Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns intend to ban the fan who hit team owner Jimmy Haslam with a bottle during Sunday's 31-30 loss to the New York Jets, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

As Haslam was walking toward the Browns' tunnel following a touchdown from Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, a fan threw a bottle that hit Haslam in the leg.

The Browns said in a statement:

"Fan, player and staff safety is the top priority in our building and behavior that puts others in danger will not be tolerated. Luckily no one was harmed in this incident and as a standard practice, we've cooperated with law enforcement authorities and security video footage of the object being thrown is in the appropriate hands. We will have no further comment on this matter."

TMZ later reported that Jeffery Miller was identified as the fan and arrested inside the stadium. He was charged with disorderly conduct, failure to comply with a lawful order and assault.

The Browns and Jets entered halftime at FirstEnergy Stadium tied 14-14. Cleveland held a 17-14 lead entering the fourth quarter, but New York went on to score 17 points in the final frame in what was a frustrating loss for the Browns.

Jets veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who is filling in for the injured Zach Wilson, completed 26 of 44 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns in the win.

Wilson is recovering from knee surgery on an injury he suffered during the preseason. He remains on track to start Week 4.

Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who is starting in place of the suspended Deshaun Watson, had a solid performance, completing 22 of 27 passes for 229 yards and one touchdown against one interception.

Watson was suspended 11 games and fined $5 million for violating the NFL's personal-conduct policy. Twenty-four women filed civil lawsuits against Watson alleging sexual assault or misconduct during massage sessions. He has reached confidential settlements with 23 of those women.

One of the most frustrating moments of Sunday's game for Cleveland came when running back Nick Chubb rushed in for his third touchdown of the game with 1:55 left in the fourth quarter. While the score gave the Browns a 30-17 lead, it left plenty of time on the clock for Flacco and the Jets to make a comeback.

Flacco connected with Corey Davis on a 66-yard touchdown, cutting Cleveland's lead to 30-24. The Jets then recovered the onside kick and Wilson went on to score the game-winner.

While it was a frustrating loss for the Browns, it's no excuse for fans to be hurling objects toward the field.

The Browns will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday at FirstEnergy Stadium before traveling to face the Atlanta Falcons.

Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb told reporters he shouldn't have scored his third and final touchdown en route to his team's 31-30 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday.

Chubb amassed 113 yards from scrimmage and three scores. His third touchdown came with 1:55 left in the fourth quarter to give the Browns a 30-17 lead.

The former Georgia star could have fallen before the goal line and allowed the Browns to run out the clock, as the Jets were out of timeouts.

Still, though, Chubb's performance was spectacular, and the Browns defense and special teams ultimately cost the team the game after New York scored a quick touchdown, recovered an onside kick and then added another score for the one-point victory.

Browns kicker Cade York also missed the extra point after Chubb's last touchdown.

Prior to the Chubb score, the Browns had 1st-and-10 from the Jets' 12-yard line. Chubb would have needed to fall somewhere between the first-down marker at the 2-yard line and the goal line.

In his defense, there wasn't a lot of space to fall down and still get the first, and with three Jets defenders in pursuit, there wasn't a lot of time, either. In the moment, it makes sense that he scampered in for the score:

Even after the touchdown, the Browns had a 99.9 percent win probability:

Then everything that could go wrong did.

The Jets quickly scored on a 66-yard strike from quarterback Joe Flacco to wide-open receiver Corey Davis:

New York then picked up the onside kick after a scramble:

Then, the Jets went 53 yards in nine plays, capped by a Garrett Wilson touchdown catch with 22 seconds remaining:

The Browns have lived on the edge over their first two games. Their first one resulted in a 26-24 road win over the Carolina Panthers after York made a 58-yard field goal.

They don't have much time to rebound from their most recent thriller, however, as Cleveland will host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday evening.

Myles Garrett has been named an All-Pro player three times, been voted to three Pro Bowls and notched more than 10 or more sacks in each of the last four seasons.

Yet, the highest honor a defensive player can realistically achieve has eluded him to this point.

Garrett has yet to be named Defensive Player of the Year. The former No. 1 overall pick has actually never even received a vote.

That's about to change in 2022.

The 26-year-old took the opportunity in Week 1 to remind everyone he's one of the best pass-rushers in the game. Not only did he rack up two sacks, but he was also among the league's best by pretty much any other metric.

PFF did a good job of summarizing his game-wrecking antics against the Carolina Panthers:

Yes, Garrett was taking advantage of a matchup against rookie left tackle Ikem Ekwonu. The Panthers' coaching staff didn't exactly do a great job of helping out their first-round pick either.

The 21-year-old was often left isolated going against one of the league's premier edge-rushers, and the results were about what you would expect:

Even when they did offer him some help, it didn't really matter. Garrett proceeded to just beat both of them on his way to sack No. 2:

Garrett's focus and intensity shouldn't come as a surprise. He's always been capable of taking over a game, and Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods tried to warn the league before the season.

