CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – It appears the worst of the COVID situation is behind the Browns.
Kevin Stefanski, as expected, left his basement and was back on the job Thursday – in person – but left guard Joel Bitonio remains sidelined due to COVID-19.
“Feels good to be back to work,” Stefanski said prior to practice Thursday.
Stefanski returned to the Browns facility as the team continues its preparations to face the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs in Kansas City Sunday in an AFC Divisional playoff matchup.
“It is huge. He is such a presence around the guys,” offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said. “He was greatly missed while he was not here. Having him back is big for us.”
Stefanski did not provide an update on left guard Joel Bitonio, who was also eligible to return if healthy from the Reserve/COVID-19 list, but the team remains hopeful the three-time Pro Bowler will be able to play this weekend.
“Getting Joel back, obviously, would be big, and hopefully that’ll be the case,” Van Pelt said. "We’ll see here later in the week. Joel’s a huge part of our success offensively on that left side and to plug him back in there would be huge for us.”
Receiver KhaDarel Hodge, who was also placed on reserve/COVID-19 January 5th, was activated Thursday leaving Bitonio as the lone member of the active roster still on the list.
Sunday night Stefanski watched anxiously from his basement as the Browns beat the Steelers 48-37 with special teams coordinator Mike Priefer serving as the acting head coach in Stefanski’s stead.
“It is great. He deserves to be back,” Priefer said. “Anytime your leader comes back to the building and is going to lead us into battle this weekend, it is a great thing for our football team.”
Stefanski said backup quarterback Case Keenum already welcomed him back by hiding something in his office.
“He asked if I smelled it yet,” Stefanski said. "But I don’t because I’ve lost my sense of smell.”
Ramping up Ronnie’s reps – Safety Ronnie Harrison didn’t get much work Sunday night in Pittsburgh after returning from the Reserve/COVID-19 list following a false positive test last week, but he’s expected to be called upon at Kansas City as the Browns try to slow the Chiefs’ potent offense.
“He is ready to go,” Stefanski said. “He was kind of in and out of the lineup, so to speak, during the week last week, where he was ruled out and was able to come back. With a normal week of practice, I do expect him out there.”
Karl Joseph, Andrew Sendejo and Sheldrick Redwine rotated against the Steelers that saw Ben Roethlisberger throw for 501 yards.
Joseph recovered a fumble for a touchdown and Redwine had an interception while Sendejo had 5 tackles and broke up a pass.
On to Kansas City – Steelers receiver Chase Claypool, who should be planning his vacation, ripped the Browns for mocking JuJu Smith Schuster’s “Browns is the Browns” remark last week during their celebration Sunday night in Pittsburgh.
“If the Browns had won with more class, then I wouldn’t have been so salty about it,” Claypool said Thursday in an interview with DAZN Canada, “but them mocking JuJu [Smith-Schuster] during the game and after the game just didn’t sit right with me.’'
Linebacker Sione Takitaki dismissed Claypool’s most recent comments.
“I feel like the game is over,” Takitaki said. “We are not playing those guys. I just want to lock in on Kansas (City). Obviously, he is a great player – a great player, a good kid. We are locked in to Kansas (City).
We are way past that.”
Quote of the day – “I have not seen it. Listen, I can’t get into these Twitter wars and these media wars with these guys. We just have an opportunity to play this Sunday, and I am looking forward to it.”- Landry on Sammy Watkins’ tweet
Injury report – DNP: RT Jack Conklin (hamstring), LB B.J. Goodson (shoulder) and TE David Njoku (hamstring); LIMITED: DE Myles Garrett (shoulder), DT Sheldon Richardson (neck), RG Wyatt Teller (ankle), C JC Tretter (knee), TE Stephen Carlson (groin); FULL: RB D’Ernest Johnson (finger), WR Jarvis Landry (hip), LB Malcolm Smith (ankle)