The Cleveland Browns had to deal with a very scary situation in Sunday’s 17-12 loss to the New York Jets. Wide receiver KC Concepcion took a hard hit from Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick while trying to catch a pass in the first quarter, leaving him motionless on the field.
Fortunately, Concepcion was able to leave the field, but some observers considered the play dirty. That didn’t include Browns coach Todd Monken, who argued that Fitzpatrick, a longtime NFL veteran, doesn’t have a reputation as that kind of player.
The next day, Monken stood by that sentiment and reiterated that the play was simply a failure.
“It was a back-and-forth game again, he hit the ball well and it’s unfortunate what happened. But that’s what happens in games and I’ve had a lot of fights against Minka and I’ve always had a lot of respect for him. I’ve never seen him as a player trying to hurt him.”
Browns coach Todd Monken reiterated that he never knew Jets S Minkah Fitzpatrick was a guy who tried to hurt players.
His shot knocked out KC Concepcion. pic.twitter.com/ozB3VH4rnJ— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) October 12, 2026
Facing third-and-5 from the Jets’ 25-yard line, quarterback Deshaun Watson tried to connect with Concepcion on a sideline pattern. Fitzpatrick raced to break up a pass and was penalized for unnecessary roughness.
Monken said it was not up to him to determine whether Fitzpatrick should be fired. A punt at halftime put the ball at the 12-yard line, but the Browns, perhaps reeling from Concepcion’s absence, had to settle for a short field goal that put them up 7-3.
Concepcion, a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, entered the game leading the Browns with 28 carries and had one catch for five yards before the injury. He has 18 receptions for 149 yards this season.
Without him, Isaiah Bond had a career-high three receptions for 74 yards. But he also had a crucial drop on second-and-19 with 2:21 left in the fourth quarter and the Browns trying to drive for the winning score. Despite this, Watson spoke highly of Bond in his post-match remarks.
Fortunately, Concepcion’s injury wasn’t as serious as it first appeared, but while he works through the league’s concussion protocol, his status for or after the Week 6 game against the Baltimore Ravens is uncertain.
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Browns Will Soon Get Help For Struggling Running Game