Browns DC 'almost threw up' watching DE play through injury

Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Browns DC 'almost threw up' watching game film of DE playing through brutal injury

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 12/15/23

Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said Thursday that he "almost threw up" watching the game film of the team's Week 14 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It wasn't because the Browns defense nearly blew a 28-14 fourth-quarter lead in the 31-27 final, but it had to do with defensive end Ogbonnia Okoronkwo playing through a particularly brutal injury.

#Browns DC Jim Schwartz was shocked that Ogbo Okoronkwo was able to continue to play through his pectoral injury Sunday.

"Ogbo came back and played, god bless him, and he had one arm...I went back and watched the film and almost threw up."
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) December 14, 2023

#Browns DC Jim Schwartz says Ogbo Okoronkwo returned to the game after tearing his pec. Added "God bless him. He had one arm."
— Ashly Holder (@AshNoelleTV) December 14, 2023

It was reported Wednesday that Okoronkwo's torn pectoral could be a season-ending issue. The 28-year-old's ailment is one of the latest in a long, growing list of injuries for Cleveland, as the Browns fight to stay in the AFC playoff picture at 8-5.

No matter how long Okoronkwo is out for, it's a huge loss.

While the Oklahoma product hasn't started any games this year, he's appeared in all 13 and played a career-high 56% of his team's defensive snaps. Okoronkwo was easily on pace to surpass last season's career high of 518 defensive snaps played as well.

The Super Bowl LVI champion with the Los Angeles Rams signed with the Browns in March and is second on the team in sacks (4.5), third in tackles for loss (career-high 12) and fourth in quarterback hits (eight). Okoronkwo had a sack and recorded two quarterback hits in a game for the fifth time in his career during the victory against the Jaguars on Sunday.

Fortunately for Cleveland, its remaining slate of games features a variety of weak offenses on paper with either inexperienced, injured or struggling quarterbacks.

The Browns host Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears in Week 15 on Sunday before traveling to play the Houston Texans in Week 16 on Christmas Eve. The Texans offense has been strong through much of the year but recently lost wide receiver Tank Dell for the season due to injury, while breakout wideout Nico Collins (calf) and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud (concussion) are battling issues as well.

The Browns host Zach Wilson (barring a return by Aaron Rodgers) and the New York Jets in Week 17 and close the campaign with a potentially big road game against the Jake Browning-led Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18.

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