Even the staunchest supporters of the Cleveland Browns might be unaware of Kalon Barnes’ tenure with the team.
Formally, the rapid cornerback concluded the 2023 season in Cleveland, joining the practice squad after Week 18. Although he didn’t participate in the Wild-Card game, this renders Barnes a former member of the Browns.
Now reunited with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Barnes was questioned about the rivalry by Steelers Takeaways via Twitter. His playoff preparations with Jim Schwartz provided ample insight into his views on the Browns.
According to Barnes, both teams exhibit discipline, and he recounted Mike Tomlin’s sentiments before their Week 2 clash: “We don’t like them. They don’t like us. But we’ll play our game.”
Pittsburgh’s game plan wasn’t unexpected. Defensive players were instructed to limit Nick Chubb to under 100 yards. Unfortunately for Chubb, his performance was hindered by a severe hit from Minkah Fitzpatrick, ending his season prematurely.
The Cleveland offense struggled to recover emotionally and tactically from the challenging defeat.
Barnes secured a 2024 futures reserve contract for his second stint in Pittsburgh. Transitioning from wide receiver to cornerback during his college years at Baylor, he was selected by Carolina in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft following his impressive 4.23 time in the 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine. This achievement still stands as the fastest 40-yard dash time ever recorded for a defensive back at the Combine.
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