May 24, 2013

Browns Suspend Kellen Winslow

October 21, 2008 by 29 Comments

Just two days after tight end Kellen Winslow voiced his displeasure with the way the team handled his recent bout with staph infection, the Browns have handed him a one game suspension.  He will not take part in team activities until Monday, October 27th.

For the record, I am not in agreement with the way this is being handled.  With a team that allegedly has a “commitment to winning,” they sure are not proving themselves on or off of the field.  Suspending your best player for sticking up for what he believes – and what we all know – is a serious issue?  One-game suspensions were given to Brandon Marshall for a DUI, and Plaxico Burress for missing a team activity (after countless fines).

The official release is after the jump.

**

STATEMENT FROM BROWNS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER

PHIL SAVAGE REGARDING SUSPENSION OF TE KELLEN WINSLOW

The Cleveland Browns are committed to winning and taking care of our players. We are also committed to protecting the privacy of our players, particularly with regard to medical issues. To that end, following discussions with Kellen Winslow and his representation, the Browns agreed to make every effort to maintain the confidentiality of his recent medical condition.

As an organization, we have worked hard to ensure the safety and well-being of our players. Consistent with this effort, we have consulted the team’s medical experts to ensure that any instances of staph infections are evaluated and treated thoroughly and expeditiously, and in accordance with the recommended standard of care. Further, steps have been and continue to be taken on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis to protect our players and personnel at our training facility and stadium.

During training camp, the entire team took part in an extensive presentation by experts in the field of infectious diseases. It was an educational meeting that informed players of the issues, how to prevent and minimize the risks of infection, and what preventative measures we as an organization had employed to assure maximum safety for the team combined with a Q&A session for the players. Kellen was in attendance at that meeting. Since that meeting, not one player has approached me, Romeo Crennel, or our medical staff with concerns as to how we have dealt with this issue.

Kellen has expressed his desire to be a productive member of the Cleveland Browns. His comments and behavior on Sunday evening, however, were unwarranted, inappropriate, and unnecessarily disparaging to our organization. His statements brought unjustified negative attention to our organization, and violated the team-first concept of our football squad. Therefore, disciplinary action will be taken in the form of a one-game suspension without pay for conduct detrimental to the club.

Beginning Wednesday, the focus of the coaches and players will be on preparing for the upcoming game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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  • http://justrubsomesugaronit.blogspot.com I’m Ron Burgundy?

    That empty ringing sound?

    That’s the sound of nothing going on inside Savage’s head.

    At least he didn’t take it personally…

  • http://www.theclevelandsportsanimal.com Dan W

    This is ridiculous. In no way, shape, or form are Winslow’s comments detrimental to his teammates or coaches. Bottom line, Savage is embarrassed that the media found out the Browns had anothe player come down with a staph infection. I can see him suspending Winslow if he ripped a teammate or coach, but this is just an abuse of power.

  • B-bo

    Ok, now my mind is made up: go get Bill Cowher immediately. Give him coach AND GM powers, and show Savage the door. What an absolute joke.

  • CJG

    Where do I begin on this poorly written press release?

    “As an organization, we have worked hard to ensure the safety and well-being of our players.”
    -So why do your players keep getting staph infections? From what I gather Staph is not your common cold, flu, or toothache. Its a serious disease that can cause infections, pneumonia, among other hospital worthy issues. Not too bright to discourage openness about being sick by slapping players around for voicing their displeasure about facilities.

    “Since that meeting, not one player has approached me, Romeo Crennel, or our medical staff with concerns as to how we have dealt with this issue.”
    -Oh that would be just precious to see a huge NFL player-three times my size- approach Savage or Crennel and complain about the health conditions. Just precious.

    Is this guy serious? Maybe I am overreacting….I am basing this dissatisfaction over the idea that a very possible source of this staph plague is caused by Bathroom pipes bursting during the Kenny Chesney concert and creating a cesspool of infectious water. Someone set me straight if I am wrong on that one.

  • TampaBrett

    This is absolutely ridiculous.

  • Ben

    What happens when the commish gets involved?

    If the Browns are telling players to cover up staph that becomes a league issue to me. If I was Kellen the lawsuit against the Browns and the Clinic would be filed in the morning.

    Savage needs to go. Yesterday.

