Breaking down the post-game embraces in Browns vs. Saints

One of the fun features I remember doing a couple of years ago in the preseason was to look at who players embrace from the other team following the conclusion of the game. Then, you try to look for a connection as to why those players decided to seek each other out and share a few words with each other. Preseason telecasts tend to stay with the post-game action a little longer, so let’s see what WEWS captured for the Cleveland Browns vs. New Orleans Saints:

QB DeShone Kizer & LB Manti T’eo

At the focal point of the screenshot below, QB DeShone Kizer is talking with LB Manti Te’o. Both of them played for Notre Dame. The two of them never played on the same team — Te’o entered the NFL in 2013, and Kizer’s first year at Notre Dame was in 2014.

Also making a guest appearance in this photo in the bottom left corner is TE Randall Telfer. I could only make out an “8” as the second number on the Saints player’s jersey, and through process of elimination, Telfer appears to be talking to rookie WR De'Quan Hampton. It all fits together when you realize that Telfer and Hampton both played at USC. Although they never played on the same team, Hampton had an offer to USC in 2014, which was Telfer’s final year in college.

DE Carl Nassib & LB Michael Mauti

Our next connection shows DE Carl Nassib talking to LB Michael Mauti. Both players went to college at Penn State and their times did slightly overlap. Mauti was there from 2008 to 2012, while Nassib was there from 2011 to 2015 (though he didn’t start playing until 2013).

LB Craig Robertson & DL Xavier Cooper

In the background of this shot, you can see former Browns LB Craig Robertson, who appears to be talking (all I can see is his face) to DL Xavier Cooper. I’m sure Robertson talked to a bunch of former teammates, but this was the only one I could find on camera.

DE Myles Garrett & DB De'Vante Harris

Next up, we have DE Myles Garrett just having finished an embrace and laugh with DB De’Vante Harris. Both players went to Texas A&M, with Harris having been there from 2012 to 2015 and Garrett playing from 2014 to 2016.

Also in the picture is CB Trey Caldwell, who appeared to share a brief embrace with Harris. Caldwell went to Louisiana-Monroe in college, but both Caldwell and Harris played high school football in the same county, so they were probably familiar with each other in some capacity.

QB Cody Kessler, OL Spencer Drango, OL Jack Allen

At first, QB Cody Kessler (USC) is talking with rookie OL Jack Allen (Michigan State), and then OL Spencer Drango (Baylor) joins the mix. The best connection I could find was that they all took part in the 2016 Senior Bowl, with Kessler and Allen being on the North and Drango being on the South.

Also at the bottom of the picture is WR Ricardo Louis and S Robenson Therezie, both of whom went to Auburn. Therezie was cut by the Saints after the game.

Two More Pairs

In the background of this screenshot, by the red arrow you can see QB Cody Kessler talking with K Patrick Murray, who was the Browns’ kicker at the start of the regular season last year. Murray was cut after the game.

By the blue arrow, you can see RB Brandon Wilds and LB Jonathan Walton. Both players played together at South Carolina.

The Nassib Brothers

The best was saved for last: the Nassib brothers, DE Carl Nassib of the Browns and QB Ryan Nassib of the Saints, talked on the same field. I wonder if Carl cringed for his brother when he took that shot from LB Ladell Fleming.