Cleveland Browns: XFL’s New York Guardians sign Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi

Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi did not show enough with the Cleveland Browns during the preseason to land on an NFL roster, but he will get a shot in the XFL.

Damon Sheehy-Guiseppi, the former homeless man who electrified the Cleveland Browns fan base after taking his first punt return to the house during the preseason, has been selected by the New York Guardians in the XFL supplemental draft, as announced on the XFL website.

Sheehy-Guiseppi had been out of football since being cut by the Browns despite his 4.38 speed. That speed, of course, is what caused the Browns to sign him after he connived to get a tryout by pretending to be an established prospect scouted by Browns Vice President of Player Personnel Alonzo Highsmith.

He has continued to hold hopes of fulfilling his NFL dream, and has received support in social media from his former Browns teammates, including Odell Beckham, Jr. It was obvious that Sheehy-Guiseppi was well liked by his teammates.

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Guiseppi’s first return in the preseason was brilliant. It came in the fourth quarter against Washington. He fielded a punt on the 14-yard line, made one cut and with the aid of a key block blew past the Washington defenders for an 86-yard touchdown.

That triggered a huge celebration in the endzone while also putting the icing on the cake on a 30-10 Browns win. During the rest of the exhibition season, he continued to field punts well for the most part, and in addition, caught three passes thrown his way.

However, a major breakdown came in Week 4 versus the Lions when he muffed a punt and then, after regaining control, fumbled it again. He was not the first returner to ever flub a return, but that was apparently enough to get him cut from the team, and no other team was interested in taking a chance on the unlikely return man.

Until now.

It might well be that much of the Dawg Pound would scoff at the XFL, since it failed once already in 2001. Another alternative league, the Alliance of Awful Football (AAF) failed to make it through even one full season last year. All that is true.

However, recall that the word “fan” derives from fanatics. Football has little to do with what is sensible. Say what you want about the caliber of play in the XFL, but some of us are going to watch to see how Sheehy-Guiseppi does in his new gig.

Who knows? A solid performance in the XFL might well get him another opportunity in the NFL, especially because of his 4.38 speed.