x
Breaking News
More () »

Christian Kirksey believes Cleveland Browns could have turnaround like Cavaliers, Indians

Linebacker Christian Kirksey wants the Cleveland Browns to have a similar turnaround to the Indians and Cavaliers.
Veteran linebacker Christian Kirksey (58) believes the Cleveland Browns could have a turnaround similar to that of the Cavaliers and Indians.

CLEVELAND -- Although Cleveland Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey spends most of his time honing his craft, both in the film room and in workouts on his own as well as with the team, he does pay attention to the other professional teams in town.

And after watching the Cleveland Cavaliers break the city's 52-year championship drought with an historic win over the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals and the Indians make back-to-back trips to the postseason for the first time in more than a decade, Kirksey is confident the Browns could have a similar turnaround, despite winning just once in the last 32 games.

“It can happen,” Kirksey said. “You have to keep the faith. You have to keep seeing examples of teams of going to rock bottom and getting to the top. What good is it to play the game football if you don't have faith? Just to say that I am a football player? No, you go out there to say that 'I am building something. I am building my character to go out and win.' As long as we have that type of mindset, anything can happen.”

With Sunday's 28-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns went winless in a 16-game season for the first time in franchise history, and their 17th consecutive setback dropped the organization to a league-worst 1-31 record since the opening game of 2016.

“It can't get worse than this,” Kirksey said. “We have to take this as a learning experience. I always tell people that sometimes, you have to go through the struggle to really appreciate the good that is going to come at the end because it is teaching us. It is building character. As a young player in the league, you have to experience losing, know how it feels so you kind of know how to deal with it and get better from it.”

Cleveland Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey (58) rushes in to make a tackle on Tennessee Titans running back DeMarco Murray (29) during the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Over the last four-plus years, the Browns have gone 4-49, and the record has not been much better since Dee and Jimmy Haslam officially purchased the team in October of 2012.

In five seasons under the majority ownership of the Haslams, the Browns have posted an NFL-worst 15-65 record. Factoring in the remaining games of the 2012 season after the sale was approved at an NFL Owners Meeting in Chicago, the Browns have gone 19-70 under the Haslams.

Additionally, this season, the Browns set the record for the worst 28-game stretch in NFL history, as they bested the previous mark of 2-26 set by the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 1976-1977 seasons with a 1-27 mark that got four losses worse since Week 13.

“We came closer as an organization to winning,” Kirksey said of the 2017 season. “I always tell guys if they do want to come to Cleveland, the fans and this and that, you look at other organizations like the Cavaliers, the Indians, those teams did not always win, but it takes time to build something great.

“I still have 100 percent belief that we are going to get to where we are supposed to be. That is all you can tell people or tell players that come here. Just give them your word that we are making something special here.”

Before You Leave, Check This Out