Cleveland Browns: This one was for Bob Wylie! Set Hut!
The Cleveland Browns defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in their home finale by a score of 26-18. There were many impressive performances on the field. So, who got the game ball? Bob Wylie, that’s who. Set Hut!
The injury report is a rare place to find a coach’s name. But on Friday that’s where Cleveland Browns offensive Line coach Bob Wylie found himself. Wylie was listed as “doubtful” after breaking his ankle during practice on Thursday.
The designation, made by interim head coach Gregg Williams, brought some levity to a very unfortunate situation. Wylie underwent surgery to repair the broken ankle Thursday evening at University Hospitals.
To say Wylie is beloved by the Browns O-line would be a drastic understatement. They vowed to win the game against the Bengals for their coach.
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That sentiment then poured over to the rest of the team. According to Gregg Williams, at the team meeting on Saturday night, the team decided that after they got the win, the game ball was going to go to Bob Wylie. And win they did!
The offensive line played one of their best games of the season. They kept a clean pocket for Baker Mayfield, and they opened up size-able running lanes for Nick Chubb, and Duke Johnson.
During the post-game victory speech, Williams dedicated the game ball to coach Wylie and the locker room exploded with celebration.
According to Nate Ulrich, several Browns offensive linemen were leaving the locker room and heading straight to the hospital to give the game ball to coach Wylie.
On way out of locker room, #Browns center JC Tretter said he was about to drive fellow offensive linemen Joel Bitonio, Kevin Zeitler & Austin Corbett to visit O-line coach Bob Wylie in hospital and present him with a game ball. Wylie suffered a broken ankle Thursday & had surgery
— Nate Ulrich (@ByNateUlrich) December 23, 2018
Wylie, 67, has been coaching offensive linemen for last 38 years. His coaching career started at Brown University as the O-line coach and he has been all over the map in the subsequent years since.
From college to the NFL, and even a couple stops in the CFL, Wylie has been doing what he loves and making life-long friendships along the way.
Wylie recently came into the national spotlight during the airing of this season’s Hard Knocks on HBO. The camera always seemed to find the big man with an even bigger personality on the practice field.
He became a weekly highlight on the show. Especially the phrase, “set hut”, so much so that Wylie himself began making merchandise with the phrase on it.
Just two weeks ago, the Cleveland Browns released a video of Coach Wylie dressed as Santa Clause as the Browns offensive linemen pushed him on a sled dressed as rain deer.
https://twitter.com/Browns/status/1074741033219579904
“On Robinson, on Bitonio, on Tretter, on Zeitler, on Hubbard, on Harrison, on Corbett, on Watford, on Kalis”. “Set, HO HO HO”! To call the video pure gold would not do it justice.
Next. Studs and duds from Week 16 win. dark
Wylie is still in the hospital recovering from the surgery to repair his broken ankle. Although it will not help him heal any faster, it is hard to imagine that his linemen bringing him the game ball won’t raise his spirits. Heal up, Coach!