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January 5, 2025 17 mins
On this Week 18 postgame edition of From the Podium, hear from HC Kevin Stefanski, QB Bailey Zappe, and DE Myles Garrett following a 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to the final postgame edition of From the Podium
of the twenty twenty four regular season. I'm Gabe Klea.
The Browns dropped their Week eighteen matchup with the Baltimore
Ravens by a score of thirty five to ten. On
this episode, you'll hear from head coach Kevin Stefanski, quarterback
Bailey Zappi, and defensive end Miles Garrett. Up first is
head coach Kevin Stefanski, who gave his thoughts on the loss.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Okay, mj has an ankle injury. Uh, Mike Hall has
a knee injury. Won't know about that one until the
morning when we get in an MRI. Obviously disappointed in
the outcome, really proud of a bunch of guys that
were putting some spots to go battle, and they they
did battle, but ultimately certainly not good enough when when
you don't come away with a win. But with that,

(00:47):
I'll take any questions we guys, Yeah, disappointed to lose Mike.
He was playing well, Mary Kay, he was playing for physical.
I thought his athleticism showed up a few times. So
we'll see what the MRI says. But disappointed for him
for sure you possession?

Speaker 3 (01:09):
Was that planned or did you change your mind?

Speaker 4 (01:11):
No?

Speaker 2 (01:12):
That was really I wanted to get him in there
and then make him. Uh my decision based on how
the game was going.

Speaker 5 (01:17):
How would you where you see it?

Speaker 4 (01:19):
Just judge with everything.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah, obviously made a poor decision there and the interception
that turned into a six points for them. I thought
he bounced back for for the most part and made
some some good throws.

Speaker 5 (01:31):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
Obviously have to learn from all these games, learn from
all these reps.

Speaker 5 (01:37):
Ken, are you in some ways? What did you just
close the fourteen seas?

Speaker 3 (01:44):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:45):
Uh, ask me that tomorrow morning, Mary Kay, I think
for I'll I'll do some reflecting uh tomorrow morning, but
for now, kind of just thinking about that game, Kevin
and I will answer it tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (01:55):
On Uh you you find supplied and how the team
you do?

Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, we we respect this game too much. I respect
this game too much. These players do.

Speaker 5 (02:10):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
It's a privilege to play, it's a privilege to coach.
So if they're keeping score, we're gonna battle, We're gonna
compete to the end. Understand that that ultimately we came
up short in this game. Uh, And that's the frustrating part,
but we're gonna battle, how about.

Speaker 6 (02:30):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
Obviously Jerry UH made some big plays for US towards
the end there, UH to move the football.

Speaker 4 (02:36):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
You know, I thought his getting that record is indicative
of his play this season. Really, he he deserved it.
I thought they were battling. We put him in some
really tough spots. UH didn't do a great job on
uh in the team's units a couple of times there
where we they got the ball and plus territory we

(02:58):
had turn around downs, they got the ball and plus
terror toy, So UH did not put them in some
advantageous field positions. But I thought they battled out there. Yeah.
I was hoping that being a win, that we could
be able to do something like that. But I just
want to recognize Rodney. I think you guys know how

(03:18):
this team feels about him, talked about how I feel
about him. Uh, he's gonna be His leadership will be missed,
his play will be missed. He played really good football
for US, but an incredible career.

Speaker 1 (03:30):
You know.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
I think he's got big things coming up as well.

Speaker 5 (03:33):
And I asked you already about UH, you know, how
much do you hope that Joel comes.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Back, you guys, Yeah, those are those are the type
of conversations we'll have. And and certainly I respect uh
Joel and and his decisions. He's playing at an extremely
high level. I mean he played every play.

Speaker 4 (03:53):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
He's gonna probably go down and have the most plays
in in the NFL this year, which is no small
feet when you play in the middle of a of
an offense.

Speaker 6 (04:03):
Miles, Uh, one.

Speaker 5 (04:04):
Of his maybe a sack, pull a little bit and
make sure he's gonna get the title.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
Came close a.

Speaker 5 (04:10):
Couple of times.

Speaker 2 (04:11):
But obvious, Yeah, obviously, as you guys know, the Lamar
is a very difficult quarterback to sack. Uh, but Miles
battled played the run. Uh was chasing him. Uh, but battled.

Speaker 6 (04:24):
Speaking of that, do you think you guys did a
pretty good job on the more you will only completed at.

Speaker 5 (04:28):
His passes and two or something.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
I I think when when you're gone up against the
player of his caliber, you have to try to limit him,
try and slow him down.

