As we’ve seen already in a year-plus with Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger in the mix, it takes a lot to keep him off a football field. Schwesinger did not play in the finale of the NFL season in 2025, on orders from the team, as he was fending off the effects of ankle and leg injuries that had built up throughout the season. And we saw him fight through an ankle injury in Week 5 against the Jets in New York, an injury that had him in a walking boot after the game. That same ankle injury made him a gametime decision on Sunday against Baltimore at home, and ultimately, it was decided he could play.
He recorded a season-high 13 tackles and forced a critical fumble in that win. So, he has established he can play through whatever he’s got going on with his ankle.
The issue is that the ankle injury is still lingering, now 10 days after it originally occurred. We know that because Schwesinger, according to beat reporters in Berea, sat out Browns practice on Wednesday. He’ll probably still play on Sunday, but it’s worrying that the injury is still there.
Carson Schwesinger Lobbied to Play
After Schwesinger’s big forced fumble on Derrick Henry on Sunday, Browns coach Todd Monken was asked about whether he had an inkling that Schwesinger would play despite sometimes visibly limping.
Said Monken: “What’s interesting is early in the week, the trainers were semi-optimistic, but they said, ‘well, it’s Carson.’ And every time I’d see Carson, and I’d ask him, he would get this silly smirk on his face, like, ‘do you know who you’re talking to?’ Like, ‘if I can go, I’m going to go.’ And then we worked him out Friday, and he was going through the bags, and he was like, ‘Well, how do I look?’ Like a little kid.
“Of course. What did I say? ‘Oh, you look great. I’ve never seen you better. That ankle looks like, I mean, a million bucks.’ And you could just tell, if he could play, he was going to play.
Long Way Till Browns Bye Week
And that’s good, Schwesinger’s determination is admirable. No doubt, the Browns don’t win that game against the Ravens if Schwesinger does not play. The same would have been said about the game against the Jets, if the Browns had been able to do anything with the fourth-quarter fumble Schwesinger forced that could have set up a scoring drive, if not for a three-and-out by the Browns offense that became a three-and-fumble over the punter’s head disaster to set yp the Jets’ winning touchdown.
But, it’s only Week 6. The Browns have three road games and a home game before their mid-November bye week. Schwesinger will likely keep playing on the ankle between now and then–and the team can only hope it heals anyway.
Browns Give Concerning News on Carson Schwesinger