CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski took questions from reporters on Wednesday at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus regarding naming Jameis Winston the starter for Week 8, passing the play-calling duties to Ken Dorsey, and more.
Below is the transcript as provided by the Browns media relations department:
Opening Statement:
“Okay, great challenge this week, AFC North opponent. They’re playing outstanding football. Very talented on the offense, defense, special teams, great coaches, so we respect these guys. We have to play good offense, defense, special teams. Play sound, complimentary football on Sunday. So, we’re starting that process right now and have to have a good week of practice and that’s where we’ll start. But I’ll take any questions you guys got.”
Have you made a decision on your starting quarterback for Sunday?
“Yeah, Jameis (Winston) will start. Dorian (Thompson-Robinson), obviously coming off that injury, we’ll see how he looks this week. But Jameis will start.”
Is Dorian going to practice today?
“He will. But want to see him throw.”
Kevin, what about Bailey Zappe and getting him in here?
“Yeah, got to get him up to speed. Just getting to know him and get a smart guy in the room. So, we’ll see.”
I mean, I know it was a long time ago, what do you remember? I mean you guys have seen him from 2022, right?
“Yeah, he played against us, won a football game — he’s smart. Obviously was in New England this offseason so some similarities there.”
Is it comforting to be able to turn it over to Jameis given his experience? 80 starts.
“Yeah, Jameis is a guy we’ve kind of talked about all off season who works very hard at this. Like you mentioned, has a ton of experience playing this game, has seen a lot. He prepares really well. So, yeah, feel good about it.”
We talked about his personality, the fact that it looks like everybody gravitates toward him. Does that help when you guys are struggling the way you are?
“Yeah, I think any authentic leadership is really important and he certainly leads in his own way. It’s different, but I think the guys really respect him and really respect him because of the work he puts in.”
Can he be the spark like Joe Flacco was last year?
“Yeah, we’re kind of focused on this game, Jeff (Schudel), this season. We just have to play better. And I think Jameis understands that he’s got to go do his job for this football team.”
Is that him? That energy, that volume, is that him from like day one in this building?
“Yeah, he’s in here early. I can confirm that. And he’s got that energy right away.’
So did DTR (Dorian Thompson-Robinson) duck anything major with the finger?
“Yeah, he’ll be able — I want to see him throw today, but no surgery required.”
Nyheim Hines, is he going to be activated?
“He will not.”
Is he out for the season?
“Yeah, I’ll have more information later on Nyheim but won’t be back this weekend.”
Was that another tough situation for Dorian to get thrown in the game the other day when he wasn’t really even sure he was going to be the backup?
“Yeah, I think all of our guys, Mary Kay (Cabot), are ready to play if they’re dressed on game day and Dorian’s been dressed every game and ready to go at any moment. So, yeah, he’s disappointed certainly in some plays that I’m sure he wishes he had back. But for our backups, whether you play quarterback, or offensive line, or defensive line, you have to be ready to play. And he’s ready to play, just, I know he can perform better.”
I know you’re just trying to win one game, but have you talked at all to Jameis, I mean, he’s a number one pick, he’s been up and down, he hits free agency again in five months, about this being his chance to revive his career?
“Yeah, I think it’s a little bit of a narrower scope, if you will. You really just have to focus on the job you have to do for this week. Those things take care of themselves.”
How do you balance, I guess trusting your processes and trusting what you believe in versus let’s try something new to see if we can jumpstart?
“Yeah, I mean, we’re trying — we have to play complimentary football, and we have to do that. And that’s offense, defense, special teams. We’ve done it at times. We have to just be way more consistent in doing that because in order to beat these other teams, you can’t beat yourself and we put ourselves in too many spots where that wasn’t the case. So here we are this week, got to go play better in all areas.”
Are you still going to call the plays?
“I’m going to have Ken (Dorsey) call the plays this week, moving forward that’s the plan. I’ve told you guys before; we have a very collaborative process in how we work both during the week and on game day. So, I will continue to assist Ken and the offense as we game plan, as we get into the game. But I have total confidence in Coach Dorsey and the offensive staff.”
Why now to make that decision?
“Yeah, I’m just always looking at what we can do to just be a little bit better, and truth is we have to better on offense, and Coach Dors is somebody that I rely on very heavily and I just feel like this is the right thing for the team.”
Do you feel like in some ways, when you look at what’s going on special teams and other areas, that you need to get a bigger picture look at everything?
“I mean, that’s my job, Mary Kay (Cabot). I think regardless of whether I’m calling the plays or not, I think that’s my job to make sure I’m having a positive impact on this football team, and I’ll continue to do that.”
Do you think it’s odd that you called played for (Deshaun) Watson, and now that he’s not playing, you’re letting Dorsey call it? I thought he was brought here to help Watson.
“Yeah, I don’t see it that way, Tony (Grossi), how you put it. I see Ken’s a guy that I have total trust in. He does a good job with the quarterbacks, does a good job with the offense. So just felt like this is the right thing to do.”
