QB Case Keenum (10.20.21)
On how ready he feels to start on Thursday:
“I feel very ready. I have been ready. You do not have to get ready if you stay ready, and I have been ready since I got here. I am excited. I am ready.”
On his familiarity with the Browns offense and Head Coach Kevin Stefanski:
“Obviously, very familiar with Kevin from our time going all the way back to Minnesota, but just over the last year and a half and two years really, we have gotten to work and really put in this Cleveland Browns offense and even more specifically what it is in 2021. I have been right in the middle of it the whole way, getting reps – millions of reps honestly – with my mind. If I am not getting them on the field, I am getting them in my mind. I have gotten a lot of reps. Even on a short week like this, I have done it a lot so I am excited with the guys out there. I know we are uncertain about a lot of the guys who will be out there, but I am built for this. This is what I have done my whole career of not knowing if I am going to start up until game time to not knowing who is out there with me to introducing myself to players while I am calling a play type stuff. I am excited. What better chance to take advantage of an opportunity than on Thursday Night Football? I know these opportunities do not come around very often to be a starting quarterback in this league – only 32 per week – so I am ready to take advantage of it.”
On the challenge this week with the Browns injuries on offense, especially during a short week:
“It is always a great challenge. That is what this league is about. Nobody is at 100 percent. After Week 1, nobody is playing at a 100 percent. That is the way it goes. That is the hard truth. That is why it is a grown man’s league. That is why guys who are not physically tough and mentally tough do not make it very long because you have to be both of those things in order to continue to have success in this league. You can flash in the pan, but if you want to continue to have success, you have to be tough. We have a tough team from top to bottom and a tough head coach. We are raring to go.”
On the importance of Thursday’s game in relation to the team’s playoff chase:
“They are all important. It is impossible to look big picture right now. I do not think anybody is looking big picture, especially on a Thursday night game. We are all singular focused on what is going on right now. What am I doing next? What do I have tonight? What can I get out of tonight? What can I do tomorrow if we have some walk throughs and then getting ready to go for game time on Thursday?”
On challenges competing against the Broncos defense and Broncos OLB Von Miller:
“I saw Von’s media deal the other day, and I tried to text him. I think we came to an agreement that he is just going to go out there and not rush the quarterback – I think he is going to take a knee every time on third down so I think we will be good (laughter). No, I am just kidding. He did not say that. I think he changed his number – I tried to text him. He is a tough guy to block in run or pass. We are going to know where he is at all times, there is no doubt about that.”
On if there is anything extra to this game for him when playing against some familiar people from Denver:
“No, it is nice to see some old friends, but I have nothing for my time at the Denver Broncos. It is just another opponent, a really good one at that. A (Broncos Head Coach) Vic Fangio defense with that front and then with that back end – (Broncos S) Justin Simmons, (Broncos S) Kareem Jackson and even the corners – there are a bunch of starts between all of those guys. I know it is going to be a tough task for us.”
On if his familiarity with the Broncos offense and defense, including Fangio’s scheme and Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s scheme, is beneficial to his preparations this week:
“Yeah, I think anytime you have experience, you can draw back on that. That is probably the short answer to your question. There is familiarity all over the league, and the longer I play, every week it feels like a reunion. I hope to keep doing that.”
On Mayfield missing his first NFL start since joining the league:
“He is a tough, tough, tough dude. He fought through some serious pain just to practice and just to get going a little bit. I can’t speak on the injury and I won’t speak [on it] because I do not know much about it, but I do know he is tough. It would take a freight train to keep him out of the game, and I am assuming that is what it did because that dude plays through some serious pain. It is impressive to be around. It is inspiring. I know the guys feel the same way.”
# # #