LB Anthony Walker (7.27.23)
Anthony, where would you say you are, near a comeback?
“Making great progression. I think every day has been better for me out there on the field. You can’t recreate football by doing rehab or by doing just training on the side. So I think for me the last bit is actually getting out there and doing individual drills and then progressing to seven on seven, progressing to team period. So for me, I think I’m taking steps in the right direction. Still got weeks away till we play a game, a regular season game, but just making good progression and moving at the pace that the train is going to move.”
You see those steps being taken in training camp?
“No doubt. Yeah, for sure.”
Was there any concern that you wouldn’t be able to get from the start, be able to go?
“For me, I didn’t think I would be able to ride a bike again after I had surgery. My first time having something like that, it was scary. I’m not going to lie to you. You can’t do anything. I’ve been playing football and walking around normal for 20 some odd years and then one day you wake up and you need help to do everything. So taking it one day at a time, every step has been a blessing. Riding a bike again to walking normal without crutches and then running and all that stuff. So I don’t take any of that for granted.”
Do you find being out you’re able to do some stuff? I guess. Is there like even a newer appreciation than you were anticipating?
“No doubt. No doubt. Watching football for what, 14 weeks last year, watching your teammates go through offseason workouts and all that and not being able to be a full participant, it sucks. You play the game for the camaraderie, for the brotherhood, and to be able to go to work with your brothers and not being able to do everything fully, it definitely sucks. But it’s timing and progression and I don’t want to rush the process, but obviously you hope it speeds up a little bit.”
Anthony, what’s driving force behind you coming back to the Browns and what did it mean to you that they brought you back, coming off just such a tough injury?
“No, no. Always appreciative of the opportunity to play football. Like I said, you never want to take that for granted. There are a lot of people out there looking for jobs and for AB (Andrew Berry) and the Browns to bring me back. Definitely appreciative of them. I appreciate them for that. But for me, the opportunity to win. I know you guys say in y ‘all’s columns that I’m a little old now, but I’m getting older. And at this point it’s the appreciation of winning a team that’s built to win a team that is ready to win right now. And that’s what the Browns are and that’s what we’re trying to get accomplished. So I understand that the opportunity to obviously play the game, but obviously the opportunity to win is what brought me back ultimately.”
You and Sione (Takitaki) have obviously teammates for a while. But did kind of going through this recovery period together – did that kind of form an even stronger bond between the two of you?
“No doubt. No doubt. Me and Taki, we had our share of battles for a while. And then it’s funny how God works sometimes puts somebody in the same position as you and have to bring you guys together. We were rehabbing together pretty much all season, even during the summer. We both didn’t go home. We stayed in Cleveland and like you said, built that bond. And once you get to know someone a little deeper and understand why they are the way that they are, you appreciate them a little more. So obviously we’re both battling back, but definitely a new bond built there.”
What did you learn about him that maybe you didn’t know before? First part of it and second part, it seems like he’s either on schedule or ahead of schedule with his own rehab. What you saw from him throughout those months?
“Yeah, one thing I learned, he loves the game and that is part of the passion, sometimes the ruggedness of Sione. He loves the game so much and he’s always trying to find ways to get better. But during this rehab, obviously seeing him go to work every day, you get a newfound appreciation. A lot of guys don’t want to go through that, me included. So for us to do that every day when we didn’t want to and some days we could take off and we’re like, ‘no, we’re coming in, we’re going to get some extra work.’ To see that, to have somebody go through that with you, definitely a new appreciation there.
As a veteran player, what about Jim Schwartz’s defense excites you the most and how do you feel like it is going to accentuate what you do best as a linebacker?
“Yeah, I think it’s coaching to your player’s strength and obviously we have a very unique set of DBs, all sizes, speeds that can cover pretty much everybody. Obviously you got the monsters on the edge, the pass rush that gets there, being able to stop the run. I think we have all the pieces and I think like you said, what makes him unique is he plays to our strength and then he lets us take the reins. He tells us what he want and he lets us go out there and do it instead of trying to micromanage. So I think that’s what you appreciate now as an older player where you kind of have the reins to kind of control the show. And for me as a linebacker, that’s what you want.”
