Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (9.29.25)
Opening Statement:
“Injury front, DeAndre Carter has a knee injury. Cedric Tillman has a hamstring injury. Those injuries will keep them out in the weeks department. We’ll treat them, see how they recover, but we’ll be without them for a little bit. But game itself, very similar to what I said yesterday when I talked to you guys, is there’s things you really can’t do on the road versus a good football team and expect to win. And certainly, giving the ball away, giving up a touchdown on a punt play, those are really, really tough to overcome, again, versus a good team. So, we have to learn from some of these lessons and we have to, have to play better as a football team if you expect to win those games. So, we’ll learn from it and then gotta have a good week of practice, obviously. Heading out Wednesday evening for our game this Sunday, but it’ll be still a good work week for us. But obviously the focus once the guys walk out of the building today, the focus goes right to the (Minnesota) Vikings. But with that, I’ll take any questions.”
Hey, Kevin, just following up on yesterday. Are you sticking with Joe (Flacco)?
“Yeah, I understand the question, Scott (Petrak). We have to play better as an offense. We have to coach better on offense. It’s not about one person. There are so many things that we need to do better and obviously quarterback included. But this is not about one person.”
Is that a yes then? I mean, are you sticking with him?
“Yeah, my focus is on making sure this offense plays better.”
Okay. And then yesterday after the game, you said you hadn’t gotten a good look at that second interception where it’s thrown to (Jerry) Jeudy. What did you see when you went back? Should there have been a penalty there?
“Yeah, it’s hard to say. I mean, of course it’s a play that we’re going to say it is. They’re going to say it’s not. You know, I wish there were other angles for that to show maybe that the ball hit the turf there, but weren’t enough angles for them to overturn that.”
Kevin, what are some things now that you’ve got (Cedric) Tillman out, what are some things that you can do to get this offense rolling?
“Well, I think it starts, Mary Kay (Cabot), with everybody just doing their job. I think you’ve seen that at times from this offense where guys are doing their job and we’re able to move it. Obviously, with set out, like you mentioned, we’re going to need some guys to step up in that role and provide some value, both in the pass game and the run game. But those are things that we’ll work through. I really believe in the group we have in that room, and we just have some guys that have to step up.”
Hey, Kevin, when we talked to Jerry (Jeudy) yesterday, he was, like, very adamant about feeling like he should have made some of those plays, especially that one drop. Just what did you see from him in that regard? And. And I guess moving forward, what’s going to be most important for him?
“Well, Jerry (Jeudy) is a very prideful guy. He’s one of our leaders. He wants to come through for the football team. He’s disappointed, but he’s our guy. He’s our best wide receiver. He’ll continue to make plays for this football team. I have zero doubt about that. And again, he’s a guy that cares a lot. So, in those moments, you want to come down with the ball. I know he does. And it’s just a matter of getting another opportunity.”
And finally, like, looking at his record from your tenure, when you win or tie the takeaway battle and knowing what it is, obviously that it’s a winning record, like, how much do games just come down to that in the league at this stage…Yeah, like winning the turnover, tying the turnover margin. Just how many wins and losses just come down to that?
“Yeah, it’s the most…it’s the stat that you can draw a line the most and has the most significance to winning and losing. And obviously, when you’re minus two on the road, it’s. It’s really a challenge. Minus two on the road versus a good team. It’s a challenge. So, we have to do a better job on all sides of the ball. When we have the rock, whether on offense, special teams, whatever it is, we have to do a better job with it. And then certainly we have to take it away, because that really is the name of the game.”
Okay, Kevin, your answer about (Joe) Flacco. Should we assume that a change is possible and you’re just not willing to address it at this time?
“Yeah, I just would tell you, Tony (Grossi), I understand the question and I understand the scrutiny that comes with the position, but we have to play better as an offense. We have to do a better job at all positions, including coaching. That’s really what I want to get across.”
Could you address the situation at offensive tackle? It’s been reported you acquired Cam Robinson. Could you address that or what? What other plans you have at offensive tackle? And why did you put (Cornelius) Lucas at right tackle?
“Yeah, I’ve not spoken to Cam (Robinson) just yet, but obviously is a guy that we’re excited to bring in here. We’ve had injuries at the position, Tony (Grossi), as you know, so having guys that have started multiple games and played well is obviously an important part for us. And then just in terms of who plays where, it’s always based on the game where we are, comfort level of the players, etcetera.”
Kevin, in the event that you do make a change at quarterback, and I know you’re not ready to discuss that yet, but, I mean, do you feel like you would have some decision to make at who your backup would be in that case? I mean, could Joe (Flacco) revert to being the backup, or would Shedeur (Sanders) possibly be ready to serve as the number two?
“Yeah, obviously, Mary Kay (Cabot), not really where my focus is.”
Hey, Kevin, after the game, I was talking to Grant (Delpit), and he said that on the punt return, he used the word quit, that he thought the ball went out of bounds. I was wondering if you saw that from other players on the punt return and what stood out.
“Yeah, we just have to get the ball on the ground there, bottom line. That’s a good returner, but we did a decent job on other returns. We have to better on that unit. We need Corey (Bojorquez) to hang the ball there. We need the gunners to get down there. We need the core to get down there. We need somebody to make a play. That’s really inexcusable. And you have to give them credit, obviously, he’s a very, very good returner, and it’s a good group, but we have to get the ball on the ground there.”
And does the trade for Cam (Robinson) have say anything about Jack Conklin and when he might be back?
“Yeah, for me, it’s really – the focus is on bringing Cam (Robinson) in here. Jack (Conklin) continues to get better every single day.”
Kevin, Cam (Robinson) is now the fourth veteran offensive tackle the Browns have acquired in two weeks, two on the practice squad, and the kid from Ohio State. Is Cam (Robinson) able to go right into the lineup?
“I’d say let’s get him in the building first, Tony (Grossi), before I can answer that. Obviously, he’s a guy that’s played a lot of football, but until we get him up here, until we spend some time with him, I don’t think it’s fair to say.”
Kevin, just how big an undertaking is this trip to London, and how much do you have to do differently? Will you do differently this week to prepare the team?
“Well, it’s a big undertaking for organizations when they go overseas. Wherever you’re going for a game, it’s a big operation and the logistics of it. We’re very fortunate to have a group that does an outstanding job taking care of all these things. You know, as players and coaches, we kind of just show up and we step on the bus and then step on an airplane and we’re there. But there’s a lot of work that goes in behind the scenes to make sure that we travel, and we travel first class, and we are in a setting where we can get our work done. So, it’ll be a very normal Monday for us, a very normal Tuesday. We’ll move Wednesday up by about a half hour, and then we’ll get on the airplane Wednesday evening, land Thursday morning, and have an abbreviated Thursday, if you will, with meetings and walkthroughs and a jog through. And then by Friday, it’ll should pick back up into a quote, unquote, normal Friday for us, as we get ready for Sunday.”
Is Deshaun Watson eligible to return to practice from PUP this week, and is he physically ready to return to practice?
“Yeah, Deshaun’s doing a great job with his rehab, and that’s really where his focus is.”
In 2023, when (Joe) Flacco joined the team, man, he was playing behind a third-string left tackle and a second-string right tackle and did well. What’s the difference this year? Is it a difference in him?
“Yeah, again, I think I kind of go back to what I said previously, Tony (Grossi). We have to play better as an offense. We have to play better around him. We have to coach better. Myself, our offense coaches, we have to do a better job of putting our guys in position to succeed. That’s really the truth.”