“It’s just different,” he said about the defensive end's approach to this season. “I don’t know. It’s just like he has a mindset to dominate and it’s just the focus. You can see it. It’s not that I am talking to him a lot–it is just like, ‘Man.’ Definitely looking forward to him having a big season for us.”

The Browns are going to need it. Much of the focus on Week 1 was on Baker Mayfield and the "revenge game" taking place between the 2018 No. 1 pick and his former employer.

Ultimately, the Browns got the bragging rights, but it wasn't easy. Cleveland needed a 58-yard field goal in the final 10 seconds and a near-flawless game from its offensive line just to beat the Panthers by two points.

Awards are not just a statistical contest. Narratives matter. If the Browns are going to remain in playoff contention while Deshaun Watson serves his 11-game suspension and Jacoby Brissett leads the offense, they have only one path to victory.

They are going to have to dominate the line of scrimmage on offense, lean heavily on the run game and boast one of the league's best defenses.

If they can even float around .500 over the next 10 games of the season, the Browns defense and run game are going to be a big part of their success.

Leading the way in that department will be Garrett.

Of course, winning the award is going to take some breaks. He probably already got one in the form of reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt suffering a pectoral injury that is reportedly going to cost him at least a month.

That could set up a two-man race between Garrett and Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons. The versatile defender also had two sacks in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Parsons is a formidable foe after finishing second as a rookie. Just like Garrett he's going to have to help carry a defense that needs to be elite while Dak Prescott recovers from a thumb injury.

Whoever is able to help keep their team afloat while terrorizing opposing quarterbacks is going to be in the driver's seat for the award this year.

The Cleveland Browns aren't used to being 1-0, but that's exactly what they are in 2022.

Cleveland stunned the Carolina Panthers with a 26-24 victory in Sunday's season opener with kicker Cade York playing the role of hero. York made all four of his field goals, including a 58-yarder with eight seconds remaining to give the Browns the win.

Panthers reporter Joe Person noted Cleveland won in Week 1 for the first time since the 2004 campaign.

The biggest storyline for this one was the matchup between the Browns and former Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield. The AFC North team decided to go a different route this offseason when it brought in Deshaun Watson and eventually traded Mayfield to the Panthers.

He struggled for much of the game before he scored on the ground and then posted a 75-yard touchdown pass to Robbie Anderson in the fourth quarter. It still wasn't enough, though, and he finished 16-of-27 passing for 235 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The Browns will look to build on their best start in recent history with a Week 2 showdown with the New York Jets.

Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt, who will be a free agent next offseason, took the high road when asked about not getting the contract extension or trade he reportedly desired.

Zac Jackson of The Athletic provided the remarks.

CBS Sports' Josina Anderson reported on Aug. 6 that Hunt was sitting out team drills during training camp in hopes of landing a contract extension.

One day later, ESPN reported that Hunt asked for a trade, but the Browns declined his request. He returned to practice in full on Aug. 8.

The 27-year-old Hunt is entering his sixth NFL season. Last year, calf and ankle injuries limited him to just 560 total yards and five touchdowns in eight games.

However, Hunt excelled in his last healthy season (2020), totaling 1,145 yards and 11 touchdowns for a Browns team that made the playoffs for the first time since 2002.

He's set to back up starter Nick Chubb, although the run-heavy Browns offense should feature plenty of Hunt as well. Cleveland will get its season going on Sunday at home against the Carolina Panthers.

Myles Garrett left Baker Mayfield on read.

Garrett said he didn't respond to his former Cleveland Browns teammate after a farewell text.

"He said he appreciated the time we got to spend together and getting to know each other and growing together," Garrett told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "I really I didn't say anything. I didn't really have much to say and I didn't know how reply to it, so I didn't."

Garrett and Mayfield, both No. 1 overall draft picks, spent four years together in Cleveland before Mayfield was traded to the Carolina Panthers in July. The two will now go head-to-head in Week 1.

There were certainly positive moments involving Mayfield and Garrett, including the 2020 season that featured the Browns' first playoff win since 1994.

The two still had their differences, which Garrett referenced:

I read (the text) but you know, there were some disagreements we had at a base level and I’m not mad at the guy or feeling any way towards it, but I just didn’t know how to reply to that, so I didn't. But I still think he's a hell of a competitor and he's a great guy to have on your side and I'm rooting for him. I think he has a great family, but he's the opposition now, and at the end of the day, I've got to take him out.

Mayfield possibly feels the same way, reportedly saying, "I'm gonna f--k them up."

The quarterback had wanted a fresh start throughout the offseason, requesting a trade even before the team acquired Deshaun Watson. It came after years worth of frustration with the organization, per ESPN's Jake Trotter.

The issues also went the other direction.

