound in our gap integrity. Obviously, like you mentioned, the linebackers, DB’s have to tackle. This is a very good rush team, and you mentioned Breece Hall – he’s outstanding, his speed, vision, catch it out of the backfield, hand it to him. Every run scheme, he’s adept at them. And then you add in a quarterback run element to it, I mean, it’s a really good run attack.” Kevin, the Jets’ run defense has struggled a little bit. How can you guys use that, and Quinshon (Judkins) in that role to get the offense going? “Yeah, I think very highly of Coach (Aaron) Glenn and Steve Wilks and what they do defensively, what they do schematically. I think they have guys that can really run, which makes it tough in the run game. Just watch their tape – they have guys that are flying to the football. So, it’s a huge challenge, obviously, putting our game plan together, trying to make sure that we’re putting our guys in spots that they’re comfortable, and that’s in the run and the pass, but it’s going to be quite the challenge.” Paul DePodesta going to the (Colorado) Rockies now, and he was someone that wanted to bring you to Cleveland to coach this team. Just what’s that loss mean to you and also the organization, and how much of what he did here over nine and a half years do you hope to carry forward and continue? “Well, I’m excited for Paul, I’m excited for him and the challenge. And I think it’s – no one has the experience that he has in that sport, or across sports and the diversity of what he’s done in his career. So, I’m very happy for him, and excited for Karen and his entire family. I think it’s an awesome opportunity. Paul’s, obviously, somebody I’m very close to personally, professionally, he’s somebody that I’ve leaned on over the years. But, yeah, we’ll miss him, because of our relationships, but very excited for him in this new endeavor.” How much are you looking forward to what Tommy (Rees) is going to bring to the table with this game plan? “Yeah, we’ve worked all week, Mary Kay, to make sure that putting a game plan together where our guys can go execute, and execute at a high level, and play fast and those types of things. So, Tommy’s done a nice job throughout this week. Like I’ve told you guys before, that he’s done this, hasn’t done the NFL, but there’s not much of a difference other than pressing a button. So, he’s more than capable. I think he understands this team, these players. And also, he knows this and team knows this – it’s not about one person, we all have to do our job on Sunday.” This morning, Mike Bloomgren called Tommy a football savant and really praised his football knowledge. Even him calling plays at 27, like, could you have imagined calling plays at 27 for the programs he did? And what does that maybe say about him? “Yeah, part of the reason I first got to know Tommy was he came out here when he was at Notre Dame, and we just spent a day together talking ball and, gosh, we talked about all sorts of football and scheme and those types of things. So, he’s somebody that’s grown up around this game with his dad, obviously played the game at a high level collegiately, has had really great experiences in his coaching stops already. So, I just think we’re all a product of our environments, obviously. But, I think the environments that he’s been in have set him up really well.” Got any good stories about being a young play caller getting chewed out by the head coach? “Not Coach Zim (Mike Zimmer). You know, I do remember the first game I called, I think, it was late in the season, we’re playing Miami (Dolphins), it was late in the season, were playing Miami. And one of the things you’re thinking about is, literally I just mentioned, but it’s literally just the idea of pressing that button because you’ve never done it before. So, I remember in pre-game, putting the headset on, and I remember thinking to myself, ‘if I can’t figure this out, we got big problems.’ So, Tommy will be just fine.” Kevin, off of that. I asked Tommy yesterday about when he knew or when you know, as an up-and-coming play caller when you’re ready for that role. He couldn’t give a coaching perspective on it. When you make that decision to give somebody that job, what can you say about ‘being ready’ from your personal experience? And then also when you know a coach is ready for it? “Yeah, I think it’s the classic, ‘you don’t know and until you’re out there’. And truly, again, I think certainly it’s a science, it’s an art form, it’s all those things. But we have a ton of coaches that are capable of doing this and have done it – Coach (Chad) O’ Shea’s called plays before, Bill Musgrave has called plays before. So that’s the nice part, where we as coaches can lean on the people that have done it before us. But, if you’ve played Madden, you’ve called plays.” Have you seen anything different from Tommy this week in terms of just preparation? “No, no.” And do you like the idea that he will call them from above with that vantage point up there? “Yeah, you know, I’ve never called it from up top. I’ve been in the booth before as a coach, it is a great vantage point. It’s very strange, sometimes, how sterile it is, and you don’t hear the crowd as much and that type of thing. But it can – people have done it both ways, Mary Kay. I was up in the booth with Norv (Turner) for those years. Norv was up in the booth always calling it, except, I guess, when he was on the sideline as a head coach. But guys have different feel for where they want to be, but it’s most important in what the play callers are comfortable with.” Jim (Schwartz) mentioned yesterday that before the (New England) Patriots game, Myles (Garrett) took every snap in practice because he felt that was important. Did that stand out to you, and what does it say about Myles, that he wanted to do that? “Well, obviously with Myles as a leader of this football team, you notice everything he does. So, when he’s in there with every play, certainly that’s noticeable by his teammates, by his coaches. And I think he’s got the mindset that he’s going to do whatever it takes to impact the football game, and I think there’s ways to lead, like we’ve talked about over the years – sometimes it comes via your words, sometimes it comes via your actions.” How does it impact you that Aaron Glenn hasn’t named his starting quarterback yet? “Again, we know both these quarterbacks, they’re different, but they’re both very good players – dangerous players. You have to understand how they play because they’re different, but we could see both of them in this game, so, you have to be prepared for both guys really, regardless.” But you’re not expecting a certain quarterback over the other? “Are you?” I mean, I’m expecting, probably, Justin Fields. “Yeah, we’ll see. Tune in.” Back to Myles with a guy like that, that has different forms of leadership. I know it’s your job to push the guys on the field, too, but do you feel an appreciation for the way that Myles pushes his teammates and maybe coaches in that capacity, too? “Again, I think the biggest key in leadership is authenticity, and you just have to be yourself. I think that’s what all the good leaders I’ve been around try to do on a daily basis. And then that authenticity, I think people believe in that, and then they respond to that. I think the biggest thing, and we’ve talked about this before, is if you try to be something you’re not, players see right through that. So, I never try to be something that’s not me, and I think that’s a big key in the case of leadership for any players. I’ve been around great leaders that don’t say a word, been around great leaders that give amazing pregame speeches. There are so many different types, and forms and how that manifests itself in the football team.”
