Joe Thomas Doesn’t Hold Back on Browns Front Office As Veteran Braces Shedeur Sanders for Inevitable

It’s been over two decades since the Cleveland Browns have had stability at the most crucial part of the roster: The quarterback. And it’s been an even longer time since the Dawg Pound has had a reason to smile at the end of the season. While the team did win their first playoff game in 26 years when Baker Mayfield won a 48-37 wild-card victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in January 2021, he was shipped off to the Carolina Panthers less than 18 months later, only adding to the historical struggle—think, 40 different quarterbacks starting at least one game for the team since 1999. So, evidently, the shortfall hasn’t been a coincidental one for a long time. What exactly is the issue? Former team offensive tackle Joe Thomas might have the answer.

On September 3, during the latest episode of the Glory Daze podcast, former Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel asked, “What do you feel…makes it so hard for a QB to find success in Cleveland?” While Thomas first mentioned not being able to pinpoint “anything specific”, he arrived at the unique point soon after. “I think the patience is probably a little bit less, maybe, in Cleveland than elsewhere because of the turnover that we have had, especially in the coaching position…And so we have given up on guys, coaches, quarterbacks, offensive coordinators, other position players probably sooner than we should have because there is this need, this desire to turn this thing around and win, and become that juggernaut that the fans want,” Thomas began. And he’s not exactly wrong.

Since the Browns came back as an expansion team, they’ve had a staggering 11 changes at head coaching position alone. Beginning with Chris Palmer’s short stint (1999-2000; 5-27-0), no HC has spent more than two seasons with the team, except for Butch Davis (2001 – 2004; 24-35-0), Romeo Crennel (2005 – 2008; 24-40-0), Hue Jackson (2016 – 2018; 3-36-1) and Kevin Stefanski (2020 – present; 40-44-0). But how does that even affect the signal-caller and the team at large?

Well, as per the retired veteran, “It takes time to turn the franchise around when you’re not very good. So, for a quarterback, I look at Patrick Mahomes coming into the situation that he came into. Obviously, one of the greatest talents we’ve ever had at quarterback, but he had the structure around him [at Chiefs]…And so, you have that really stabilizing, calming force at coach, at offensive coordinator that helps you work through those adverse situations, those tough times that you face as a quarterback.” 

“When you’re feeling down and your ego is low and you don’t feel confident in yourself anymore, you can lean on that person, in their experience…And it helps you kind of block out the noise around you to be able to push through and have that person put their arm around your shoulder and say, ‘Hey, it’s okay. Listen to what I’m saying. These are the things you need to work on. We believe in you. You can do these things’. Like, that goes such a long way for any position. And I imagine as a quarterback, it’s got to be huge because it’s such a mental game,” he concluded. Unfortunately, the frequent coaching changes didn’t just affect the QB mentality, but also the financial side of things.

Take Jackson, Mike Pettine, Rob Chudzinski, Eric Mangini, Crennel, Davis, Palmer and Pat Shurmur, for example. In firing the head coaches (except for Davis, who quit) the team had to handle a combined $63.4 million left on their contracts. While the Browns could work out a way with contract buyouts, taking into account the OCs and other coaching staff members relieved of their duties in that same time span, it’s going to be a mighty figure for sure. But despite Thomas’ opinions, not everything can be blamed on the coaching debacle. Sometimes, the issues lie in simple things like bad luck and bad decisions.

In April this year, team co-owner Jimmy Haslam couldn’t have been more honest when he admitted, “We took a big swing-and-miss with Deshaun [Watson]. We thought we had the quarterback; we didn’t. And we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him, so we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole. [The trade] was an entire organization decision, and it ends with Dee and I. So hold us accountable.” With Watson currently sidelined with an injury while sitting on a ground-breaking five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract, Browns’ trio of first-round pick gamble to the Texans has essentially gone to waste. And Baker Mayfield? Ideally, we’d rather not talk about that. But we will.

When Coach Jackson and OC Todd Haley picked him as the first overall pick in 2018, the expectation was Mayfield becoming the Browns’ ultimate franchise QB, with the coaching duo nurturing him. But with both coaches fired mid-season, all that the Heisman Trophy winner will be remembered for is his 6-7 rookie season (and of course, the hand injury). As for the current QB room, they aren’t exempt from struggles either…

Joe Thomas feels Shedeur Sanders will endure ups and downs

Even though the Browns are one of the few NFL franchises that have never won a Super Bowl, there’s no denying they’re still one of the most beloved teams in the league. Even Jason and Travis Kelce wanted to play for the team before their respective teams ended up drafting them. Long story short: The love is already there. But so is the pressure, very expectedly. And Sanders will feel the heat soon.

“I think when you’re a young quarterback, you come in and you’re going to have ups and downs,” Thomas added. “I don’t care if you’re Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or Shedeur Sanders. There’s going to be ups and downs. But the magnifying glass just gets bigger and bigger, and the pressure builds every time you do have a little bit of a dip.”

We’ve already seen Sanders’ ups and downs. He turned heads in the preseason opener, sure. But by the time the preseason finale wrapped up, he had already raised some eyebrows after taking five sacks. Hopefully, Stefanski will be able to wring more out of him as the season progresses. What do you think?