You said you learned about Taki, but what did you learn about yourself during this process of having to battle back from what could be career ending?
“Yeah, no doubt. Number one, I found out that I have a great family. Obviously, my dad being there all the way, my close family members being there all the way, great friends and all that. But my family here, my teammates here. Obviously had that great relationship with Jacoby (Brisset), and he was there with me every step of the way. But also a lot of guys here, JOK (Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah), Deshaun (Watson), all those guys, man. They were just there for me the whole time, keeping my spirits up throughout the whole process. So I appreciate those guys. And I think for myself, just always thought I was a little tough minded, but now a little bit more just going through that injury and fighting back that I can overcome. So I do appreciate that.”
I think there was a collective vote of confidence for the linebacker group. Four guys got hurt last year and they didn’t make many changes there. What did you make of that organizational vote of confidence as a linebacker group?
“Don’t tell him I said this, but I think Coach (Jason) Tarver might be a good coach. When you believe in the guy that leads the group, Coach Tar, that he has all his guys ready to play, I think that says a lot. You don’t have to bring in too many outside guys when you know it’s a next man up mentality and that guy’s ready to play. And that’s a tribute to, like I said, Coach Tarver, that’s attribute to the other guys being ready to play. Tony (Fields II), Jordan (Kunaszyk), those guys being ready to play at any moment. And as you see, you know, those guys still battling out there today. So I think, like you said, just the confidence in the group and then also confidence in the coach that he’s got the guys ready to play.”
Anthony, you’ve played against all the best guards in this league. What makes Joel Bitonio one of those?
“Man, I was just talking to Joel about that. I think just his feet. He has really good feet for how big he is. So you may think like you have a step on him or something like that and he’s able to run you down or just cut off angles and all that stuff. Obviously, Coach (Bill) Callahan is a great coach. Obviously all those guys play really well together. But I think, like I said, Joel’s feet is one of the best I’ve seen.”
Anthony, you guys, defense. I mean everything looks really good on paper, it’s still early. On offense, Deshaun’s (Watson) back, good line, all that jazz. Nobody talks about the Browns, do you feel like you guys are slept on?
“I mean, I think like you said, you hit it right on the head. It’s all on paper. And until you do it, I think I’ve been here for the last two years. I thought we were pretty good on paper in both years until you actually go out there and do something and make some noise, make a playoff run and all that stuff. They shouldn’t be talking about us. That’s cool. We understand that we haven’t done anything either, so we understand that we have to go out, earn it every day on the practice field and let everything else take care of itself. And then obviously on Sundays we take care of that and we see what the headlines read after that. But right now we worry about what we’re doing inside our practice field and all that stuff, and we’ll let the outside handle the outside.”
How much is this trip – Kevin (Stefanski) brought you guys down here to insulate you a little bit, try and get you guys to bond maybe a little more than staying back in Berea. So just from your perspective, do you agree with that philosophy and just what type of a benefit do you feel this trip has had on you guys?
“Personally, I feel like for me it was like a reset. You’re so used to being in offseason and you being home, and even if you stay in Cleveland, you’re so used to a semi routine. When you come somewhere else for training camp, it kind of gives you that sense of restart refresh, let’s get ready for training camp and block in for the season. So I think that’s a good thing. Obviously, I had never been here before, but I think everything has been awesome, the commute and everything is good. I mean, I’m pretty sure the guys are loving it. Even yesterday had a lot of team bonding activities and stuff like that. So I think it’s good for us.”
Practices against the eagles like last year were kind of like the peak of training camp. Is it kind of your timetable to be out there with the team?
“That’s a great question. I see what you did there, we’ll see. We’ll take the progression as it comes, but we’ll see when it comes to that. I’d definitely love to be out there.”
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