On how he is feeling physically after the bye:
"Better. Better. Like I said, earlier in the year, some of it is just extended time you are going to need. Certainty, the last few weeks have helped. I would say I have improved a good deal. Thankful for that, for sure."
On agreeing with Head Coach Mike Pettine's comments that he believes McCown could start this week, if necessary:
"Yeah, I feel a lot better, and obviously, when you are dealing with ribs and stuff like that, you never know until you take that first hit. It feels like I have gained some ground there. I am pleased with that. I will be ready to go."
On if Pettine has talked to him about potentially starting on Monday night and if will prepare as if he is the starter:
"No, my plan will be just what you said. Prepare that way and if it changes, it changes, but my mindset is that you have to be ready to go regardless because you could begin after the first or second snap if something happens. Being a backup quarterback you are one play away. It is kind of cliché, but it really is. I have been involved in games years ago where it was two or three snaps into it, and now, you are out there playing. I will prepare like I always do and be ready to go."
On his reaction to videos with QB Duke Johnson Jr. during the bye week:
"It is hard to comment on what a teammate does outside the building as long as he is still doing what he is supposed to inside [the building]. My hope for him is whatever those choices that he is making that they are healthy choices and that they are good for him as a person. When you are in that room with somebody and spend as much time as we do together, there is a connection there and you want to see people inside the room and even when they move outside the walls to make good choices and to make healthy decisions. If that doesn't happen, there is a part of you that goes, 'What else can I do to help?' That is my mindset, if there is an issue or something else I can help be a part of, then re-think that plan of attack. Aside from that, I don't really want to get into it much more."
On if he is worried about Manziel and his future as a teammate and a friend:
"It is hard to get that far down the road with everything, but like I just said, if you spend that much time with somebody, there is genuine concern. You just want people to make healthy choices. It is not just Johnny. It is every guy in this locker room. We are in this thing together and we go out there and fight hard together. I desire for every guy to have a good, healthy life outside of this building. That is my mindset. Regardless of any guy, if it doesn't seem like that is the case, I think as a teammate and just like I would do with any other close friends in my life you just go, 'How can I serve them? How can I help them?' If you feel like you are doing that, then what other areas or plan of attack can you take to do more, if need be."
On if he has asked Manziel how he can help:
"He and I have a great relationship, and he knows we are there. I will keep the rest of that between he and I."
On coaches having faith in guys in the locker room when leaving the facility:
"Everybody is different. We are all in different stages of our life. I have said this before, with the young guys, especially in this day and age, it is not just Johnny, the young guys in this league in general, the access and the fact that the things you may try to do in private and or public, but maybe you are trying to do them behind the scenes, it can get out there just because of social media and phones and things like that. It makes it a lot tougher. It is way different than when I came into the league. I hope guys just take those situations and learn from it and grow through it. You just hope that whenever you go through something like that, it can be something that you look at and say, 'I have to improve from this and get better.' Obviously, he made that statement going into the bye and planning on making good choices and things like that. I don't think anything other than you feel like you make that statement to the coach because you feel good about how you feel going into the bye. I don't know if I feel any certain way about a guy having to say that or not."
On Manziel as a person:
"We haven't hung out very much outside of the building, a little bit. We spend so much time here that a lot of times and when you are out of here, you are out of here and away from guys on both sides. I have a family and what not. I have said this before: he has done everything that they have asked as far as in the meetings. He is attentive. He is studying. He is learning stuff and trying to improve as a quarterback. I think we have seen that. I think everybody agrees. There are obviously things that away from the facility that maybe people are not pleased with and may need to be cleaned up. I think that is a work in progress. I feel like I always see and believe the good in people. I think there is some youth involved in some of the decision making that may not be the best, but I certainly don't count him out by any stretch."
On attempting to break his own personal record of passing for 457 yards, which he set against the Ravens earlier in the season:
"I don't know if I would go into the game trying to break the record, but it would be cool to get a win. When you are a 2-8 team, it would be great to get a win in front of the home crowd and on Monday night. That is all I would care about. That is the thing as you go through the bye and you think through things and assess where you are, and 2-8 is obviously not where any of us wanted to be. You want to get a win for our team, for the guys in the locker room and for the fans and the people that support us. The city has been awesome in how they support us. We need to put a good product out there and win the football game. That is my focus. If it means breaking a record, great. If it means watching Crow (RB Isaiah Crowell) or (RB) Duke (Johnson Jr.) break a rushing record, that would be awesome, too. All I want to do is win the game."
On if the Browns' previous performance against the Ravens gives the team confidence:
"Yeah, I think you can draw on that from past performance. You also know they are going to watch that tape and take some of those things a way. It is not like you can just roll the ball out here and say this is going to happen again. We will have to tweak some things that we have done and put together our own plan. The coaches will do a good of that, and we will be ready to roll."
On if he feels super refreshed or just a little refreshed coming off the bye week:
"(Laughter) That's an awesome question. 'Super refreshed.' Just because you said it so I'm going to say it."
On his demeanor when he spoke to media after his rib injury:
"I just think you're at a moment where it all, like I said, it's hard. At this position and this stage of your career and all those things, you just don't take it lightly. Everything adds up and eats on you and I guess in that vein, leaving here the other day before the bye I was a little chippy trying to get out of here (laughter). I apologize for not giving good answers and an opportunity to do your job. I think it just kind of adds up, and I hate when somebody gets to see that out of you because it shouldn't be that way. I think the time away was good. Got to coach a couple of basketball games for my boys. Got to watch my daughter in a gym meet. It was good to be away and really assess things and come back with good energy with our team and give it a good go these last six games and really fight hard. I think the message was sent with Pett (Head Coach Mike Pettine). I've been in this situation a few times. When you get in to this stage of the year, it's hard, but for the guys in this locker room and the men that we have, I feel like the character of our veterans that we can keep fighting, fight through this thing. It really exposes who you are so I'm looking forward to fighting with these guys for the last six weeks."
On sympathizing with Manziel if he loses his starting job because of off the field issues:
"Yeah, absolutely. That would be tough, I think, for a young player. I absolutely could empathize with him. That's hard to swallow, for sure. We'll work through it, if that's the case. Like I said, I'm behind the guy 100 percent and want nothing but the best for him. Off the field first and even on the field, I want him to be productive. I feel like we've gained some ground. We may not be there yet, but we've gained some ground. I definitely could empathize with him going through this situation. I've been there as a young player and getting excited about the opportunity to play. We'll see what happens but like I said I'll be there supporting him 100 percent."
