Joe Flacco had a chance to become an immediate hero for the Cleveland Browns in his first start. Unfortunately, the veteran's late interception versus the Los Angeles Rams helped set up the go-ahead score for Sean McVay's team that sealed Cleveland's fate.
It was none other than former Browns safety John Johnson III who came up with that INT to change the game, which made this loss sting even more. Judging by Johnson's comments after the contest, he's happy to stick it to the Dawg Pound.
That get-back a mf !!!!
— John Johnson III (@iamjohnthethird) December 4, 2023
Johnson tweeted out "that get-back a mf" soon after the final whistle, reveling in his big play against his ex-team.
The fact he called it a "get-back" shows he's still bitter about the Browns deciding to release him this past offseason. There's nothing to really get revenge over, yet he seems to think that way,
Simply put, Johnson can only blame himself for his exit from Cleveland. He was signed as a marquee addition to boost this secondary as a free agent, but recorded just nine total passes defended over two years. While he did have three interceptions in his first season, that number fell to one in 2022 and put him on the chopping block considering he didn't play up to his salary.
Using the money they saved from releasing Johnson (and other moves) allowed the Browns to make several additions that have helped this unit become one of the league's best in 2023. If it weren't for injuries, Cleveland would be in even better positioning in the standings than its current 7-5 record.
However, all the Browns can do is take this on the chin and try to get back on track in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
In other Browns news: