The phrase “a perfect storm” has been overused. There are generally reasons and explanations for success and failure beyond simply saying that things either worked out or they didn’t. In 2020, things have worked out so far for the Cleveland Browns and it didn’t just happen.
This has been a miserable year on most fronts due to the effects of COVID-19 in the United States. Almost everyone has been affected in some way by this virus. In fact, most of us have seen impacts to our employment or the way we do our job and have also know several people who have contracted the virus. In that respect, we want nothing more than to put this year in the proverbial rear view mirror as soon as possible.
COVID has occupied our thoughts and impacted our daily decisions. It has also been a factor in the NFL this season. When we found out that there would be an NFL season this year, it was hard to imagine the full schedule being played. Some games have been postponed, but the league has plodded on undeterred.
For Browns fans, we saw yet another reboot in the off-season. It’s possible that many of us had seen enough of the one-and-done mentality and were ready to give any regime a few years. It’s more likely that the environment created by COVID-19 gave us pause, reducing our expectations for the first few games of the season.
Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry may not have needed a pass this season, yet they were certainly entitled to one for at least part of the season. COVID must have made things very difficult for a new head coach. It probably wasn’t easy for Andrew Berry either. Both of them are new to their jobs and are working in a town with a reputation for running people out of town quickly. They’re jobs are far from done, but you can feel the stability already.
The Cleveland Browns have risen to prominence from the the flames of putridness and the ashes of obscurity. This doesn’t mean there won’t be losses or even bad losses. It means the right staff is in place. Giving them a head start without the usual immediate scrutiny helps. Keeping Jimmy Haslam out of everyone’s way is extremely important, as well.
When you think back to the death and rank that 2020 was and when you’re asked about this unfortunate year, the Cleveland Browns will come to mind. It may not be the first thing you think of, yet there they will be. They’ll shine like a light in the darkness. They’ll stick out like a rose growing in the desert. This team is important for what it has done to break the cycle of ineptitude in Cleveland. It’s important for the hope and distraction it has given a deserving people in an extremely challenging year.
Everything has changed.