Speaker 5 (04:36):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (04:36):
There's certainly some plays that he made, Uh, especially on
third down. I thought escaping and making a few plays
to get the ball down the field. It's a it's
a challenge cause it's uh, it's a challenge when he's
making the throws from the pocket. It's a challenge when
you have to defend uh for the duration of the
down with his ability.

Speaker 5 (04:51):
To move in the times guy's open pass.

Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yeah, I thought he settled in there, uh a little bit.
I thought, you know, first play the game, made a
really nice throw. It was a good read exactly what
he's supposed to do. So, uh, there were some moments,
but all of these moments he has to learn from.

Speaker 1 (05:08):
Up next to his quarterback. Bailey's happy.

Speaker 5 (05:11):
Uh.

Speaker 7 (05:12):
Kevin said that, you know, he kind of decided on
juting rotation. You know, given more time at the game
went along, did you kind of have a sense of what, uh,
what's the vibe you do have to he just kind
of stay ready for whatever.

Speaker 4 (05:25):
Yeah, I mean he told us during the week that
both of us were gonna play at some point in time.
He didn't know exactly when it was gonna happen. Obviously,
there was a string there where we were moving the
ball really well. We're playing role as offense, so I'm
sure he didn't wanna like mess up the rhythm. But yeah,
I was on He was honest with both of us,
that both of us were gonna play, and that he

(05:47):
didn't know how the game was obviously gonna go, and
that he was just gonna go, you know, off his
decision and whatever or however he thought.

Speaker 6 (05:53):
Did it take you to have to feel comfortable seemed
like to be got more rhythm, comfort and suffer.

Speaker 4 (05:59):
Yeah, I mean, I mean i've you know, you think
about it. I haven't played meaningful, meaningful football in a
year to this day, you know, last year at Week eighteen.
You know, it's not an excuse like you said, I
think you know, the first interception that's terrible. I mean
it's bad ball. You know, it's something that you look
at and you just kind of, you know, why did
you make that decision? It's you know, it's Tampa. Why

(06:20):
are you going to cloud corner? I mean I was
first day of rook comunic camp and Bill Belichick told
me that never do that, and I did it, and
it's just terrible ball. After that, you know, settled in,
I think, you know, all as the offense as a
hole settled in, we started moving the ball. Well, uh
kind of shot ourselves on the foot again. And then
the last interception there is just you know, miscommunication that
you know just can't happen. And obviously you know it's

(06:42):
just power football.

Speaker 5 (06:43):
You're gonna be a free playoffs, you know, like the grounds.

Speaker 3 (06:49):
What do you think that?

Speaker 4 (06:51):
Yeah, I mean, I'd love to be here. You know, personally,
I don't know if there's anything setting stone. I mean
maybe my agent does, but I don't. You know, I
like to say that I can be a starter in
this league, but you know, you kind of look back
at this game. There's decisions that that can't be made
in order for me to be a starter. You know,
the two turnovers can't happen. If I wanna be a
start in this league, that can happen, as simple as that.

(07:11):
I'd love to be here. I'd love to play here.
You know, I've made great relationships here. I n believe
I can win games here like I have in the past.
So just gotta look back at this game and get
us to coach Sfanski and learn from it.

Speaker 5 (07:24):
Have you think as a jug getting the record yet?

Speaker 4 (07:27):
I have not? Oh he got it? Well that's one
positive drive.

Speaker 5 (07:33):
Perfect You guys know that that was the thing, the
final drive and make what are you making ensued app
to make sure.

Speaker 4 (07:40):
I mean, I don't know if we were just like, hey,
let's get Judy the balls. Just for the record, he's
a v very dynamic football player obviously. Uh So getting
the ball in his hands is always, you know, a
positive for us. You know, we threw the little flat
to him and he got thirty yards off of it.
So I always getting the ball in his hands where
he can make you know, yards have to to catch,
is you know, something that he's best at. So I
think going into that last drive, he just wanted to

(08:01):
get something going and getting it the ball into his
hands was you know, a main priority obviously, cause he
can do it, and he really.

Speaker 5 (08:07):
Kind of put himself on the airf on that is
you're sort of the the mm uh number one type
of receiver. Did you see that throughout practice?