  • DCBucks

    Rock? Rock? Are you still with us? Step away from the ledge. There you go. That a boy. Now take a deep breath.

    Savage really screwed the pooch on this one. I would appeal suspension and get my lawyer started on suing the Browns, the NFL, and the Cleveland Clinic for gross negligence. Then I’d refuse to play another down for the Cleveland Browns.

    I stopped watching the Cavs sometime after the Mark Price teams because of the same ineptitude from their front office. I am now at the same point with the Browns. When they get it together, and start winning… no not even winning, but just change the competence of the front office, then I’ll come back. Until then, I have plenty of other ways of making myself go mental.

  • S-Dub

    Ben that is wats wrong with our society, too ready to sue for anything and everything. The Staph probably can’t be traced back to the Browns or the Clinic anyway so the law suit wouldn’t get to the front door. Not to mention it’s not like the Browns haven’t made it publicly known that they have rigorously tried to disinfect their facilities.

    That being said. It’s BS that these infections are career threatening injuries to these players and I would be severely pissed if i were them I.E. Winslow. And now with this suspension coupled with JJ probably hitting the IR sometime soon, BE not being able to even catch a cold, Anderson with his deer in the headlights look, and romeo just waiting to get to the post-game spread……We’re screwed.

  • whipjacka

    I once watched a video on how to avoid the flu. I ended up getting the flu.

    I don’t know what the relevance of this “educational meeting that informed players of the issues, how to prevent and minimize the risks of infection” is. Is Savage blaming K2 for contracting Staph? Is he saying that it is not the fault of the organization that staph has been dwelling in that training facility for the last four years?

    This is too bizarre. I agree with B-bo. Get Savage out of there. For such a great GM, he doesn’t seem to have a good record(22-34).

  • DCBucks

    They should fine Braylon for every time he dropped a pass, or Crennel for every wasted timeout. Then they could lower ticket prices.

  • whipjacka

    S-dub, you don’t think it is illegal to try to cover up a recurring disease and suspend somebody for speaking to a health issue? I think there is definitely a provable link to the Browns and staph infection. How many cases around league compared to cleveland?

  • Ben

    S-Dub I agree 100% that it is a major problem in our society. The problem is that Savage dropped an H-Bomb on a whistleblower. I want names. Kellen, please tell us which member of the Browns told you to cover this up.

    The bottom line is that we may not see Kellen ever again in a Browns uniform. Why? Because he got a little emotional after a loss and told the truth. Savage is a joke. This team is circling the drain.

  • Victory

    Lmao. Kellen is the best player on the team. Browns a joke. I’m glad they not my favorite team. Go bills!

  • Bobby

    Hey Victory…Wide Right

    /Low Blow
    //Bitter about this move

  • whipjacka

    wasn’t this much funner when we all thought Winslow had ginormous balls?

  • Biff

    Hello, Philadelphia Eagles? Hi, this is Phil Savage calling. I know we told you last week that Mr. Winslow wasn’t available but I’m happy to announce that we’ve changed our minds! What’s that? The trade deadline has passed? Ah, yes, well then apparently I have been mistaken.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com RockKing

    This is all about Savage’s ego now. Nothing more, nothing less. Someone look at Winslow’s actual quotes and tell me what he said that is worthy of suspension.

    We blast athletes all the time for not saying anything and for sugar coating everything. Nothing makes me more angry than listening to DA and Romeo constantly tell us everything is pretty much ok. But Winslow is honest and speaks his mind, and Savage suspends him? Wow. I just……

    I…….

    I can’t say anything else. My blood is boiling and my frustration is at an all time high. The Browns’ “commitment to winning”? THEN BENCH DA. FIRE ROMEO. SHAKE THINGS UP. Don’t suspend your best player for doing nothing wrong other than being honest. The Browns have had 7 instances of staph infection now. You can’t hide this or sweep it under the rug. It’s real, and it’s a problem. We lost LeCharles to it, we lost Joe Jurevicius this year to it, and now we lost Winslow to it. Please, Randy Lerner…..PLEASE, do something about this.

    Hey, can someone get DA to speak his mind? Maybe then Phil can suspend him, too, and something good can actually come out of this.

  • CJG

    @RockKing

    ….That idea about DA speaking his mind is just crazy enough to work.

