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Gregg Williams: Browns believe because they see bright future for team

Interim coach Gregg Williams believes the Cleveland Browns are buying into concepts because they are seeing just how good they can be.
Credit: Scott Galvin
Cleveland Browns head coach Gregg Williams yells at his players to huddle up before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.

Since Gregg Williams took over as interim coach while remaining defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns on Monday, October 29 after the dismissals of former coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley, he has reminded the players there are no limits to what they can do.

Despite a losing record and slim chances at the postseason at the time of the dismissals, that self-confidence has resulted in the Browns winning three of their five games with Williams leading the team’s on-field efforts.

“A feeling of improvement of understanding about how good we can be and the buy-in approach that they understand it is more about us than the opponent and do not get wrapped up in the opponent so much that we do not focus on us enough,” Williams said earlier this week.

“I did not say ‘me as an individual’ because sometimes, there are certain players that get awful focused about themselves. You have to get them to buy into us. We have good leadership behind the scenes that buys into any other people that start wandering off into individualism. They have bought into the ‘us’ part of it. That has been good.”

Credit: Ken Blaze
Cleveland Browns head coach Gregg Williams talks with quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

According to Williams, in order to be a successful coach, individuals have to be motivators in life first and football second.

“You can’t believe how many guys -- well, you guys can -- when you take a look at the backgrounds on some of these young men and the things that they have overcome in life to get to where they get the opportunity to be right here,” Williams said.

“It is not just ability. There is an awful lot of other discipline, concentration and focus issues that they have to be able to do to get an opportunity to be at this level and to play at this level. It is the same circumstance with me.”

Credit: Derick E. Hingle
Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Gregg Williams looks on during the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

Williams knows a thing or two about having long odds to get to the NFL.

Once passed over for a high school head coaching job, Williams went to another school and took over its program. Williams stayed with Belton (Missouri) High School for four seasons before moving onto the University of Houston as a graduate assistant coach, and later, the Houston Oilers’ staff.

“I wanted to be a head high school coach, wanted to coach college and wanted to coach in the NFL, and they laughed at me,” Williams said. “Twenty-six years later, everybody who was on that committee had to come back in town and take a picture of the Super Bowl trophy with me.”

More than showing off to those who passed over him for a previous job, Williams reflected on the best part of the coaching profession, and the answer was simple: the relationships built by sharing the football field.

“Believing in the responsibility factor and understanding that as we grow through experience and being around a lot of different people, sometimes, we labor over things that are not very important,” Williams said.

“Just focus on the things that are important, and that is the routine of accountability for these guys and the function of every, single day being that way. Say what you mean, mean what you say in respect to everybody is accountable not just a player, but a coach or a trainer. Everybody is. That was the big calming part of it.”

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