Was this fully your decision?
“Yes, fully my decision.”
For the rest of the year?
“Yeah.”
Will you go week to week?
“We’re all week to week, Tony (Grossi).”
How much do you think the offense will change with Jameis versus Deshaun?
“I think what we do as coaches is we try to lean into our players’ strengths, and obviously the quarterback’s the number one factor there. So, you want to put the quarterback in position to succeed and those type of things. So that’s obviously a big conversation we have on Monday, on Tuesday to put Jameis in the right positions.”
It’s been a couple of years since we’ve seen Jameis start a game. How would you say he’s evolved as a player since then, or can you tell until you see him?
“I think you have to let him go play and then you can tell. But kind of know what his strengths are and how he plays and the concepts that he feels really good about. He’s won a lot of football games, he’s seen a lot of football, so we have total confidence in him.”
Kevin, going back to the play caller thing, giving Ken that job on Sundays, how much does that maybe free you up to kind of oversee more of the whole picture?
“Yeah, I mean, it obviously does in the sense that you’re not sending plays in every 40 seconds. But that’s always been part of my job to make sure that I know what’s going on for the football team, the offense, the defense, the special teams. So maybe with the offense having the ball, there’s more opportunities there, but that’s always part of the gig.”
Will he go upstairs?
“We’re working through that, talking through it.”
What has Ken shown you throughout this whole time that you guys have been together that makes you confident about this?
“Yeah, I’m very confident in Ken, and I’m very confident in our offensive staff. I feel that this is — when you’re talking about playing good football and putting game plans together, it’s never one person’s job. It’s really a collaborative effort. So, I have a ton of faith in all of our coaches and Ken calling the plays doesn’t change that collaborative approach.”
What motivated you to make that change now?
“Every single week I’m looking at things that we can do better, and we need to improve. Felt like this is the right move for right now.”
Do you feel like, I mean, he was incorporating spread, RPOs and different kinds of concepts, but yet lately it looked like you guys were going back to doing some things you knew you could do well. So, do you feel like you will see some more spread?
“Yeah, I think it’s a good question. Throughout the course of the season, you’re always kind of evolving and leaning into what’s working and getting away from what you’re not having success with. So that’s an ongoing thing for us as coaches and finding out the right concepts that fit our players. And obviously, the quarterback is a big part of that.”
He’s obviously used to working with a big, strapping quarterback. Does that have anything to do with the fact that he knows how to coach a guy…?
“Yeah, I think Ken can coach any style, truly. I know he’s had some history with Josh Allen and Cam Newton, but I feel like he can coach any style.”
Kevin, with the (Baltimore) Ravens, obviously one of their big additions this offseason was Derrick Henry. What has he sort of brought to the table when you watch the tape that’s made their offense a bit more dynamic?
“Yeah, the tape is really, really impressive. Obviously, they’re running it well, they’re throwing it well. Derrick Henry is a guy that we’ve played before. We know that you’re in for a 60-minute affair when he’s out there. He’s outstanding downhill, he’s outstanding on the perimeter. They’re using him in a very difficult way to defend in some of the different run schemes that they’re using. So, it’s a huge, huge challenge for our football team.”
Are you hopeful that Wyatt (Teller), with the window opening for him, are you hopeful that you could have him Sunday or is this going to be similar to (Nick) Chubb and the other guys where they need some time to ramp up?
“Yeah, I’m hopeful that he makes it Sunday.”
What about with Ethan (Pocic) and Jed (Wills) and Jordan (Hicks)? Do you expect them to be able to practice this week?
“We’ll see, that’s truly a day-to-day type of thing, we’ll see.”
Andrew Berry always describes you as a great play caller and somebody that was really coming into your own in that realm. I mean, do you envision yourself as someone who would like to do that again someday?
“Honestly, Mary Kay (Cabot), not my focus at all for this week. I want to do whatever is best for our football team, all the time. And I just feel like this is the best thing to do.”
Would you describe this as a Hail Mary?
“That’s blasphemous. No.” [Laughing]
Can we see an uptick in volume for Nick Chubb this week in the second half?
“I think Nick came out of the game well. So naturally, there’s something that we want to grow that role. Yes.”
Did you feel comfortable calling those new concepts that you were calling?
“Absolutely, yeah. Like I’ve told you guys many times, anything that happens, good or bad, for the football team is my responsibility. And we need to play better on offense. We need to win football games. We got to play sound football, play well on offense, defense, special teams. So that’s going to always be our goal, and that’s really what’s driving any decision I make.”
Was there any frustration from Jerry (Jeudy) for the lack of involvement Sunday?
“I think all receivers get frustrated when they don’t get the ball. Jerry understands that he’s a big part of our offense. He also understands that we want to make sure that we are, on game day, utilizing all of our energies in a positive way.”
Has Deshaun had surgery?
“I think it’s Friday.”