  • Lars

    Stupid, stupid, stupid.

    And yet we’ll be treated to yet another craptastic qb’ing effort.

  • Victory

    Ha ha yea sorry guys. I like the browns but they not my favorite team. I like the browns mostly cuz winslow. Ever heard of freedom of speech phil?

  • http://justrubsomesugaronit.blogspot.com I’m Ron Burgundy?

    BILLS
    Boy
    I
    Love
    Losing
    Super Bowls

  • http://www.pike27.net/rfn/ dave p.

    As a former Bengals fan (yeah, I know) who watched the Bengals put up with BS from Pickens, Dillon, Ocho Sucko, etc. over the years, I’m happy (as a newly converted Browns fan) to see Winslow put in his place. Shut up and play football.

    As for the staph issues, can folks think systematically about this for a minute? People are acting like the locker room is an open sewage pit. Some of these happened at the Cleveland Clinic which, last time I checked, is pretty well thought of. Staph infections also happen when the patient isn’t careful enough in dealing with his wounds. There’s no pattern here — just some seriously bad luck.

  • Swig

    Maybe they’ll recapture the magic from the Giants game… Or not.

    6 Days…

  • Cowher for HC

    How ridiculous.

    Can someone please start a “fire Savage” website or pledge or something? Everything bad that happened this year starts with him. It could end with him too.

    For the time being, I suggest we bring up various mistakes he has made this year. I’ll start:

    In the draft that Phil Savage called the “best in many years,” he traded everything meaningful draft pick away except for two fourth rounders, which he used on LB (a need position) and TE (well it wasn’t a need position even until he alienated our best offensive player who is just trying to prevent a life-threatening illness that is plaguing his team…)

  • Lyon

    I used to think Savage didn’t need to be fired. I don’t totally agree with all his moves, but he has brought in a better team than we previously had (not really that hard to do I guess). But to suspend a player who is already unhappy with the team, that’s just asking for him to quit on you the rest of the year. Which lowers his trade value after the season, b/c other teams now know you are getting rid of him at all costs. Thus they’ll offer less for him.

    Savage really F’d this one up. But look on the bright side… We’re going to get more Heiden like we all asked.

  • http://www.waitingfornextyear.com RockKing

    I’ve been completely happy with Savage until this year. But to give DA a long term contract when there was NO reason to do so was insane. Then, I thought he redeemed himself with the trades to bring in Rogers and Williams (Rogers has been WELL worth the price we paid, Williams not so much), but now this is just too much.

    Dave, you’re completely missing the point on the staph thing. Winslow’s issue isn’t so much the fact that he contracted his 2nd staph infection (although obviously that’s part of the concern), but that the Browns tried to get him to help them cover it up. Winslow then had to sit in a hospital bed for 3 days while we all spread rumors about his enlarged testicles, and Savage didn’t even have the decency to check in on him. Winslow didn’t say anything outrageous, and certainly nothing suspension-worthy. All he did is say that he had a staph infection (which is true) and that the Browns don’t appreciate him and what he does on the field (which is also true, seeing as how they first tried to trade him and now have suspended him). This is all about Savage’s ego, not Winslow’s.

  • http://www.pike27.net/rfn/ dave p.

    RockKing — I get that part. I was referring more to the comments of many fans and some writers who think the occurrences of staph are somehow indicative of the Browns’ incompetency (no need for that — the current handling of DA proves that just fine). I totally see your point, but if Savage is sending a message to Winslow and Rosenhaus, that’s fine with me.

  • Victory

    Lol good one bout the bills. I was only like 7-11 when they were losing those superbowls. We gonna stomp the browns on monday night. Hey since most browns fans don’t want him i’m sure 27 other teams will.

  • Real Brown

    Savage & Crennel are so tight they squeak. Savage extended Crennel’s contract based on the unusual 1st. half of last season’s performance by D. Anderson. Crennel was not in any way responsible for that by Anderson. Then Savage rewrote DA’s Contract. More money waisted. DA Stunk the last half of last season and in the SB as a replacement. I wish Mr. Lerner would get involved and Fire the two squeakers and get Bill Cowher as Head Coach & General Mgr. before it’s too late. The Squeakers comment that they are Comitted to wining is BS they are Commited to keeping their Jobs. Real Brown.

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