Veteran Browns QB knows that what happens on the field is more important than what happens in OTAs.
The Cleveland Browns have a loyal fan base that is second to none in the NFL.
Year after year, fans support the team despite the franchise stacking losing seasons, running through more starting quarterbacks than seems possible, and having numerous false start reboots that more often than not left the Browns in worse shape.
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Within that loyalty reside segments of fans that are so predictable in their actions that you can almost set your watch to them. (Do people still wear watches in the age of the smartphone?)
These segments include:
- Fans who are disappointed when the Browns do not “make a splash” in free agency, despite the reality that teams that “win” in free agency rarely win in the fall.
- Fans who want the Browns to draft every Ohio State quarterback, even though C.J. Stroud’s rookie season is the only time an Ohio State quarterback did not fail miserably at the NFL level.
- Fans who want the Browns to only draft Ohio State players every year.
- Fans who talk themselves into every quarterback finally being the guy. (That one is understandable.)
- Fans who get upset when the head coach does not scream and spit on the sidelines, falsely believing that equates to winning.
- Finally, fans who fail to grasp the meaning of voluntary when it comes to OTAs, and wrongly believe that attendance is a sign of leadership.
That last group has been particularly vocal in recent weeks about defensive end Myles Garrett, among other veterans, who exercised their collectively bargained right to not partake in the workouts. Never mind that Garrett is the best defensive player in the NFL, and arguably the best defensive player in franchise history. He clearly does not have what it takes to be a leader of this fine franchise!
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Thankfully, veteran quarterback Joe Flacco is back with the Browns this season. And after 17 years in the league, Flacco has a solid perspective on what it means to truly be a leader on an NFL franchise.
And what are the top criteria, you may be wondering? Well, it’s not showing up in Berea in May, as Flacco explained this week (quote via a team-provided transcript):
“I think things happen organically. I think guys feel, first of all, when it comes to leadership on a football team, you have so many dominant personalities. And at the end of the day, Kevin Stefanski for the Cleveland Browns is the leader. I don’t care how many leaders you have on the team that play. Like, you have to fall in place and buy into what the head coach is preaching, and then it’s your job to kind of facilitate that as a leader, but ultimately as a player.
“Players respect guys that show up, play well, work hard, and then everything else kind of happens organically depending on your personality and things like that. But first thing you got to do is take that field and show that you can play some ball, and then everything else kind of comes together.”
Let’s take Flacco’s comment about “show that you can play some ball” and run with it.
Garrett has been with the Browns for eight seasons. During that time, he has:
- Four All-Pro selections;
- Consecutive Defensive Player of the Year Honors;
- Only missed one game in the past four seasons;
- Become the youngest player to record 100 career sacks;
- Posted five consecutive seasons with double-digit sacks
- Become the fourth fastest to reach 100 career sacks; and,
- Become the fifth player since 1982 with at least 100 career sacks in his first eight seasons.
If that doesn’t define showing that “you can play some ball,” then we’re not sure what does.
The Browns have plenty of issues to work out after a disappointing season in 2024, chief of which is what to do at quarterback.
But worrying about who shows up at OTAs and what that reveals about their leadership abilities is simply not one of them.