CLEVELAND, Ohio – Browns fullback Kareem Hunt announced directly on Instagram after the 48-37 loss to the Steelers on Sunday that ‘next week’s personalAgainst the Chiefs, and Baker Mayfield admits that Hunt, who rushed for two TDs, ran with revenge in Pittsburgh.
“Kareem ran away,” Mayfield said after the game. “He ran like he wanted to come to Kansas City.”
Hunt was, of course, cut by the Chiefs on November 30, 2018, the day after the video surfaced of him having an argument with a woman in his apartment building in downtown Cleveland last February. The Chiefs were aware that an incident had occurred but felt he was unreliable and overwhelmed him with five games into the season.
Hunt, who led the NFL in 2017 with 1,327 yards as a rookie from Toledo, came home to Cleveland and had no idea he would ever play football again. Former Browns GM John Dorsey gave him a second chance in 2019, starting with an eight-game suspension.
Hunt reflects on his year of redemption
When the Chiefs made it through the Super Bowl last season, Hunt took it very seriously and said during a quick stop to a police officer that ‘it hurts my soul’ that he did not play in the game a few days later. But Hunt got himself back on track and has been a good citizen and a great player for the Browns ever since.
“This is my husband,” Chief Sportsman Patrick Mahomes told KCSP 610 Sports Radio in Kansas City on Monday. ‘I came with Kareem and of course we are no longer together, but I still stay in touch. He’s a witch of a soccer player and someone who was one of my best friends when we were first in the team together. ‘
After the Browns beat the Steelers to advance to Sunday afternoon’s game in Kansas City, Mahomes sent an SMS to Hunt to congratulate him. Hunt was a big part of the victory, dragging defenders to the end zone and running angry.
“He’s had a lot of success on that field every chance he gets, and he’s an excellent footballer and someone I know will keep getting better and better as his career goes on,” Mahomes said. “He is a special football player. He finishes every play, he catches and runs, he can do it all. I’m glad for him that he’s back in Cleveland and that he can play really good football. ‘
When Chiefs Hunt cut, Mahomes and coach Andy Reid both spoke to management to give him another chance.
“I don’t want to talk about it much, but I just talked to the guys because Kareem was one of our guys,” Mahomes said. ‘Not only was he a great footballer, but he was one of our best friends on the team. We had to continue to fight forward at an unfortunate time, but at the same time I still have a relationship with Kareem and he is still one of my good friends. ‘
Hunt rushed for 824 yards and 7 TDs in 11 games for the Chiefs in 2018, and he had nearly 400 receiving yards and 7 TD catches. He was in pace for his second consecutive 1,000-yard season, and it was a blow to the Chiefs offense. They lost in the game map round of Tennessee after beating AFC West by a 10-6 record.
“We just had to keep fighting that year, but now we’re moving on and he’s moving on and we’re in a good place now,” Mahomes said. “We continue to fight, and it’s good to face a very good football team and a very good player this weekend.”
Reid also expressed his preference for Hunt at his press conference on Monday, who is still very close to many other Chiefs, including Travis Kelce, a native of Cleveland.
“Listen, I like Kareem,” Reid said. “I’m glad he’s doing well. He knows a lot of the guys who were in that team last year and felt bad for not being a part of it. I understand it all. But most of all, I’m glad for him that things are going in the right direction for him. He is in a good football team, they are well coached and they won their first playoff game. Something can be said about that. ‘
Jack Conklin, Michael Dunn and Robert Jackson from day to day
Conklin (thigh muscle), Dunn (calf) and Jackson (thigh muscle) were all injured for the Chiefs daily in the Steelers game.
Conklin left the game in the second quarter and was replaced by Kendall Lamm. Dunn sat down for Joel Bitonio, but left in the fourth quarter with the tense calf.
Dunn was replaced by first-year player Blake Hance, who first met Mayfield before the game.
Stefanski, who is expected to rejoin the team on Thursday after his COVID-19 quarantine, has yet to meet Hance.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
Monday also marks Hance’s birthday.
“Happy birthday, Blake,” Stefanski said.
Joel Bitonio, Denzel Ward and others expect back
Bitonio, Ward, KhaDarel Hodge and Kevin Johson are all expected this week, but Stefanski will have the COVID-19 protocol played out.
He also did not provide any information on whether the other coaches will return, but most or all will be eligible to return. They are offensive line coach Bill Callahan, Scott Peters, coach Drew Petzing and coach Jeff Howard.
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