BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Jadeveon Clowney aired his grievances Thursday and on Friday the Browns asked him to leave the building.
Clowney’s inflammatory comments made to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer Thursday afternoon likely have ended his time in Cleveland after he was sent home by the team Friday.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski declined to discuss the conversation he had Friday morning with Clowney.
“I am going to keep all of those discussions internal,” Stefanski said. “What I would tell you is nothing comes above the team.”
While he would not respond to Clowney in kind, Stefanski was clearly unhappy with Clowney’s comments.
“I think it's important that things in this building stay in this building,” Stefanski said.
Stefanski indicated he has decided Clowney’s status for Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh but would not discuss it publicly. It seems highly unlikely he will be allowed to play.
Clowney, who will be a free agent in March after signing a second one-year contract in 2022, told Cabot that there’s a 95% chance he won’t be back with the Browns next year.
At the heart of Clowney’s complaint was the coaching staff’s decision to give Myles Garrett the favorable matchups week in and week out. He bemoaned that the Browns were trying to get Garrett into the “Hall of Fame” by giving him easier matchups, despite the fact that Garrett is one of the most double-teamed players in the league.
Clowney’s gripe began in Baltimore on October 23 when he was asked to switch to the left side.
“That is where he obviously voiced his frustration after the game. It was something that we dealt with,” defensive line coach Chris Kiffin said. “For his two years here… we have always tried to match up Myles on their weaker links and JD on their weaker links and move both of those guys around. We have always done that.
“He was frustrated with the way we used him in that game and putting Myles on the weak link. We addressed it, we moved on and we tried to scheme the best we could to get him favorable matchups the rest of the year.”
Kiffin confirmed Friday that Clowney used an apparent injury as a reason for only playing third downs in the game. As it turns out, Clowney was not injured.
“I assumed he was hurt or something was wrong so I just kept on playing,” defensive end Myles Garett said. “I didn't really think of it. I assumed like I saw him go into the tent I believe. And so I just kept on doing what I was supposed to do and just trying to keep us rallying and we had a chance in the game and I just assumed that something was holding him back and he didn't want to hold the team back with whatever was bothering him.”
Kiffin indicated the situation may have led to Alex Wright starting the following week in place of Clowney.
The Clowney airing of grievances is the latest in a laundry list of problems involving the defense this season.
Clowney is now the fourth defensive player to be disciplined by the team this season. Safety Grant Delpit was benched for one play denying him a start, Perrion Winfrey was sent home for a week and inactive and Myles Garrett was benched for a defensive series.
“I would tell you everything is case by case,” Stefanski said. “Every team I have been a part of at all levels, you always have things that come up, and you deal with them.
“It really is no different than family. Sometimes you get into arguments with your brothers – that is life – but you move on and you get past it.”
This marks the second straight season where the Browns have had a problem with a high profile player. Last year Odell Beckham Jr. orchestrated his release from the Browns because of issues with quarterback Baker Mayfield.
“Every team, all 32, we all deal with things throughout the season,” Stefanski said. “Sometimes they stay in house and you deal with them, and sometimes they don’t. That is very similar to family. That is what we do. We operate as a family. Sometimes you make tough decisions, but that is what we are trying to do.”
From communication breakdowns to blown coverages to outright confusion on the field to disciplinary problems, the defense has not lived up to expectations this season, ultimately stunting the Browns ability to compete for a playoff berth.