On if the Browns should be in the playoffs:
“I think that this year we did not meet up to the hype. At the beginning of the year, we were talking about Super Bowl, playoffs and all of this stuff, and I feel like we underachieved, which sucks, just being candid. It did not end up the way we wanted it to, which sucks, but at the end of the day, we have good players, and we have a good team. It just shows you the power of finishing. Last year, we were one of the best finishing teams in the NFL, and we were 11-5 and were playing at a very high level. Really what changed – Xs and Os are the same and the players are the same; yeah, we had injuries and stuff, but every team had injuries – is finishing. The fourth quarter is not only getting the lead but keeping the lead until the clock hits zero. That is something that I think that we need to control what we can control, and that is something that we can do.”
On if the Browns’ message today was that the team is still capable of achieving its goals and has a strong core moving forward despite not reaching the playoffs:
“Of course. I am still proud to be a Brown. I am still proud to call Cleveland home and spend four more years here. There is no doubt about it. Like I said, it sucks. There are a lot of teams that are going home that have good players and have a good core. It sucks. I do not think that we have to invent the circle here. We have good things in Cleveland and a good team behind us. It is just we have to finish.”
On the team’s confidence in QB Baker Mayfield:
“I feel that fighting through an injury is tough. We all do it. We always have to fight through it, but a hand being clubbed up for an offensive lineman, yeah, that sucks, but I can still do it. Having a shoulder [injury] where everything… It hurts. Just like pitchers – my brother played baseball – you always hear your front arm aims. You are aiming with your front arm and you are throwing over. If that is not feeling good, it is going to be difficult. He is tough as nails. Baker is tough as nails, but it is hard. This is the best of the best. It is hard. I love Baker. It sucks that he got hurt, but I pray that this offseason is good to him and he gets back to 110 percent and ready to rear and go.”
On if he believes any Browns players had an issue with Mayfield not playing the team’s final regular season game:
“No, I could not imagine anybody is upset. You want obviously to play every snap. That is just the competitor in you. Baker is extremely competitive. I know that he wants to be out there, but I do not see any point in getting touched again this year. I want to win games, and I want Baker to be out there and I do not want Baker to get touched, but that is not always the case. Speaking of ‘case,’ that is why we had (QB) Case (Keenum), and I think Case did a great job. Case is a great leader and a great guy. We got a win. It was a little closer than I wish we were. We got on a roll and then made it a little closer. That is kind of what I mean about finishing. Baker has to take care of his body, and if that is him playing the game or not, that is the decision he makes and the coaches make.”