There has been a lack of focus in the Browns' locker room this season. First was the clock of the open receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and now it is the shirt of coach Freddie Kitchens.
The day before the Steelers 20-13 victory over the Browns on Sunday, Kitchens was seen wearing a shirt printed with "Pittsburgh started,quot; as he headed to the screening of a movie. The shirt was a clear allusion to the Browns-Steelers fight a couple of weeks ago in Cleveland.
The shirt of the kitchens was the focus of fans and the media alike on Sunday. And although fans on social networks split up in their reactions, players like Steelers guard David DeCastro were a bit more direct with criticism about the Browns coach's decision to wear the shirt.
Steelers OL David DeCastro on Freddie Kitchens T-shirt: "I thought it was pretty stupid. That's a lot of bulletin board material. I don't know why you do that as a coach. I just don't understand that. Of course it goes to motivate us. What are you thinking? It's just not smart. "
– Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) December 1, 2019
DeCastro was not the only Steeler who intervened. His line mate Ramon Foster also offered some ideas, saying that kitchens put his players in "danger,quot; by wearing the shirt.
"I know our coach would never have done such a thing," said left guard Ramon Foster, through ESPN. "Why throw gasoline? When you do something like that, you throw your players in danger. He is not on the field. You throw your players in danger when you do things like that with revenge. And I hate that for them." "
Freddie Kitchens, who trained a super-undisciplined and low-performance team, wore a shirt that made fun of an upcoming division rival in a game they had to win to stay alive in the wild card game. The Saints are fighting for the first seed and the Browns leave the playoff. The same duh
– Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) December 1, 2019
The kitchens defended their dress of choice after the defeat against the biggest rivals of the AFC North of the Browns.
Kitchens on the shirt he wore: “Listen, the shirt had nothing to do with this. He was wearing a shirt, wearing a jacket with her. My daughters wanted me to wear my shirt and I would use it again. I put on a jacket, covered it and took a picture with a fan …
– Dianna (@diannaESPN) December 1, 2019
… That was as simple as that. The shirt didn't give us 40-yard passes and we were ready to play. That is the only thing that people should worry about, we were ready to play. #brownns
– Dianna (@diannaESPN) December 1, 2019
And, of course, the Cleveland chief was supported by his quarterback.
Baker Mayfield in Freddie Kitchens shirt: "It's just a shirt. I've made it much worse."
– Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) December 1, 2019
Well, regardless of whether or not the Steelers started the fight that resulted in more than 30 fines and suspensions, they certainly finished it, and gave the Browns a hard blow to their playoff hopes, on Sunday.