Speaker 4 (08:14):
And then he's have to be games a hundred percent.
I think he's a number one for every team in
this league. He's one of the best receivers throughout the
entire league. And I think he's showing that the last
wherever ten eleven weeks that you know, the finish the
season and you know, just this work ethic off the
field I think is what impresses me the most. He's
always asking us questions quarterback room of how he can
run the route better or what we're seeing so he

(08:35):
can get into that spot or that zone so he
can get the ball. And then obviously whenever it's a
man and I think that's a mismatching no matter who's
covering him. So he did a phenomenal job and I'm
sure carrying over into the future, he's and then keep
doing it.

Speaker 5 (08:48):
And then also, uh, Joe Batonio has thought about maybe
returning after this season. What have you see him just
the brief time that you've seen him over there playing?

Speaker 4 (08:59):
What? Alright? Yeah, I mean he's first off, he's a
unbelievable player on the field. To play as long as
he has and to be as successful as he is
is phenomenal. I mean, he's unreal. And then off the field, Uh,
he wocome me with open arms when I came here.
You know, he was one of the first guys to

(09:20):
eat lunch with me and as well as a new guy,
and I was kind of like a new kid at
school and he sat down him and why we ate
lunch together first day and then it carried on. But
you know, if he retires, obviously that's his decision. But
h for some reason I'm back here and I'm playing,
I'm I'm gonna beg him not to retire cause obviously
he's one of the best guards in the league. And uh,

(09:42):
but I know father Tom catchers up to everybody, so
that's his decision. Obviously, you have a cho.

Speaker 5 (09:48):
Race fourteen teams, so it's real feeling about coming back.

Speaker 4 (09:56):
I just think I see the vision of what Stefanski
and ap and all these guys that been here for
a long time, the vision that they want this organization
to get to. You see what happened last year playoffs.
I think this year just it just a cuminative things
j you know, injuries and things like that that kind
of caused this year. But obviously, you know, the main
thing is I wanna play and I wanna be a

(10:16):
start in this league. And if there's a opportunity that
I can do that here, obviously I wanna come back.

Speaker 5 (10:20):
There's a I mean, Sean Watson's gonna be coming back, uh,
and also competing with the storing job.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
What do you know with Sean how much would you
like an.

Speaker 5 (10:29):
Opportunity to have that chance to work alongside him at battles.

Speaker 4 (10:33):
Yeah, I mean the Shawn's a great player. That's the
reason why he's he's rolling around in the money that
he's got. I mean, he's phenomenal. He's one of the
best quarterbacks in the league. So to be able to
compete against him and also learn from him, Obviously I
wasn't around him as much with injury and everything. But
if I were to come back next year and be
around him in the QB room and kind of pick
his brain, uh, would be awesome, cause you know, he's

(10:55):
done it for a long time and he's been really
good at it for a long time.

Speaker 1 (10:57):
Finally, defensive end Miles Garrett.

Speaker 6 (10:59):
All, is you sort of reflect back in the moment,
Is this in some way in many ways a tougher
season than even in your rookie season when you kind
of think of everything and you expectation where this organization
is could have come.

Speaker 5 (11:13):
Since you have twenty seventeen.

Speaker 3 (11:15):
To humble, it's probably more disappointing season. Yeah, because you
know what we expected of ourselves, what we had built
here before. So that's how I take it.

Speaker 5 (11:27):
Yeah, a control except last weekend. It's the most frustrating
season Uh, it he's ever had in his oh loving years,
just because the hope were so high, spectations were so high.

Speaker 3 (11:37):
So do you kind of feel that same way about Yeah,
feel pretty similar to how it feels.

Speaker 4 (11:43):
Bobs.

Speaker 7 (11:43):
There was all you know for the past to report that,
Uh you'd already conspoken through an office about you know,
their plans in the off season and whatnot? Is how
did much to addressed things? Did you need that conversation
feel better about the Arsenal organization or.

Speaker 3 (12:01):
I mean I've got any conversations about no, any of
that yet. I left that to the offseason, which I
mean starting today. So no, we'll have our exit meetings
and all that. But that that was the first thing
from my mind, you know, going into this game and
anything else that that it's son true.

Speaker 7 (12:19):
And mindless.

Speaker 5 (12:21):
When you look at you guys versus the RADS, AFC
More champs, you do you guys kind of bring up
the river? Do you feel like you guys have skeleton
crew up crew.

Speaker 3 (12:35):
Up their air force?

Speaker 7 (12:35):
But do you feel like you're that far away from them.

Speaker 5 (12:39):
Or that you can close the gap and pass.

Speaker 3 (12:45):
I feel like we can be better next season.

Speaker 6 (12:50):
We played tonight with that skeleton crew. I mean there
were multiple times.

