The worst part about the end of every football season is the stark fact that the team that you invested so much time and energy into, will never be the same.
Sure, they will be playing at Cleveland Browns Stadium next year, but the team itself will look much different than the previous year.
It can be a tough pill to swallow, particularly for the players who pours their blood, sweat and tears into competing each and every single week. On Thursday, Maurice Hurst II took to X to put those sentiments in perspective with a post that reminded just how special the 2023 Browns were.
This year's Browns squad felt like a college team in many ways. Teams at that level generally have this sense of brotherhood about them and teammates doing anything that they can for the man next to them.
Often in professional sports, individuals can get caught up in their own brands or stats because money is on the line. It's reasonable for professional athletes to look out for their best interests, but that brotherhood is sometimes is sacrificed in the process.
That was not the case in Cleveland in 2023. The Browns felt like they genuinely loved each other and had each other's backs regardless of salaries. The togetherness of this group was the storyline of the season.
Cleveland won games with their defense, they won games without Nick Chubb, they won with P.J. Walker, and they won with Joe Flacco! That togetherness and next man up mentality really helped lift them to 11-6 and a trip to the postseason.
When the Browns take the field in 2024, the group will look a lot different. Maurice Hurst II, for example, is a free agent to be and may not return to this roster but it won't take away from the memories of this past season.
This team gave the fan base something to celebrate and hopefully laid the foundation for this organization for years to come.
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