BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – It took a bit for Anthony Walker and Jacoby Brissett to hit it off in Indianapolis.
But the two have become good friends and are enjoying their reunion in Cleveland with the Browns.
“He actually didn’t speak a word to me my rookie year,” Walker said. “He didn’t say a word to me. It was funny, the day after the last game of the season, the day after that we were getting ready to go home and he was like, ‘Hey, man, I’m from South Florida’ and I’m like, ‘Jacoby, I knew that.’
“We’ve been very close since then.”
As Brissett fielded questions from reporters Tuesday morning, Walker listened in from the side, smiling and trying to get the quarterback’s attention.
When asked about Walker, Brissett acknowledged he knew exactly who was paying close attention to his every word.
“He is annoying as hell,” Brissett joked.
It’s the best compliment Walker could receive from his friend and, once again, teammate.
“I don’t really know the guy,” Walker said while struggling to keep a straight face. “I’ve known Jacoby for so long. I know the way he prepares, his mindset. Whether he’s a starter or a backup, he’s going to prepare as [if] he’s the starter. That’s the love of the game that he has, the respect of the game that he has. At the end of the day, I know he’s going to put his best foot forward.
“Like I told him, ‘We believe in him.’ He knows everybody in this organization believes in him and we’ve got his back.”
The Browns are set to turn to Brissett at the outset of the season with starter Deshaun Watson facing a six-game suspension following Sue L. Robinson’s ruling Monday, and maybe more should the NFL appeal and the commissioner lengthens the penalty even further.
It’s nothing new to Brissett, who has found himself having to start in a pinch throughout his young career.
“It has been my situation throughout my career,” Brissett said. “Nothing that I am unfamiliar with – always being ready to go whenever my number is called. That is the case at this point now.”
Going from being a backup to a starter and vice versa isn’t easy but it’s something Brissett has done his best to master.
“Obviously, it is a little tough to get a little rhythm, but it is part of the deal,” Brissett said. “I am excited for the opportunity to go out there, work hard, go to practice, get better and learn and be ready whenever the time comes.”
Friendship aside, Walker knows what Brissett is capable of on the field having watched him with the Colts.
“He gets his guys the ball in space,” Walker said. “I mean obviously the jobs a lot easier [when] you got 24, 27, 30, all those guys to hand the ball off to. You've got 2 running deep overs and 85 running everywhere. We've got a plethora of guys to use to get the ball to. You're playing behind one of the best offensive lines in the game and that makes it a lot better.”
Brissett started 15 games of the 2017 season while Andrew Luck recovered from a torn labrum and 15 more in 2019 following Luck’s stunning preseason retirement.
“I found out when everybody else found out,” Walker said. “During the preseason game like, ‘What? What’s going on?’ Jacoby has always prided himself on preparing as a starter. It’s just another opportunity to get that job done. I think that’s his focus right now and, on our team, we’ve got to have to have his back so he’s ready to go.”
In 2019 Brissett completed nearly 61% of his passes for 2,942 yards with 18 touchdowns and six interceptions for the Colts, who got off to a hot start before injuries derailed the season completely leading to them winning just twice over their final nine games.
“Man, I don’t even want to go back to that. But we were rolling at that point, 5-2,” Walker said. “We had just come off the road beating Kansas City, they were going to a bye week, too, and it was like just body after body went down and Jacoby gets hurt against the Steelers, and it was like, man.
“I’m happy that he has another opportunity now and all the guys in the locker room and in this organization believe in him and we’re ready.”