Jarvis Landry starred in the first episode of Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday night.
The receiver, acquired in an offseason trade with the Dolphins, not only mesmerizes General Manager John Dorsey and teammates with his hands, but he delivers a speech that steals the show.
An HBO spokesman promised Adam Schefter of ESPN earlier Tuesday that Landry’s speech would rank among the top five all time for Hard Knocks. The claim wasn’t overstated.
Exactly halfway through the show, Landry asked to talk during a receivers meeting.
“I don’t know what the [expletive] has been going on here,” Landry said to his teammates, “and I don’t know why it’s been going on. But if you’re not hurt, like if your hamstring ain’t falling off, [expletive] gone; your leg ain’t broke. Like you should be [expletive] practicing. Straight up. Like that [expletive] is weakness, and that [expletive] is contagious as [expletive], and that [expletive] ain’t going to be in this room, bro. That [expletive] been here in the past, and that’s why the past has been like it is, bro. That [expletive] is over with here, bro. If you’re going to [expletive] practice, [expletive] practice. You can’t get no better. Ain’t nobody going to get better by being on the [expletive] sideline if you ain’t [expletive] hurt. If you’re not [expletive] hurt, you’ve got to [expletive] practice. Because you make other [expletive] work even [expletive] harder. Now they’re at more [expletive] risk of getting hurt, because you don’t want to [expletive] practice, because you’re being a [expletive]. Straight up, man. That [expletive] is [expletive] real, bro. That [expletive] ain’t happening here. I’m just letting y’all know. That [expletive] is not [expletive] happening here. I’m hurt and I’m tired just like every [expletive] body in this room, but I ain’t taking no [expletive] days off, because I can’t be [expletive] great that way. That’s got to be the [expletive] attitude and the mentality all the [expletive] time. All that ‘me’ [expletive] don’t [expletive] live here no more. That [expletive] don’t exist. It’s contagious, bro. Like it’s really [expletive] contagious. It’s contagious.”
In an interview with the NFL Films crew later, Landry said the speech was somewhat out of character for him.
“You know I’m not really much of a talker,” Landry said. “When I do talk, it takes a lot before it comes out. At the same time, I try to talk with the best interest of the team and not just myself, pushing the guys, holding the guys accountable and just going and leading by example.”
Landry impressed the Browns just as much on the practice field.
During the team’s scrimmage, Landry makes a one-handed catch, prompting Dorsey to excitedly say, “Oh, my Lord. Did you see that? One hand. One hand.”
A teammate yells, “We got us a playmaker.”
The death of Hue Jackson’s brother and mother within two weeks of each other also plays a big part in the first episode. Jackson tells his sister, Kimberely, on the phone, that “it’s only me and you now, girl.”
The coach later shares a group hug with Dorsey, director of football operations Simon Gelan and senior vice president of communications Peter John-Baptiste before breaking down in tears as the three exit the room.
Also of note: Offensive coordinator Todd Haley questioned Jackson on the veteran days off philosophy, arguing the team had too much to do to have players sitting around doing nothing when they weren’t hurt; and Baker Mayfield had $14.2 million of his $22 million signing bonus paid up front.