Browns Rookie Surprisingly Emerging as a Locker Room Leader

In a results-driven business, on-field performance is an inescapable top priority. While it can happen, it's not a given that the best player on the field automatically assumes the role of leader of the locker room. What is usually true across all clubs, though, is that their leaders prove to their teammates that they can not only talk the talk but also walk the walk when it comes to being a practicing master of their craft.

Less tangible and harder to quantify, but no less important, is the character aspect so crucial in leadership. Elite professionals at the very pinnacle of their field often have a keen eye for spotting inauthenticity and those lacking a full buy-in to team success.

For a leader to emerge, someone needs to not only understand the importance of the role but fully embrace its weighty responsibilities for the good of the group. For this to work effectively, a locker room leader cannot be arbitrarily assigned by coaches or staff, no matter how badly they may want a certain player to rise to the challenge. The decision must be an organic one, consciously made by men working toward a common goal together. With all of this in mind, we can now analyze each potential choice and determine if they have what it takes to lead their fellow Browns.

Myles Garrett Lacks Off-Field Leadership

As mentioned earlier, a likely place to find a leader is by looking first towards those with the most talent. In the Browns’ case, this individual is undoubtedly Myles Garrett. As a four-time All-Pro selection as well as 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, Garrett has proven beyond a doubt that he is at the very top of his game on the field, setting a stunning example for all to follow. Looking deeper into his qualifications as an off-the-field leader, though, doubts begin to arise.

Garrett’s commitment to the Browns franchise went up in smoke in February when Ian Rapoport published a statement from the star defensive end which read in part, “The goal was never to go from Cleveland to Canton, it has always been to compete for and win a Super Bowl. With that in mind, I have requested to be traded from the Cleveland Browns."

This sent a clear message to the franchise and its players that Garrett did not believe that the Browns were capable of winning a Super Bowl, even with his talents. This lack of confidence in his team and teammates may have been enough to preclude him from becoming a locker room leader, but his incredible skills at least motivated the team to ink a record-breaking four-year, $160 million extension for him, of which $123.5 million is guaranteed.

Even after the Brown’s enormous financial investment, Myles Garrett has yet to appear at OTAs. While completely voluntary, these practices are a chance to connect with new teammates and strengthen links within the organization. Garrett chose instead to spend his time in Japan with his new girlfriend and Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim; a tough look that has not gone unnoticed by his teammates, including  Browns DE Ogbo Okoronkwo, who recently liked a post on IG that criticized Garrett's leadership intangibles.

Joe Flacco Isn't Interested in Leadership

So if Garrett is not to be the locker room leader, perhaps the role will fall to an older, more experienced player who can use lessons learned in their long career to mentor and guide their teammates. Using this criterion, the obvious choice would be Joe Flacco, a 17-year NFL veteran, Super Bowl champion, and Super Bowl MVP.

When asked about his role in relation to the Browns' two rookie quarterbacks, Flacco made his feelings crystal clear: “I’m not a mentor. I play football,” he told the media. In his defense, this go-around with the Browns could likely be the last hurrah for the 40-year-old. After being pushed aside in Baltimore for Lamar Jackson and then becoming a journeyman for a few years, he might just want to focus on making the most of what could be his last years in the league without the added responsibility of mentoring up-and-comers gunning for his job.

Joel Bitonio Continues to Lead

Going into his 12th season as a Brown, sources all agree that Joel Bitonio has undoubtedly become a beloved and respected leader both within the team and the Cleveland community. A Browns press release was proud to announce that Bitonio would be receiving the Dino Lucarelli ‘Good Guy Award’ by the local chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America, an accolade “for his cooperation with the media and for the way the player carries himself in the community and with his teammates”.

Bitonio has won the award five times so far and continues to lead from the front both on the field and in the locker room, mentoring players and motivating everyone around him. The Browns' own website quotes Kevin Stefanski heaping praise on the All-Pro,  "He's just an amazing person, a guy I rely on a ton when talking about things that have to do with this football team...And just the way he leads, I'm always leaning on him."

So aside from Bitonio, where else might the Browns look for leaders? In a 2022 press conference, Kevin Stefanski told the media that “You don't need a C on your chest to be a leader". Three years later, those words might become more true than he ever imagined. 

Shedeur Sanders May Emerge as a Team Leader in His Rookie Campaign

As a surprise to many, Shedeur Sanders was taken by the Browns in the fifth round, even after the team had already selected another quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, in the third round. The tight four-way battle for the starting job is still underway this offseason, and each quarterback is doing all they can to stand out from the crowd. While listed a lowly fourth on the depth chart and limited in practice reps, Sanders is quietly building a reputation within the Browns organization in other ways, irrespective of his limited involvement on the practice field. 

Carrying with him the charisma and magnetism that defines his father Deion Sanders, Shedeur has been doing everything expected of him and more since becoming a Brown, not just in his capacity as an athlete but also as a poised professional in front of the media. Hinting at a potential future as a community leader, he told the press, “It’s a joy to me going to those high schools, middle schools & engaging with the younger kids". Fellow players are seeing his dedicated form of leadership firsthand. After practices during minicamp, Shedeur devoted extra time to his new teammates, throwing to rookie receivers and afterwards posting a group photo of the cohort demonstrating his talent for building bonds with others. 

Flacco and Pickett might have been more impressive passers so far in OTAs, but what coaches look for in a quarterback goes far beyond just their ability to throw the ball. Leadership, such as has been shown time and time again by Shedeur, carries with it an incalculable upside. Forward-thinking fans can see a bright future for the Browns based around this young, dynamic personality they can build a “legendary” franchise around.