Browns Culture To Motivate Andrew Berry In The 2024 Offseason
The story of the 2023 Cleveland Browns is injuries. The team that went to the Greenbrier in July was nothing like the team that was playing in Houston on January 13th.
The adversity that this team faced was unlike any team has ever faced in a long time. By the end of the season, Cleveland had 19 players on the injured reserve list and many others dealing with significant injuries.
No matter who was injured or who was available, it didn't matter for the Browns. They lived the "next man up" mantra and in doing so, built an incredible culture.
Dec 28, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns players take the field before the game against the New York Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Culture is a tough word to define. At the same time that everyone can explain culture, it means something different to every person and every team.
To this Browns team culture meant fighting through adversity, stepping up for their teammate and doing anything that it takes to win. It is preaching the next man up and going 1-0 each week.
Two leaders of this Cleveland Browns team put their culture on display while Cleveland was down and out against Houston.
In Andrew Berry's end-of-year press conference on Monday, he told the story of Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller finishing the year for their teammates.
The condensed version of Berry's story started when the Browns were trailing by three or four scores and Bitonio went into the locker room with a significant high ankle sprain. Instead of ending his season right there, Bitonio came back out for Cleveland and made sure he finished the game for his teammates.
Then, Teller suffered a calf strain, one that had him in a boot come the next morning. Berry watched Teller hobble around and couldn't help but think that he needed to come out.
Berry recalls thinking in that moment, "this is really cool. two of our veteran players with really nothing to play for but realized in that moment that this was the last time this specific group was going to play together, forever."
For many, those two playing didnt mean much or we didnt even notice it. For Berry, he marked it down. "We have something here," said Berry. "that visual is going to be the thing that motivates me this offseason."
