Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (8.23.25)

Opening Statement: 

“Okay. Liked how that group finished, like how they fought, you know, to come through at the end there with the field goal, I think it was great for our football team. Those guys, I’m really proud of how they’ve performed throughout offseason program, through training camp. I feel like that field goal put a cap on that, really, all that hard work. So really pleased with that. You know, we weren’t perfect. Like we’re never going to be perfect, but I was really pleased with the effort throughout the day, and then we’ll set our sights on obviously next week. Have a good week before we take a little break and start week one. But really pleased with how we finished.” 

 

Kevin, it was obviously a bit of a rough second half for Shedeur (Sanders) and the entire Browns offense, why didn’t you keep him in for the two-minute drill? Why did you decide to put in Tyler Huntley?  

“Yeah, obviously we didn’t play great as an offense in the second half. That’s never on one person. So we can be better in a bunch of areas and just felt like we wanted to give Snoop (Tyler Huntley) a last drive.” 

 

Did Shedeur (Sanders) have something wrong with him after the game, Kevin?
“No, he’s good.” 

 

Looked like he walked up to you after taking a walk down to the sideline and then he walked back up to you on the sidelines before Snoop (Tyler Huntley) went in and he said something to you, you shook your head. I mean, was he trying to get back in? 

“He’s a competitive kid. The plan was to go with Snoop (Tyler Huntley) there. But I wouldn’t make any more of it than that.” 

 

Kevin, how would you analyze the way Dillon Gabriel played? 

“Yeah, again, you talk about the quarterback position, it’s really about all 10 around that player and how he’s playing. So I thought he made some good decisions, made some good throws. I know there’s plays that he wants back, but as a group, you know, we have plenty to clean up.” 

 

Do you have a difficult decision with a kicker?

“Yeah, all those type of decisions, Tony (Grossi), we’ll talk about.” 

 

Dillon (Gabriel) with that two minute drive, Kevin, I know you talked about situations, but what most impressed you about him during that drive? 

“Yeah, again, just us getting, it’s 11-man operation there, guys getting open, getting the ball out on time. I think did a nice job in a couple different concepts, worked the middle of the field, but I was pleased with how that group finished the half.” 

 

Would you say he played better than he did last week, though? 

“Honestly, Jeff (Schudel), I don’t remember last week.” 

 

Kevin, is there a long term concern about Ethan’s (Pocic) knee? 

“Not a lot, well, we don’t have testing. So it’s hard to say. I’d say let’s get the testing. We’ll see.”

 

With Shedeur (Sanders), it seemed like he reverted to some of the drifting or to the retreating. Is that because maybe he’s in there with third and fourth teamers? It’s just not going the way he would want it to. 

“I think with all of our players, Mary Kay (Cabot), there’s things that we can do better and there’s some good moments out there. But that’s our job as coaches, you know, to develop our guys.” 

 

Dillon (Gabriel) had that two-minute drive, the third-down completion. What do you think that says about the plans that you all have in place for  these two-minute drills, and how you parent that down and the significance of it?

“I think in the course of a 60-minute game, there’s just so many situations that come up, and it’s our job as coaches to prepare our guys for those moments and make sure that there’s a shared situational awareness among our football team. And I thought the entire preseason we got an opportunity at a bunch of different situations.” 

 

With Dillon (Gabriel), it seemed like he just seems a lot more comfortable in those two minute drills, just almost like he can play freer. Is that an accurate assessment? 

“I don’t know. Good question. I’m not sure how he would feel answering that. Chris (Easterling). I think he just, you know, that entire group operated really well.” 

 

Looked like you got some good plays from those young guys, (Alex) Wright, (Isaiah) McGuire, (Adin) Huntington, (Cameron) Thomas. 

“(Adin) Huntington, you know, Adin played fullback for us in the first play of the game. He played special teams, was disruptive on defense. He’s on our football team. AB (Andrew Berry) said I could share that with you guys. So, he made the football team. But I’m just, I’m pleased with that entire defense and just how they were relentless to get that quarterback.” 

 

Kevin, a lot is going on with the wide receiver position, obviously. But Gage (Larvadain) has been just awesome this entire preseason and I’m sure you guys feel that way too. What can you say about him from camp to now?

“A lot to sort out, but really pleased with Gage and all of those young guys in that room and really in all those rooms. All of them did what we asked them to do, constantly were in the building getting better. He’s an example of a young man that knows what to do, can line up everywhere and performs both in practice and in the games.”

 

It looked like Shedeur (Sanders) may have been headed towards the X-Ray room after the game, maybe I had that wrong, but he was headed that way? 

“No.” 

 

You have any injury updates – Pierre Strong Jr., concussion? 

“Concussion protocol. Cade (McDonald) concussion protocol.”

 

And do you know how bad Blake’s (Whiteheart) knee is? 

“No, after testing, we’ll know.” 

 

We just saw Ethan (Pocic) walk out with a kind of a big brace on his knee. But again, are you still going to do further testing? 

“Yeah. He’ll have an MRI.”

 

You know, you’ve been through a whole preseason. Two weeks away from Cincinnati. Just where do you feel the team is, you know, two weeks left to Cincinnati? 

“We’re not there yet. We got plenty of work. I think next week’s a big week for us. We’ll be working Monday through Thursday before we take that break. So we have a lot to clean up as a football team. Offense, defense, special teams and that’s our job as coaches to identify some of those things and get them worked out. But I’m really, really pleased with the effort. I know that can be a small thing, but I’m really pleased with the effort.” 

 

Pierre (Strong Jr.) down there with the first team, you know, Joe (Flacco), that’s his first, a lot of those guys it was their first time. And then Harold (Fannin Jr.) capping it off with his first TD? 

“Good to get down there, good to execute in those moments, but yeah, pleased with how those guys operated.” 

 

Would you say one of your bigger decisions this week is who would back up Joe (Flacco) in that Bengals game?

“I’m just not there yet, Mary Kay (Cabot). I think we got to get through the next couple days.” 

 

Back to Harold (Fannin Jr.), specifically, for him, just how big that cap is. What have you seen, just how has he sort of developed and grown as a rookie? 

“He’s done a nice job. He’s a young player just turning 21. But we’ve really challenged him a lot, Chris (Easterling), in just the different places we’ve put him, and he’s accepted that challenge. He’s a very, very competitive kid. He plays hard, so we’re excited about it.”

 

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