Hard Knocks season 13, episode 1 recap: Cleveland Browns

MIAMI GARDENS, FL – NOVEMBER 19: Jarvis Landry #14 of the Miami Dolphins makes the catch for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Hard Rock Stadium on November 19, 2017 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Injured Players

The focus here starts out on Jarvis Landry.

He said that the Miami Dolphins doesn’t have the area where the fans yell and chant his name. Landry joined the team in April and the footage showed both his amazing catches as well as his crazy workouts where he balances himself on half balls while catching balls.

We then moved on to the camp practices with Jarvis Landry catching passes all over the field. He then explains his catch-phrase – “Bless ‘em.” He says “bless ‘em” to every defensive back that he burns.

In a team meeting, Jarvis Landry walked to the front of the room and said that he doesn’t know what is going on. He then said that if people don’t have a broken leg, they need to be out there practicing. He said that weakness is contagious. Landry also said that this is why things were so bad in the past, but that was the past. He said no one will ever get better if they are sitting on the sidelines unless they are hurt.

He went off, saying that people who won’t practice are making other people work harder and that could cause other people to get hurt because you are being an [explicative]. Landry said he is tired and hurt but he won’t take any days off because he can’t be great if he does. He then said that weakness doesn’t live there anymore.

Interestingly, Landry then said in an interview at his home that he doesn’t talk much but he wants to hold people accountable and lead by example. They then showed his family and he said they want to make this their home and they will be here for a while. He calls being in Cleveland is a blessing because it makes them an underdog and he just wants to win.

Up next is the listing in a meeting of Cleveland Browns players who are injured and need rest. First-year running back coach Freddie Kitchens (he was with the Cardinals in 2017) asks if the hurt players can still dress for practice and be there even if they don’t practice. Jackson said no and said that it is all for preventative measures (Duke Johnson is the example given here).

Jackson is challenged here, with one coach saying that players not doing anything will not help them turn around the team’s success. Jackson said he used to believe that when he was an assistant but now that he is a head coach, he knows that risking losing them is not an unfounded fear because that will hurt the team more than them not practicing.

The coach admits that he has seen enough to be encouraged, although he looks to not agree with his head coach at all. Jackson thanks him for that and reminds the coaches that he is driving the bus and as he was told by senior offensive assistant coach Al Saunders, this is his team to run how he wants. He said they will always have these discussions to make the team better, but he makes the final call.