BEREA, Ohio — Flipping the switch mentally is something many NFL players have to learn how to do over time. For Browns rookie defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey, that's a lesson he's been working on this offseason.
Winfrey made quite the first impression during his introductory press conference after the Browns selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. During the Zoom interview, Winfrey was "juiced up," so excited to be a Cleveland Brown that he couldn't help but bark throughout the media availability.
There's no one more excited to be on the Cleveland #Browns than Perrion Winfrey. pic.twitter.com/CCefSEFLBu
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) April 30, 2022
Since then, however, Winfrey has found some traquility to balance out his energetic nature. How? First and foremost—meditation.
"Now, through meditation and stuff like that, I’m able to balance the two lives and just know when to do stuff like that and when not to," Winfrey said. "It just helps me relax, helps me compartmentalize things I need to do in my life and just helps me focus on the things that matter, the things that don’t.”
Part of finding some zen was prompted by defensive coordinator Joe Woods' message to his guys that production was more important than perception.
"Joe Woods always tells us our mantra is ‘all bite, no bark.’ So I don’t feel like there’s no need to be continuously barking or continuously talking," Winfrey said. "Right now I’m just head down, just working, trying to be the best player I can be every day."
Taking a page out of the book of defensive end Myles Garrett—who Winfrey has been studying intensely through OTAs, minicamp and training camp—Winfrey has found time to channel inner peace after revving up the energy on the practice fields.
"I feel like meditation is for anybody. I just feel like people who never understood what it does for them so they never do it. Myles Garrett meditates before practice day. So I don’t think it’s based on looks. I think it’s based on mindset," Winfrey said. “It would be like here and there - in the sauna or the hot tub and then every night it would be like 30 minutes to an hour. That’s what I do before I go to sleep.”
But to play in the NFL, a flip does need to be switched and intensity needs to be there. Winfrey said that's not going to be a problem for him because everything changes once he puts on his gear.
"I’m a different guy once the pads come on so it’s definitely going to come out. It’s not something that I force. It’s something that happens so you’re going to have to just wait and see I guess," Winfrey said with a smile.
Gearing up for his first real NFL action as the Browns travel to Jacksonville Wednesday and prep for their first preseason game against the Jaguars on Friday, Winfrey has his hand on the switch, ready to flip it the moment he takes the field.
"Oh, yeah, turning up the heat on Friday? Most definitely. I can’t wait to be able to hit somebody for real. For sure," Winfrey said. "It’s definitely going to be a blessing just to have the NFL logo on my shoulder, it’s definitely a blessing so just being out there and being able to go through a preseason game in the NFL is going to be exciting for sure. Preseason or not, I’m going to treat it like a regular season game.”
And for fans worried that the juiced up Dawg they saw in Winfrey has been shelved for a more serene one—think again.
"I feel like once the season comes and I start to bring that juice back and start to make plays on the field, that’s when I’ll be back to doing all the antics," Winfrey said.
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Camryn Justice is a reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @camijustice.
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