CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – For the first time in weeks, the Browns are COVID free.
Left guard Joel Bitonio was activated from Reserve/COVID-19 and three assistant coaches – defensive backs coach Jeff Howard, tight ends coach Drew Petzing and assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters – were also cleared and returned Friday.
Unlike a week ago when the Browns were unable to practice until Friday, this week was as normal as it could get with practice and the return of players and coaches from the virus.
“First and foremost, you concern yourself with everybody’s health and well-being,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said Friday. “Anytime somebody is back in the building, it means that they are healthy enough to be back in the building. Obviously, want to get everybody back here as quickly as possible but as safe as possible.”
Bitonio was the last remaining member of the active roster on the list and he is expected to play Sunday afternoon's AFC Divisional playoff against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
“It is great. It is huge the team won that game when we moved on to the divisional round,” Bitonio said. “Obviously, I am excited. I am ready to be out there, I am ready to play and do my best, but it was always about the team and how they were going to respond. We have been in those situations all year. It was just really cool to see those guys step up and make plays. Obviously, I am pumped to keep playing and ready to get after it this weekend.”
Bitonio tested positive on Jan. 5 and he, along with Stefanski, missed the Browns first playoff game in 18 years, a 48-37 win over the Steelers, last week.
“Obviously, I wanted to be out there,” Bitonio said. “That was the hardest part.”
Like Stefanski, Bitonio watched last week's 48-37 Wild Card win in Pittsburgh on his big screen in his basement where he did his best to remain calm while enjoying the victory.
“The crazy part was my neighbors where I live, and after the game, they were outside of my house going crazy and lighting off fireworks,” Bitonio said. “My wife got some of the footage on video. It was pretty cool. It was just cool how I was kind of part of the celebration in the sense where you do not really get to experience that when you are playing in the games.”
Former teammate Joe Thomas told Bitonio not to worry during the week.
“He was the most confident Browns fan I have been around,” Bitonio said. “He was telling me that we were going to win. He was like, ‘There is no doubt in my mind we are winning this game. I know it for sure.’ He was very confident that we were going to pull this out so he knew I was going to get another shot. It is tough to win in this league. It is tough to be in those positions, and I am just grateful to have a chance to play.”
Bitonio experienced mild symptoms like fatigue and a loss of smell, otherwise he came through the virus in good shape.
“I was pretty normal,” Bitonio said. “I was a little tired on Monday and Tuesday, but that is pretty normal after 17 Weeks of a season so I was not thinking anything of it. I did not really get too sick.
“I made it out OK and I know a lot of people struggle with it so I was happy to make it out alright.”
Bitonio was selected by the Browns in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He endured six consecutive losing seasons and is on his fourth head coach.
Now he gets to finally taste the playoffs.
“Elated for Joel,” executive vice president of football operations and general manager Andrew Berry said Friday morning in a Zoom video conference with beat writers. “He’s been here his entire career. He has been a leader, consummate teammate, everything that you could really want out of a player. We were all heartbroken when he wasn’t getting the opportunity to play in his first playoff game, so for us to be able to activate him today and for him to be able to take his place in the starting lineup this weekend against the Chiefs [is great].”
In addition to activating Bitonio, the team also waived safety Tedric Thompson Friday.