Speaker 5 (12:54):
Where there shore.

Speaker 6 (12:56):
Five or six first or second year players out there
with you.

Speaker 5 (13:00):
Does that give you more confidence about what this?

Speaker 6 (13:03):
You know, the the help with you guys can turn
things around because of the way they're they performed against
the rags you guys did against the you know, one
by season revision.

Speaker 3 (13:14):
So the young guys specifically, Yeah, I mean it's a
lot of young talent, and uh you look forward to
to seeing how they develop and and being a part
of that. So now it it's definitely hope for the future.
We just have to continue to add onto that you've seen.

Speaker 5 (13:29):
I don't know you've seen more some or that you
know like you've been seen after most other losses. I
don't know, how are you feeling like really down right now?

Speaker 3 (13:40):
But you sold see we lost. The season's over. I
don't expect to be happy. You shouldn't expect me to
be happy either.

Speaker 5 (13:51):
Oh, I just you just seem like really.

Speaker 7 (13:56):
Or what the what point do you you look?

Speaker 3 (14:00):
Oh?

Speaker 5 (14:00):
How much are you looking forward to having a conversation.

Speaker 6 (14:03):
That you want to have fun?

Speaker 3 (14:05):
Yeah, just a conversation, Ken say, I'm looking forward and
I look him forward to it that's just what's you
know next for for us, you know, as players, as
UH organization, and we all have eck some meetings and
we all got to talk about, oh what what's the future?
We'll hold outside of those conversations, what what's next?

Speaker 6 (14:27):
Were you specifically, you know in terms of recovering from
this season then sort of you know, refocus he didn't
getting ready to work, you know, for for.

Speaker 5 (14:37):
The next the next season and you know the next.

Speaker 3 (14:40):
Stage of you know, of of your your pa. H mean,
definitely got some uh recovering to do. You know, it
was a tough game. Yeah, I feel like, uh mentally
I was no ready to go, but my legs were
were killing me going into it, and uh, you know,
I'll see it was tough to to deal with and

(15:02):
I don't just don't got to use this time that
we don't have to to give back uh no feeling
runt and then you know, keep continue to improve.

Speaker 5 (15:11):
Welans obviously UH can ended the game tired with training
for the fourteen sacks or marge somewhere sacks by time
of you, how do you feel about you got there?
Almost had there.

Speaker 7 (15:24):
A couple times for you which when you when you
get there.

Speaker 3 (15:26):
How do you feel about.

Speaker 5 (15:27):
Where you stand with your old work now?

Speaker 3 (15:31):
It's never enough?

Speaker 7 (15:36):
Cause when you said that the season was was a
much dispointed once that you could hear. Was it just
cause the expectations were how.

Speaker 2 (15:41):
Did you get it to be as?

Speaker 3 (15:43):
Yeah? I mean the standard have been set from the
year before, so the hopes and expectations were you know,
hinging on that. You know, we see when we had
in the in the building and uh, you know we
had we had to really developed something and uh we
took a a step or two back.

Speaker 7 (16:01):
Rights do you want?

Speaker 5 (16:02):
Do you feel like, uh, you you know you're gonna
have these conversations, but even sort of like Joel mentioned,
he's good, he needs like just to show out for
a while before he actually makes any type of decision.
Do you feel like that is what it's gonna be
like for you? Thing you're going to have to doe
you across your season, make sure your body feels good,

(16:23):
process or you talk to those guys about before you
make any decisions about anything.

Speaker 3 (16:29):
I think that's the best way to to uh, you know,
decide with anything and make sure you and remove yourself
from you know, the the situation and try to look
at it objectively and not just look at it emotionally. No,
obviously mostions are high with you know how the the
season that's winning. No, guys don't feel don't feel very

(16:50):
good about, you know, whether it's individual performances or or
the record, and you know you have to, you know,
take a step back and uh, you know, I like
yourself to be compress and then so make the best
decision for yourself.

Speaker 7 (17:03):
It's safe to say that an extensions with Hinge on
the conversations that you have without the myallups.

Speaker 3 (17:14):
I mean, there'll be something coming that'll do it.

Speaker 1 (17:15):
For this episode of the From the Podium podcast, be
sure to like and subscribe to the show wherever you
get your podcasts. Keep it locked to Cleveland Browns daily
each weekday, and follow the Browns on social media for
more coverage from the Cross Country Mortgage Campus right here
in Berea. I'm Gabe Kleura. Thanks for listening to the
From the Podium podcast.
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