COURTESY OF THE CLEVELAND BROWNS PUBLIC RELATIONS STAFF
On how he is doing, the status of his rehab and when he believes he will be physically on the field for full football activity:
“The rehab process is going great. It is just a little difficult, obviously, with some of the modality type of things that I have been doing and with quarantine and everything, I have not been able to have access to. That has kind of been the toughest part of it. Right now, I am a little bit ahead of schedule, but the most important thing right now is just taking it day by day. I can’t predict when exactly I will be able to feel, whether that is July, August or September, but obviously, my return date is sometime in August.”
On his biggest areas of concern for health and safety when considering players’ return to facilities, given C JC Tretter’s comments yesterday about the topic as NFLPA President:
“As you know, I am a part of NFLPA, as well. JC obviously is the president. As of now, that is the primary concern – everybody’s safety. Obviously, this is a time right now where the world needs something. The world needs sports. The fans need sports. Everybody is looking forward to football season, obviously being that that is the only season that seems to be on schedule right now. For me just looking at it, it is wanting to make sure that everybody is safe from the players to the fans to everybody in the whole entire world because this is affecting a lot of people right now.”
On he feels like there is a specific timeline for when players may head back to team facilities and if that could be as soon as next month:
“I wish I had an answer for you. I do not have an answer for you on that one.”
On the limitations of completing all modality workouts desired due to the impact of COVID-19 and if there have been any setbacks with his rehab:
“It has not really been as limiting as you may think it is. I have had a great opportunity to continue to work with the doctors and the staff that have helped me throughout this whole process, whether it is the place that I go to now where Mike Barwis is helping me there. (Physical Therapist) Anthony (Trem) from the Cleveland Browns who is the PT has been doing an amazing job of checking in with me every morning and every afternoon to make sure that I am OK and sending me things to do, if I have any problems or soreness and tightness. I have also been working with one of my primary doctors Dr. Chad (Teague), as well, as far as on the modality side of I have learned how to cup myself and I have learned how to needle myself. You know those are just things that over time I have picked up, obviously, consulting with him first about what I am filling and where I am filling these things and what are the best modalities that I can do outside of jumping in the pool, riding the bike or something like that.”
On if he has done any creative workouts or old-school exercises during rehab, given potential limitations and access to facilities due to COVID-19:
“Not necessarily. A lot of the things have just kind of been further improvements on a lot of things that I have already had been doing. Continuing to make sure that I have the proper weight room set up here at my house. Obviously, when I go to see Mike Barwis, which he owns a facility, I am getting what I need from there, as well, with the time that I have and the time that I spent there. Everything has just kind of been enhanced from what I have always done in the past. Now, it has forced me to be more creative around the house with the workout equipment that I have and ordering new workout equipment to make sure that I can do the things that I need to do to make sure that I can play.”
On if it somewhat scary going to rehab and other places while wanting to protect himself and his family during the pandemic:
“Honestly, that was one of the toughest parts for me throughout this whole process. In the beginning I took it seriously and I still take this seriously, but I took it in a way of obviously protecting my family, protecting myself and the people that I love. I took about a month where it was kind of just me going back and forth on FaceTime and using Zoom calls to be able to go through my workout with doctors and things like that to make sure that I was staying the course in my rehab process. Now, at the facility that I train, they do amazing job of each person’s temperature is getting checked and they only allow 10 people in the building at one time. I am making sure that I am there on time to be able to go in there and get the amount of work that I need and get out before the next crew come in and give them time to clean up and disinfect things as we leave and before we come.”
On where he is currently and his own motivation to never miss an NFL game as he rehabs:
“I am Deerfield (Fla.). I am doing most of my work in Deerfield. As far as your question about not missing a game, obviously, that is one of the biggest things for me. That is one of the goals that I have set out for myself since I was a kid watching Monday Night Football. I think I talked to you about that before. It is still something that is in the back of my mind. Obviously, I want to make sure that I am going through this processes the right way, too, and making sure that I am healthy enough to be able to go out there and help the team win games and not hurt the team. Yeah, it is in my mind, but I am really focused on this rehab to make sure that I can be ready for the season.”
On developing a relationship with WR Donovan Peoples-Jones prior to the draft and since joining the Browns:
“A lot of our conversations, he has a lot of questions, which I admire about him. He is asking me about punters, he is asking me about the teams and he is asking about guys on the team and all of the questions that I admire about him. From being around him the last two months, I see already that he is a hard worker. I see that he is eager to learn. Those are some of the things that I appreciate about him. A lot of the things that I have told him is it is football. It is the game. Right now, he has the opportunity and this whole college class has an opportunity to get their legs back under them. This is the first time that [rookies] have not played a year straight. This is kind of like a break for them. One of the things with him working has hard as he is working, I just want him to listen to his body. I keep talking to him all the time, ‘Just listen to your body. Trust your body. Trust what you are feeling right now and understand that a lot of people did not get this opportunity to kind of have this break with this quarantine,’ which is kind of like a blessing in disguise for everybody but especially the college kids that will not actually have a full year of football straight. Just kind of telling him to take care of his body and the ins and outs of everything.”
