LB Mohamoud Diabate (8.30.23)
So it seemed, the last time we talked to you, prepared you were going to get a job whether it was here or elsewhere. So what was your reaction to being able to stay here?
“Yes sir. I was happy. It was a great feeling. I’ve loved it here so far. I love the coaches, love the staff, the facility. Everything about being a Cleveland Brown. So, I was really happy to know that was going to continue. Very happy to have the opportunity to keep showing what I’m about.”
When did you find out? What was your initial reaction?
“AB (Andrew Berry) called me. I was at my hotel just relaxing. He called me, let me know that I was on the team, told me he was proud of me, and this reaction was just happiness. Just really excited to get to work. It’s not really too big of a celebration, in my opinion. It’s just yes, now I have an opportunity to keep going, keep working, keep improving, keep doing what I plan on doing in this league.”
Who’s the first person you called?
“I just group FaceTimed, my whole family. So, my mom, my dad, and my three sisters.”
How hard is that to compartmentalize now that you work so hard to get on the roster and keep that focus through the season?
“Oh, it’s easy. Just keep doing what you’re doing. Worry about what’s coming the next day, worrying about getting better each and every single day. Not worrying about what’s going on, just worrying about improving. So as long as I keep my mindset on improving every day and becoming a better football player, a better teammate, being better at every aspect of the game, everything will be alright.”
Ronnie (Hickman) kind of followed the same path that you did with being an undrafted guy, now he’s on the roster. Did you guys talk much during the last couple of weeks about the potential and about kind of being in a similar boat?
“No, we didn’t talk too much about it. We just kept telling each other, ‘Hey, keep doing what you’re doing.’ He’s telling me the same thing. Let’s just keep balling, keep focusing on what we’re doing, keep getting better and earning the trust of the staff and teammates.”
Is there a point in the preseason where you kind of felt like, all right, I’ve got this. I’m doing this, and I’m proving myself enough to make this spot on the 53?
“I felt that way from the first day of camp to the last day. In all honesty, like I said in my last interview, I always felt confident in my abilities to be able to complete a task. As practice came on and each practice was passing by, I was feeling like I was having great practices and doing everything to the best of my ability, so I was always confident.”
Wasn’t the Eagles game a turning point, though?
“Yeah. The Eagles game – I think I said in my last interview too, that’s more of letting everybody know what was going on. I was already pretty confident in what I was able to do. I was able to have great reps in practice. So, I feel like the team, the coaches, everybody knew what I was about. But it was great to let the whole league know and let everybody watching know.”
Is that like a weird sensation? Almost like when you’re so confident in what you can do and you feel that confidence from inside the building. But like you said, it took a little bit for maybe the outside world to notice that?
“Yeah, it’s not really weird. You just stay in your own bubble. I’m kind of in my own bubble, focus on what I have to do. I’m not worrying about the media, what’s going on outside of here. I’m just focusing on what I have to do and the points that my coaches give me to improve in whatever aspect they want me to improve in. I don’t spend my mental energy worrying about what other people are worried about. I’m just worried about the people in this building, my teammates who encourage me and give me pointers to get better, and my coaches and the organization who everybody who’s here correctly. That’s what I like to focus on.”
That said, with your teammates though, what were they saying when you were making big plays? Forcing a safety, things like that?
“Keep going. That’s the biggest thing. Keep going. As a football player, you have to have a quick memory. Whether it’s a good play or a bad play, you have to have a quick memory. You make a good play, forget about it the next play. You have a bad play, forget about it next play. So that’s been my mindset. I’ve already forgot about the preseason. As far as I know, I didn’t make any plays this year yet, so I’m excited to keep working and get out there and prove myself.”
You have any new goals set for this season?
“Just be better every single day. Be better than I was yesterday. And if I do that every single day, I know I’m going to end up where I want to be at the end of the season.”
What special teams are you going to start the season with?
“All of them. I play on all phases. I’m not sure what the depth chart is going to be. You can talk to Bubba (Ventrone) about that. But I rotate and get reps in every aspect of the game. So, I’m prepared for whenever my name is called.”
How hard is it to see a guy like Austin Watkins who made all the plays and did all those right things and not make this team?
“Honestly, I wasn’t actually paying attention. That’s the offense. That’s AB’s decision. I trust whatever AB is going to do, whatever he decides, that’s the best decision for the team. So that’s what I’m getting behind.”
Ronnie talked a lot, like in the lead-up to cut down day about just not focusing on the end result. And just going out there every day and putting on work. What’s that like for you to compartmentalize as you’re going through the off-season and training camp and everything and not staying focused on that end result?
“Yeah. You just have to focus on what the goal is. That’s why I said when he was asking what my goal was for the season, my goal is to be better every single day. Because if I’m better every single day, then I’m going to get that ultimate goal and end up being a great player. So that’s part of compartmentalizing, is just being focused on what you could do today to become a better player and then tomorrow. So, if you do this every single day – when you look at this whole season as a whole, like, oh, this is a seven month season, that could be kind of hard on the psyche. So, when you’re able to tell yourself, and people can take this into their own personal lives and their jobs, too – when you tell yourself, ‘I’m just going to focus on this day. I’m going to focus on the next day. I’m going to focus on the next day.’ When you’re able to do that, it makes it so much better to improve in all areas of your life. So that’s what I’m focused on this year.”
I know you don’t care about the outside noise, right? But does it make you feel good to know that there is a big part of the fan base who is just kind of pulling for you, waiting to see if you made that roster?
“Yeah, that feels good. I definitely appreciate that. Definitely appreciate all the Cleveland fans having my back and wanting me to represent this team. That means a lot. So, love and respect to all of them. All the Cleveland Browns fans around the nation.”
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