Fullback Johnny Stanton recently joined Adam “The Bull” and former Ohio State Buckeye Dustin Fox on their show on 92.3 The Fan Cleveland.
Stanton, who signed with the Browns in January, is excited for the beginning of the 2020 NFL season.
Stanton on the Offseason
He discussed how he has enjoyed the offseason thus far:
“It’s definitely been a challenge. Everybody’s accountable for themselves right now. We’re sending in videos of our workouts to coaches. We have the Zoom meetings that we are accountable for. In terms of your own growth and your own progression, everyone is just accountable for themselves. I think that’s the way that I like it the most. I always work best when I focus on myself when I focus on myself rather than compare myself to other guys.”
Stanton on his Move to Fullback
The former Nebraska and UNLV quarterback knew he could not be a professional quarterback:
“That was a change that the coaches in Minnesota made. After my college career, I knew that if I was going to continue playing football, it probably wasn’t at quarterback. So I decided to start training at tight end, I did some long snapping training. At Pro Day, I got invited to do some linebacker, which I had two games of experience at in college. My senior year, I was just trying to get after the quarterback didn’t work out. I was trying to show everything I could do during Pro Day.”
He then moved on to talk about how he became a fullback in Minnesota:
“When Minnesota brought me in for a try-out, they brought me in at tight end. That was my first time ever playing tight end against anybody else, and I was going against guys who got drafted in the second and third round. So, that was obviously tough. I guess I was able to show enough of my athleticism that I showed that I can play some other positions, so they decided to move me to fullback, and it has been full speed ahead ever since.”
Stanton is Looking Forward to Playing for the Browns
Stanton does not know what happened in 2019 with the Browns:
“I can’t necessarily know what went wrong in previous years because I would be speaking as someone who wasn’t with the team. As far as what a winning team does, it’s just building together and bringing everyone else up.”
However, Stanton is excited about helping the 2020 Browns make the playoffs:
“I think that’s what I’ve really seen through this offseason training is everyone supporting each other, really willing and wanting to work together in this. People in similar areas are trying to work out together. Guys are trying to help each other out. I know the running back room is collaborating a whole lot. So, that’s the kind of thing is building the team chemistry, building the accountability between guys.”
Stanton on Stefanski
Stanton has some experience with head coach Kevin Stefanski, and he is excited to work with him again:
“He’s an extremely impressive guy. Just by talking to him, you know about his football knowledge and what he’s able to bring as a head coach. I got the chance to work with him in 2018 and just a little bit in 2019. I was with Minnesota for two weeks when he was offensive coordinator. The majority of time I spent with Minnesota, it was in 2018 when I ended up getting hurt and coach Stefanski was the quarterbacks coach.”
He and Stefanski are going to get along in 2020:
“I think he’s a guy who can command the room. He’s a players’ coach, absolutely. I think he does a really great job of making guys feel loose, but also commanding the room. He’s doing a great job with the offense. It’s something that I’m ready to really be a part of it.”
“Johnny Stanton” just sounds like a hard nosed old school football player. Wish him luck. I don’t think he makes it out of TC because of Andy Janovich, but AJ was hurt pretty bad last year. That broken arm was gruesome to look at.
If he can’t make the 53, I hope he’s on the PS or at least shows enough to get picked back up immediately by another team.