Latest news with #AFCWildCardRound
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Flacco Responds to Browns' Mentor Headlines
Flacco Responds to Browns' Mentor Headlines originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cleveland Browns are never too far from a negative headline, but that's life as a maligned organization. The negatives get overblown, the neutral doesn't get the benefit of the doubt, and every storyline has the potential to become a problem. Advertisement Make no mistake, the Browns' biggest problem is its quarterback situation. With quarterback Deshaun Watson haunting the offense from (presumably) injured reserve, Cleveland will turn to one of Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, or Shedeur Sanders – the latter two being mid-round picks from the 2025 NFL Draft. Flacco is expected to compete for the starting job, and he makes the most sense to be under center for Week 1. But when his comments about not being the most willing mentor hit the timeline at organized team activities (OTAs), Cleveland lost contain of a relative non-issue. Speaking to Albert Breer, Flacco got honest about the Browns' mentor controversy, and how his attitude isn't nearly as hostile as some fans have taken it. 'Listen, everybody wants to have good relationships and be a good teammate, or that's the expectation at least,' Flacco said. 'I think you want a bunch of players that have that mindset—it's about the team and it's about having good relationships, and freaking pushing people. Advertisement 'I think that is important to do. And in order to have those relationships and keep the team first, you have to have a bunch of guys that want to play football. That's what it comes down to. Being a mentor and coming out and just kind of going along for the ride isn't getting me off my couch.' Clearly, Flacco would much prefer to use teach tape from 2025 games to show the rookies how it's done. And while both Gabriel and Sanders will likely make decent arguments to play in the coming months, Flacco has earned the benefit of the doubt. In 2023, Flacco's hot streak took the Browns from destitution to competition, landing them in the AFC Wild Card Round by being just enough on offense. This year's defense isn't quite as potent, and the expectations certainly won't be as high. But Flacco has been around the block several times now, toeing the line between competent starter and second-string mentor. "I want to play football," Flacco said. "But also, I want to be a really good teammate, I really do. I enjoy being in that locker room, and just being around the guys. I think that's all a part of it. I've talked about how it's not necessarily my job, but at the same time, I'm also not gonna shy away from doing those things. I'm not worried about teaching guys and having that come back and bite me. Yeah, you got questions and you want answers, 'Yeah, come ask me, man.'" Advertisement Flacco isn't withholding information from his younger counterparts. This isn't the kind of adversarial relationship that defined the Green Bay Packers' transition two decades ago. But there's a difference between accepting one's fate as a backup and competing while teaching at the same time. Flacco would much prefer the latter. It seems the rest of the room is fine with that, too. 'It's a good, fun group. It's the offseason. Like, today, we had a 15-minute meeting, we're in there telling stories and laughing. You can tell, it's a bunch of guys that want to play football, but are also able to go in there and have fun.' Related: Joe Flacco Called 'Stupid' By ESPN For Mentorship Take On Browns Related: Browns' Flacco Criticized for Approach to Young Quarterbacks This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Whose Shoes Will Sawyer Fill for Steelers?
Ohio State edge rusher Jack Sawyer was born to be a Pittsburgh Steeler, at least by the traditional sense of the term. The Steelers clearly weren't the best team in 2024, but they weren't the biggest or strongest, either. This was epitomized in the AFC Wild Card Round, where Pittsburgh was outclassed by a Baltimore Ravens team that rushed for 299 yards on the way to a 28-14 win. Advertisement Simply put, a Mike Tomlin-led team was far less physical than his reputation would suggest, and the team's offseason moves suggest that it won't happen again. Pittsburgh grew more physical on the defensive line, on the ground, and even at receiver, where DK Metcalf is among the game's freakiest physical specimens. Among the additions was Sawyer, the team's fourth-round pick. He'll be replacing respected veteran Preston Smith on the Steelers defense, making right on a good-process trade that went wrong for Pittsburgh. Smith was a healthy scratch for that playoff bout, leaving the Steelers without an edge rusher who was at his best against the run. Sayer changes that. "This guy is really good, tough," said defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, via the team website. "Unbelievable intangibles. Football character. He also has a knack for making plays when you need. You see him make a lot of big plays at crunch. It tells me he is a guy who is going to show up when you need him. Advertisement "Unbelievable across the board. No holes about who he is and what he is about. I think he will fit in nicely in our room. When you have a guy who has all of the qualities he has, and the intangibles, and winning attitude, those things are hard to pass up." Sawyer isn't an imposing athlete, and he certainly isn't the athletic phenom other high-profile edge rushers can claim to be. But as a rusher who can win with power, and whose play strength shows up consistently against the run, there's real upside in his game. He doesn't figure to play a major role in Pittsburgh's plans – not with T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig ahead of him. But as a rotational player on early downs and short-yardage situations, Sawyer gives the Steelers an edge they've missed in recent years. "You got to be able to set edges and do things,' Austin said, via Nick Farabaugh. 'And we know in the AFC North, if you're not good, stop and run, that's going to be a problem. And so, he helps us in that area." Advertisement Sawyer is part of a Pittsburgh draft class meant to bring back physical football. With his skill set, he has a chance to redefine what it means to be a Steeler. Related: Tomlin Reveals Defining Trait of Steelers' 2025 Draft Class Related: Steelers Add Explosive Defensive Tackle in Round 1
