Cleveland Browns rumors: Freddie Kitchens knew T-shirt was bad look pre-game

There’s a rumor Cleveland Browns coach Freddie Kitchens admitted before the game wearing “The T-shirt” was a bad look. Then, he said he’d do it again.

The “T-shirt” game promises to live on the annals of Cleveland Browns history as yet another debacle for this downtrodden franchise, and it’s not over yet.

TheLandonDemand Browns’ analyst Tony Grossi said he had heard Freddie Kitchens acknowledged to someone that wearing a shirt that said “Pittsburgh Started It” was a “bad look.”

It was surprising to longtime scribe that in the postgame press conference, Kitchens doubled down on his decision to wear the shirt out on in public, saying he’d do it again. Kitchens said the T-shirt had on bearing on the game and his team was ready to play.

It sure didn’t look like it, as Kitchens infamously forget to run the ball, handing off to Nick Chubb just once in the fourth quarter, and six total times in the entire second half.

Chalk the T-Shirt fiasco up to another embarrassment delivered by Kitchens, who kicked off his season with 16 penalties against the Titans in Week 1, and then ran a draw play on 4th and 9 against the Rams in Week 3.

The coach had no choice but to hope his team would pull Sunday’s game out, so everyone could have a big laugh about his choice of wardrobe.

Instead, it backfired terribly, just like the entire 2019 season.

The shirt as still a topic of reporters’ questions because Steelers players said it motivated them from the game.

Kitchens wasn’t pleased:

"“If that’s what they take as motivation, of course I’m disappointed,” Kitchens said. “I know Mike [Tomlin] very well. They’re motivated by more than a T-shirt. We had a lot on the line there for that game. I don’t think the T-shirt put them over the top.”"

• Kitchens didn’t have much to say about Damarious Randall missing the game during Monday’s press conference. The free safety was left home by the Browns for disciplinary reasons.

Kitchens wouldn’t elaborate as to what’s up with Randall and gave some “coach speak” about doing what’s best for the other 52 guys on the roster. He did say the following, though:

"“Damarious has my trust. It has nothing to do with trust. I trust these guys when they show they’re trustworthy. I don’t have a problem with Damarious.”"

Freddie, you do have a problem with the free-agent-to-be. He was left home for the biggest game of your young coaching career. What gives?

• Baker Mayfield had X-rays taken on his injured hand on the face mask of a Steelers pass rusher, and he’s lucky nothing was broken. This seems to be the dump on Kitchens column, so let’s role some more rants through the Factory Lines.

Why not just go into the locker room with the lead. He seemed content to do so, which is why he handed off in the first place. Kareem Hunt hits on a 16-yard run and all of a sudden his mind was changed?

The drive resulted in two plays in which Mayfield was heaving the ball 70 yards toward a triple covered OBJ. Great call, Freddie. He’s lucky Mayfield won’t miss anytime.