CLEVELAND, Ohio – Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said the team should unite and try to beat the Steelers on Sunday night, although he and four others are out of the game because of COVID-19.
“We have to find a way,” said Stefanski.
Sitting in front of a framed photo of Jim Brown facing the Steelers, he said he is disappointed by everyone who cannot be at the Wildcard game on Sunday night, including the oldest Browns player in Joel Bitonio.
But he said the players are well prepared and will know what is expected of them. He will continue to hammer the message of doing his job and winning the next game.
“The guys understand what I’m talking about, they understand what we are,” said Stefanski. “That will continue to be the message. ”
He said the Browns had no positive results today, but that they will keep the building closed and continue to work remotely, including a virtual tour at 1 pm. The NFL and its partners continue to conduct contact tracking to ensure that the building is protected from the transmission of viruses before they reopen.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin also said that no one in the Steelers organization was identified as a close contact after losing to the Browns 24-22 on Sunday. He and Stefanski, who worked together in Minnesota, had a brief encounter in the field.
Stefanski acknowledged that the offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will be responsible for the plays and that he had a large part in the game planning throughout the season.
“He knows the things we believe in,” he said. “He knows how we play. ”
Stefanski acknowledged “it is frustrating” that the team is in a COVID-19 situation because “we try to go further and we will continue to do so.” ‘
He said that he is doing well and that his family is doing well, and that he is more concerned about everyone else. He deflected most questions from his own situation, which is consistent with his behavior throughout the season. He’s been asymptomatic at this point and looked good on Zoom’s call.
He said he chose Mike Priefer as an interim coach because, as coordinator of special teams, he is involved with many players and aspects of the game. He noted that he ‘did a great job’ when he replaced Mike Zimmer in the 17-15 loss to the Cowboys in 2016, when Zimmer underwent emergency eye surgery.
He insisted that the team “is not in my image” and will be fine without him on Sunday, the club’s first playoff game in 18 years.
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