(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
JuJu Smith-Schuster made headlines last week when asked by the media if the Cleveland Browns are a different team and if they have a more successful vibe. Smith-Schuster used a classic Tomlinism in his reply back, but some took his answer as disrespectful toward the Browns.
"I think they're still the same Browns team I play every year," Smith-Schuster said. "I think they're nameless gray faces. They have a couple good players on their team, but at the end of the day, I don't know. The Browns is the Browns. It's one of those things, AFC North football. They're a good team. I'm just happy we're playing them again."
Browns' players caught wind of Smith-Schuster's comments and used them as bulletin board material. Baker Mayfield posted a hype up video on Instagram before yesterday's game and had a caption that said "the Browns is the Browns." Myles Garrett also posted a video on Instagram that had Smith-Schuster's comments playing in the background.
After the Browns upset the Steelers, 38-27, last night in the wild-card playoff game and captured their first win at Heinz Field since 2003, players on the Browns ran off the field yelling "Browns is the Browns!"
"Any talk like that is going to be disrespectful to anybody on any team," Garrett said after the game about Smith-Schuster's comment. "We definitely did not appreciate it. I think we made that known tonight with our performance. We just have to carry on with this momentum we have getting this big win in their house. I think we have what it takes to keep it going."
Smith-Schuster said he didn't regret his remarks regarding the Browns being the Browns.
"I don't regret what I said, they came out and they played a hell of a game,” Smith-Schuster stated. "You know, there's been games where we feel we lose them, and today wasn't our night, and hopefully the same Browns will show up next week. ... and go out and do the same thing they did tonight and have a hell of a game.”
Smith-Schuster might not regret his statement, but the Browns definitely used it as extra motivation. Mayfield was in the tunnel after the game shouting "Browns is the Browns!" and Kareem Hunt and Jarvis Landry trolled Smith-Schuster on social media after their win. They are already thinking about making "Browns is the Browns" shirts in Cleveland.