Name: Beers up: Andy Janovich excited about new start with Browns
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Beers up: Andy Janovich excited about new start with Browns

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Mar 18, 2020If you’re a fan stuck at home dreaming of brighter, wilder days in the Muni Lot with cold beers and lots of barking, new Browns fullback wants you to know he’s heard about you.He’s ready to toast to you.“I’m excited,” Janovich told The Athletic&nbsp;on Wednesday. “I have a good buddy here in Denver, . He was drafted by the Browns years ago (the sixth round in 2012). Ryan called me last night and told me I’ll absolutely love Cleveland. He told me it’s my kind of place. I said, ‘Hey is there Busch Light there?’“He said, ‘Oh, gosh, they buy it by the pallet.’ And I said that sounds perfect.”Janovich once told an interviewer that he spent a good portion of his football money on Busch Light, chewing tobacco and hunting gear. He was joking — mostly, anyway — but he says he’s always been a simple kind of guy who loves football and feels blessed to play it for a living. The eighth of nine children and a former Nebraska walk-on, Janovich drove the same 2000 Dodge Ram from college until last year, when the signed him to an extension and he allowed himself to splurge.“She was a good truck,” Janovich said. “It finally came to a point where I was gonna have to dump a bunch of money into it, so I had to move on. I bought a new F-150. It’s the first new vehicle I’ve had in my life.”Now, he has a new football start.&nbsp;The Browns acquired Janovich in a trade completed with the Broncos on Tuesday night in a move that caught Janovich off guard, at least at first, but one that he knows is best for his career. The Broncos hired old friend Pat Shurmur as offensive coordinator, and his offense doesn’t rely on a fullback. The Browns have been looking for a fullback for Kevin Stefanski’s offense and were glad to acquire Janovich for a 2021 seventh-round pick.“I signed that extension (in October) for three years and obviously thought I’d be here at least one or two of those years,” Janovich said. “So when I got the call from John Elway, I needed a minute to process it. But&nbsp;I wasn’t too terribly upset, you know? As long as I’m still playing in the and getting to do what I love to do, I’m OK with it. This is the business. This is just the first time this has happened to me.“The way it was going (with the Broncos), they don’t use a fullback. But Elway I think had my best interest in mind. He knew the Browns wanted a fullback and that I have experience in that Gary Kubiak system. I think it’s all positive for me.”When the Broncos signed Janovich to the extension six months ago, Elway said Janovich had “developed into one of the best fullbacks in the league” and was “exactly what you look for in fullback — tough, reliable and a versatile part of not only the offensive but also our special teams.” It’s too early to know exactly how the Browns offense will look in 2020, but this week’s additions of and Janovich provide strong hints that it will look a lot like the ’ offenses did with Stefanski calling the shots over the last two seasons.Janovich got $3.2 million in guarantees and a $1.35 million signing bonus on that extension, which he signed a few weeks before a dislocated elbow ended his 2019 season in mid-November. He said he’s healthy now and excited for a new start whenever NFL teams are permitted to gather. Like the rest of us, Janovich is pretty much confined to his home because of &nbsp;COVID-19 precautions.“Shit, I’ve pretty much been doing prison workouts,” Janovich said. “Just pushups, situps, anything I can do. I don’t have a home gym so I’m just trying to stay in the best shape I can right now. I don’t have any idea when I’ll be able to go to Cleveland. No one does. It’s not in my control, so I just know I’ll be ready whenever I get that call.“I’ve told my wife plenty of times we’ve been pretty lucky. I didn’t even really play a lot in college until my senior year. I’ve said many times I could get traded or cut anytime. So this is different, but it’s good. We’re excited. I can’t wait to get to Cleveland.”(Photo: Isaiah J. Downing / USA Today)

Mar 18, 2020If you’re a fan stuck at home dreaming of brighter, wilder days in the Muni Lot with cold beers and lots of barking, new Browns fullback wants you to know he’s heard about you.He’s ready to toast to you.“I’m excited,” Janovich told The Athletic&nbsp;on Wednesday. “I have a good buddy here in Denver, . He was drafted by the Browns years ago (the sixth round in 2012). Ryan called me last night and told me I’ll absolutely love Cleveland. He told me it’s my kind of place. I said, ‘Hey is there Busch Light there?’“He said, ‘Oh, gosh, they buy it by the pallet.’ And I said that sounds...

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Beers up: Andy Janovich excited about new start with Browns

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