Per Cabot, Garrett was upset that Mayfield spoke against him on television after his 2019 suspension. The defensive end also had a problem with how the situation with Odell Beckham Jr. ended last season.

The strained relationship was apparently enough for Garrett to not even send a return text to his former teammate.

The Seattle Seahawks reportedly offered quarterback Russell Wilson to the Cleveland Browns as part of a proposed trade for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft.

ESPN's Brady Henderson reported Wednesday the Browns "weren't interested" in the idea but it led Wilson's agent, Mark Rodgers, to secure a no-trade clause in the QB's next contract that gave him greater control over his future.

Wilson was ultimately traded to the Denver Broncos in March, ending a 10-year tenure with the Seahawks.

The quarterback's growing frustration in Seattle became evident when he went on a media tour surrounding the Super Bowl in February 2021 where he aired his grievances.

Now it appears his stay with the Seahawks nearly ended three years before that if the Browns would have been willing to put the top draft pick on the table.

Of course, Cleveland opted to stay put and selected Baker Mayfield, who failed to establish himself as a franchise quarterback across four seasons before getting dealt to the Carolina Panthers in July.

His trade came after the Browns rebuilt their quarterback room with Deshaun Watson, Jacoby Brissett and Joshua Dobbs over the offseason.

It's always interesting to analyze the trickle-down effect of moves that weren't made. If Wilson lands with the Browns, do the Seahawks take Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen or Josh Rosen with the No. 1 pick? It's an obvious choice now, but back then it was a debate.

Meanwhile, Cleveland wouldn't have been in the market for a quarterback this offseason, which would have shaken up the QB trade market.

It worked out fine for Wilson, however, as he lands within a Broncos offense featuring no shortage of playmakers in the talent-laden AFC West.

Fittingly, his time with Denver begins with a road trip to face the Seahawks in Week 1.

"Obviously, Seattle's meant the world to me over the past 10 years," Wilson told reporters in May. "It's a special place. It's a special place to play, Lumen Field. I have high regard for all those guys over there and what they do."

Although his run with the Hawks didn't end on a high note, he enjoyed plenty of success during his decade with the franchise, including nine Pro Bowl selections and the Super Bowl XLVIII title.

He should receive a hero's welcome on Monday night.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has steadily improved in each of his first five seasons, and he's reportedly expected to take another step in 2022.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler polled multiple NFL executives, and Garrett was selected as the player most likely to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year this season over Aaron Donald, T.J. Watt and others.

Garrett earned his third Pro Bowl selection and was named first-team All-Pro for the second straight year in 2021 after posting career highs of 51 total tackles and 16 sacks. The 2017 No. 1 overall pick has established himself as one of the most disruptive defensive players in the league.

One NFC team official told Fowler, "Nobody's Aaron Donald, but [Garrett's] got that quality that he can just physically dominate you. One of the few guys you have to account for at every moment."

Despite his impressive statistics, some believe Garrett hasn't reached his potential and Cleveland's improved roster could help him do that this year.

"Feels like he hasn't had his signature season yet—that might be coming," an NFC executive said. "He's got more talent around him and a better secondary so that could free him up."

The Browns face an uphill battle this season after quarterback Deshaun Watson was suspended for the first 11 games, leaving veteran backup Jacoby Brissett to steer the ship until he returns. While the offense might see some growing pains, Garrett said he plans to make sure the defense is dominant.

"No matter what happens, the defense is going to do what they do," Garrett said in July. "Last time I heard, [the opponent] can't win if they don't score points. ... The offense always needs our best. So it's not going to change whether he's not on the field or he is on the field."

A motivated Garrett will surely benefit the Browns as they try to stay afloat without Watson. Cleveland opens the season on Sunday in a road game against the Carolina Panthers, whose starting quarterback is former Browns star Baker Mayfield.

Although the Cleveland Browns will be without Deshaun Watson for the first 11 games of the 2022 NFL season, Amari Cooper is expected to get plenty of looks in the passing game.

The Athletic's Zac Jackson reported Tuesday that Cleveland is "going to keep Cooper busy, and fantasy players should take note."

Jacoby Brissett is in line to start at quarterback until Watson is eligible to return. While that could impact the threat Cooper poses downfield, Jackson added Brissett is likely to target the four-time Pro Bowler "frequently at short and intermediate range."

Cooper is coming off a somewhat disappointing 2021 season. He caught 68 passes for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. His reception and yardage totals were his lowest since 2017.

Part of that was because of increased competition from CeeDee Lamb, who caught 79 balls for 1,102 receiving yards en route to his first Pro Bowl.

That kind of dynamic probably won't emerge in Cleveland. Neither Donovan Peoples-Jones nor David Bell should overshadow Cooper to a similar degree.

If you were banking on the 28-year-old to benefit from change of scenery, then you might be in luck.