Agent Jerome Stanley recently claimed that a Saturday walk-through that became a full-blown Browns practice in the rain resulted in a season-ending injury to receiver Syndric Steptoe.
After a Sunday scrimmage, coach Eric Mangini disputed the notion that Steptoe’s injury can be pinned on the head coach.
“Seventy-nine other guys were able to practice effectively,” Mangini said in remarks circulated by the team. “Really, the play that he was injured on, laying out for the ball, I don’t think it had anything to do with the elements.”
And Mangini applauded Steptoe for the effort that resulted in the shoulder injury. “It was a great effort play,” Mangini said. “He just wasn’t able to bring the ball in. It was in typical Syndric style. He always gives that type of effort. He was trying to go up and get the ball.”