Defensive Line Coach Chris Kiffin (1.6.23)
On if he was aware that DE Jadeveon Clowney was frustrated by the season and felt like the team was not putting the player into favorable matchups and instead doing that for DE Myles Garrett:
“Yeah, I would say I was aware of it. Actually, just to cut to the chase, the Baltimore game we are talking about was the first Baltimore game and not the second Baltimore game moving Myles to the left side. That is where he obviously voiced his frustration after the game. It was something that we dealt with. For his two years here – I just heard some of the other questions asked [in Head Coach Kevin Stefanski’s press conference – we have always tried to match up Myles on their weaker links and JD on their weaker links and move both of those guys around. We have always done that. When we had (former Browns and Cowboys DE) Takk (Takkarist McKinley) here, trying to move all of those guys. We do it every week. He was frustrated with the way we used him in that game and putting Myles on the weak link. We addressed it, we moved on and we tried to scheme the best we could to get him favorable matchups the rest of the year.”
On Clowney seeming unhappy with more than just the first Ravens game, if Clowney has expressed frustration to him about other items and if Clowney’s frustrations caught him by surprise:
“No, he hadn’t said anything since then. Would it catch me by surprise? No because he hasn’t had the production he had last year. Again, it was a frustrating season for all of us – everybody in this organization, defensively and for him. Obviously, he didn’t have the production he had last year so he is frustrated. The way he went about it I don’t agree with, but we are here today dealing with it.”
On how disappointed he is that the Browns are dealing with a situation like this two days before the season finale:
“The disappointing part is the last two weeks around this building, we have kind of had a really good thing going with the competition out at practice. Obviously, no one is happy with the situation we are in [of being eliminated from the postseason] but making the best of it. Guys around the building, flying around and having fun out there on the practice field. Obviously, you saw what it did and lead to the result it did against Washington. We are ready to do the same thing Sunday, and we are dealing with this 48 hours before kickoff, it is not good.”
On if anything changed with Clowney this year compared to last year:
“No. No, I would not say anything changed. I think at this point in his career he is always dealing with chronic lingering injuries but nothing too extreme. He missed a couple of games, but for whatever reason, the production wasn’t there. Whether how he feels about it or whether or not the ball didn’t bounce his way, I don’t know. We will reevaluate the whole season of tape at the end of the year and look into it more.”
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