EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey — Browns rookie wide receiver Antonio Callaway expressed remorse and understands the organization's "low threshold" for off-field mishaps, general manager John Dorsey said before Thursday's preseason opener against the Giants.
Dorsey said he and head coach Hue Jackson met late Tuesday with Callaway, who was cited for marijuana possession and a suspended driver's license Sunday morning by Strongsville Police, and outlined Cleveland's expectations going forward.
"He has to understand in terms of professional football, it's a privilege to play in the National Football League and not a right to play in the National Football League and the organization's tolerance for that is low," Dorsey said. "The message was very stern and very clear. These types of incidents can't occur again."
Callaway, who was recently promoted to the first-team offense, is expected to play in Thursday's preseason opener against the Giants. It's unclear if he will face league discipline.
Callaway, a fourth-round pick this past spring, came to Cleveland following multiple off-field issues at Florida and was suspended for the 2017 season.
Against that backdrop, Dorsey urged patience with Callaway while making the team's standards clear. He added Callaway was open and apologetic in addressing the incident with teammates.
"We all knew Antonio is going to be a little bit of a work in progress here in terms of these types of things," Dorsey said, "and it's not going to happen overnight. We try day in and day out for him to understand what it's going to take to be a professional football player."
