Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has reportedly given his blessing for offensive lineman JC Tretter to serve as a player-coach for their crucial Week 17 tilt against the Pittsburgh Steelers, per ESPN‘s Kimberley Martin. The move was made in lieu of offensive line coach Bill Callahan's absence due to the observance of COVID-19 protocols.
As I mentioned on NFL Countdown, #Browns HC Kevin Stefanski told me he’ll use JC Tretter as a player-coach w/ Bill Callahan sidelined: “I'm going to hand him the Surface (laptop) and have him sit in the middle and talk to his linemates about what he's seeing” during the game
— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) January 3, 2021
JC Tretter is currently playing in his eighth season in the league and has been a mainstay for the Browns since the 2017 season. His vocal leadership eventually led him to be elected as the President of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) back in March.
Bill Callahan's absence in Week 17 was linked to the recent COVID-19 outbreak within the Browns organization that led them to shut down the team's training facility over the past few days.
The Browns also previously missed the services of wide receivers Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and KhaDarel Hodge in their Week 16 game against the New York Jets. Their absence proved costly for the Browns as they suffered a 23-16 defeat which led to their all-important game against the Steelers.
Not only Callahan but also a handful of players won't be suiting up for the Browns in their matchup against the Steelers. Linebackers Malcolm Smith and B.J. Goodson, safety Andrew Sendejo, along with cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Kevin Johnson are all ruled out on Sunday. Meanwhile, tight end Harrison Bryant could still make a return on the field along with safety Karl Joseph after they were placed on the team's COVID-19/reserve list.
Even without a number of their players, the Browns are still raring to defend their home turf against their division rivals and ultimately put an end to their 17-year postseason drought with a victory on Sunday.
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