BEREA, Ohio — Spend a few minutes talking to Jacoby Brissett and you'll likely soon have a smile on your face. It might not be because of a punchline joke, it might just be the way the Browns quarterback delivers his words. There's something fun about Brissett that he emanates by being himself.
The sometimes unintentional humor was on full display Wednesday as Brissett answered questions from reporters before practice. The first round of laughter came with his response to a question about not understanding the plan to not have played him yet in preseason games.
“Well, I’m sure you didn’t make the plan, that’s probably why," Brissett said playfully with a smile.
A few questions later, more laughs from Brissett thanks to his matter-of-fact answer to a question about the difficulties of trying not to mimic Deshaun Watson's play style.
“It is very easy for me not to be Deshaun, trust me," Brissett said. Later on, a question about Brissett's mobility at his age was directed his way, and his response was comical.
"This age? Jesus, I’m only 29," Brissett said.
The laughs Brissett drummed up Friday followed declarations of his hilarity from several of his teammates.
Running back Nick Chubb described Brissett's humor as "facetious."
"He’s a funny guy. He’s fun to be around. He’s always so serious, but it’s in a fun, facetious way. He’s a great guy to be around," Chubb said. "It’s not forced at all. It’s just things he says and how he says things that’s funny."
Wide receiver Amari Cooper also raved about Brissett's ability to make the guys laugh.
"Yeah, he's funny. That's the most impressive thing about him off the field, he's a funny dude, he's a real cool dude to be around," Cooper said.
But when you ask Brissett why people think he's funny, he couldn't quite tell you.
"I have no idea. Nobody has ever came up to me and asked [me] to tell a joke. I don't know, I think because I'm serious and they think I'm joking. So that's probably it," Brissett said. "I never really make jokes. I really just think because I'm older than them and I just say stuff and I'm actually serious and they think I'm joking that they think it's maybe funny."
Browns guard Joel Bitonio has a similar theory to Brissett's claim to comedy fame around the Browns facility.
“I think him just being, not even a father figure, but just like an older guy—sometimes what he said was common sense but a lot of the young guys kind of took it as ‘Oh is he joking with us right now?’ and things like that," Bitonio said of his experience with Brissett and the team down in the Bahamas this offseason. "But he’s just a funny guy. I mean he’s a little bit sarcastic sometimes and stuff but he’s a good guy and I think the locker room really does kind of lean towards him and he relates well to a lot of the players.”
Brissett's demeanor is welcome around the facility. It's one that head coach Kevin Stefanski has called "very authentic" and is a change of pace from the heaviness that has weighed on the team over the past few months.
While the Browns may have some trials and tribulations throughout the season amid Watson's 11-game suspension, some roster positions that will need to develop, and some tough stretches in the schedule—Brissett's aura can only help keep his team grounded, and most importantly, having fun.
Camryn Justice is a reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @camijustice.
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