Problem is that only 3 players remain from Haden’s days in Cleveland – left guard Joel Bitonio, running back Duke Johnson and linebacker Christian Kirksey.
Steelers All Pro receiver Antonio Brown jokingly added an ‘S’ to the nameplates on the back of his No. 84 jerseys and posted a picture of them on social media.
Right tackle Chris Hubbard’s phone has been filling up with messages this week too.
“It’s crazy, they’ve been hitting me up,” Hubbard said Thursday. “They just want us to win.”
One of Hubbard's former teammates playfully offered him a suite for a playoff game as an added bonus for doing them a solid.
“That's not bad, but shoot, I want to be in that position too,” Hubbard said. “I want to be able to play in that playoff game again.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers are really rooting hard for the Cleveland Browns Sunday in Baltimore.
And the Browns, who beat the Ravens earlier this season in overtime 12-9, don’t seem to really care.
“I am just going into the game and approaching it as we are trying to finish 8-7-1,” safety Damarious Randall said. “Whatever results of that, it just results of it. I do not really think about if we win, we are helping Pittsburgh or if we lose, we are helping the Ravens.”
Receiver Jarvis Landry’s response was brief, “I just take enjoyment in winning, period. That is it.”
The scenario Sunday is simple: if the Ravens beat the Browns, they are the AFC North champions for a fifth time and will host on wild card weekend. Should the Browns win, and the Steelers beat the Bengals, Pittsburgh would win their ninth divisional crown since 2002.
“For us honestly, it is trying to go out there and finish at 8-7-1 more than anything,” left guard Joel Bitonio said. “Whatever kind of happens after that, happens. We are really focused on ourselves.”
Interim head coach Gregg Williams started Wednesday’s practice with a simple message: although the season ends Sunday, this is a playoff game for the Browns and they better be prepared for a Ravens team that is fighting for their lives.
“I know what to expect,” Hubbard said. “We’re going to see everything. They’re going to bring everything and we just gotta respond to it. Up front we’ve got to do our job and take care of Baker the best way we can and make adjustments.”
Unfortunately, because the Browns have been so awful for the better part of 2 decades since returning in 1999, they’ve not played many meaningful games within the division.
The once intense rivalry with the Steelers has turned into a pity party from Pittsburgh. Whatever revenge Cleveland might have wanted to take on Baltimore these last 20 years, it hasn’t mattered because the Browns have been flat out irrelevant.
But times are changing.
“The mentality, the attitude and the culture here is changed and it’s very different now,” Landry said. “To have an opportunity to sweep 2 teams in our division this year which would put us in second place in our division which is probably another 20 or 30-yard stat, but it’s something that we understand and that’s part of changing the culture too, understanding where we’ve been but where we’re going.”
For the first time since helping to eliminate the Ravens in 2002, the Browns have an opportunity to send them south for another winter by beating them this weekend.
“They are playing for a playoff spot, and we are playing to prove who we are,” rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “It will be a great atmosphere.”
It helps that the Browns are playing their best football in years. Cleveland has won 5 of their last 6 as they attempt to finish with just the third winning mark since 1999.
“I wish we could tie, and nobody gets in,” Landry said. “We want to win the game. We want to win the game and if it helps Pittsburgh so be it.”