As Browns coach Romeo Crennel fired back at comments from multiple players who believe that one or more teammates “quit” during last Thursday’s game against the Broncos, multiple sources tell us that one of the players about whom running back Jamal Lewis was speaking is defensive tackle Shaun Smith.
“He never shuts the f–k up,” one source said, “and he acts like he has been to 25 Pro Bowls. . . . In Jamal Lewis’ tirade he had Shaun Smith squarely in his sights — although Smith is oblivious to it.”
But in the opinion of Crennel, there are no quitters on the team.
“When you say that the team quit, that’s saying that I quit,” Crennel said on Wednesday. “I know that I’m not a quitter and my players don’t quit.”
Only a few days ago, Crennel offered a different assessment: “We have to look at everybody and see who’s not carrying their load and who’s not holding up their end of it,” Crennel said. “We have to see if we have other people available to try to motivate them.”
In our view, once receiver/kick returner Josh Cribbs turned the Lewis remarks into a growing chorus of discontent, Crennel likely realized that he’s the one who’ll take the fall if it becomes widely believed that the players aren’t giving their all.
Frankly, we think it’s too late for tough talk from Crennel. Unless his team runs the table, Crennel’s time as coach of the Browns will likely be ending.