On if he was excited when the Browns drafted Peoples-Jones:
“I was. I was excited. He actually texted me. I stopped watching the draft on Day 2. He got drafted on Day 3 in the sixth round. I did not watch Day 3. He texted me, and I texted him, ‘I just was thinking about you when you texted me.’ He said, ‘Man, I can’t wait.’ I said, ‘Man, yeah, I know. I can’t wait either.’ Then I looked on Instagram and I saw we drafted him, and I was like, ‘Oh, wait. We drafted you.’ It was kind of like an awkward moment, but it was also a good moment to understand and know being around him and understanding his work ethic that we are getting a guy who can help us with all of the potential he has.”
On if he is glad he decided to have surgery, given he was not sure if he would at the end of the season:
“Absolutely. Absolutely. It is something I knew I needed, and I was going to try to put off and play tough guy for one more year. Just understanding where I was and the things my injury was not allowing me to do, I did not want to be part of the reason for the team not having success or myself not having success. Unselfishly, I decided just to go ahead and have the surgery.”
On his impression of Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during the virtual offseason program:
“Obviously, this is challenging for everybody and everybody that is going through this process having to learn through iPads, Zoom calls and things like that. The coaching staff has done a great job from AVP (offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt), Coach Kevin and (wide receivers coach) Chad (O’Shea). I am sure the entire staff, the way coach Stefanski has been running things, has been very helpful. (QB) Baker (Mayfield) has done a great a job making sure everyone is on the same page and staying together, even getting guys together a couple weeks ago in Texas. That is something that for us is really [led] by coach Stefanski. He is encouraging us to continue to look at our playbook. Obviously, this is optional, but encouraging us to be on these Zoom calls and Zoom meetings to make sure we can get on the same page and not lose days because of what we are going through.”
On if he considered joining Mayfield and teammates for workouts in Texas and if he ultimately decided to stay to focus on rehab:
“Yeah, I thought about going. At the end of the day, I am in a crucial part of my rehab process. Going out there for a couple of days, I would have to figure out all of the logistics of making sure I had a doctor out there, making sure I had a weight room and things like that. I did not think it would be worth it. Obviously, those guys made the most of it, made the best of it and got better for that week they went out there. We still did Zoom calls and Zoom meetings throughout the week so I was able to be a part of the learning process. I just was not out there on the field with them.”
On how he and Odell Beckham Jr. are keeping in touch and motivating each other through rehab:
“We have not seen each other. We have been FaceTiming. We have been documenting our whole process of recovery and sending it back and forth to each other. Obviously, right now, it is a crucial time in our recovery stages of getting our strength back. The healing process is kind of done. Now is the time to make sure everything is working together and then being able to go in the right phases and the right stages to be able to translate that all back to the field. Seeing his process has been motivating me, obviously, from afar, which he does automatically. The player he is, his work ethic motivate me. Going back and forth on video just about where we are in our rehab process is something that has been encouraging us to get even better than where we were before.”
On if he has been able to envision Stefanski’s offense, given the roles of TEs, FBs and WRs:
“As of now, obviously, we are very multiple. We plan on playing in multiple packages. Obviously, the guys who are on the team, we plan on using them in the best way that helps benefit the team and things like that. It is good to see we continue to add talent and we continue to try to find balance and who we want to be as an offense. That is the exciting part.”
On the Browns adding more LSU players during the draft and how he compares the LSU talent level against other college programs, including Alabama, SEC schools and others:
“It translates. Mostly every guy you have seen come from LSU has had the opportunity to play right away or within their first two years and make an impact. It is always good to add guys like that from the SEC, period, which is one of the bets conferences in college football. To have LSU guys come in – I think I tweeted this – we just added more swagger and more guys who are ready to play and know how to play the game at a high level.”
On if was tough to see Cowboys wide receivers coach Adam Henry, who also coached him at LSU, leave the Browns and how things are going working with wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea:
“Obviously, given our history [with Henry] it was tough. Chad is also a guy that has proven history. He has been on Super Bowl teams, coached Super Bowl teams, won Super Bowls, lost a Super Bowl or two and has a history of coaching a lot of receivers that play in the slot and that play on the outside. We talk a lot about the option route. It is the big thing that we talk about right now. He has had guys like (Patriots WR Julian) Edelman who is arguable one of the best guys in the NFL to be able to run the option route and make a right decision all the time. We have just kind of been talking, critiquing my game and finding ways to allow me to do what I do best. Our relationship is obviously building and growing. I have met him before, but I can’t wait to actually get in the room and continue to learn, go through all the struggles, the ups and downs or whatever it is and then put it together on Sunday and win some football games.”
