Jerry Jeudy helped rescue the Cleveland Browns against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Todd Monken made clear the veteran receiver has lost his starting job and role as the team’s “bell cow.”
Jeudy caught three passes for 36 yards in Cleveland’s 27-24 victory Thursday night, including two on the winning drive. Afterward, Monken acknowledged the difficulty of adjusting to being overtaken by younger teammates.
“I’m so happy for Jerry,” Monken said. “For a guy who isn’t starting now, he’s a rotational player, that’s so cool for him. It’s not easy for a veteran player to have young players beat him out. But we needed it at a big time and that was a big-time catch.”
Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion are now Cleveland’s starting receivers, with Jeudy among the backups. Monken’s comments confirmed where the veteran stands, even on a night when he helped the Browns finish off a division rival.
Jerry Jeudy Has Fallen Behind Browns Rookies
Jeudy entered Thursday with just two catches for 26 yards through three games. Both receptions came in the season opener against Jacksonville. He went without a catch against Tampa Bay and Carolina, drawing only one target across those two victories.
It has been a sharp decline from his first season in Cleveland. Jeudy earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2024 after setting career highs with 90 catches for 1,229 yards and four touchdowns. His production dropped to 50 receptions for 602 yards and two scores last season.
Boston and Concepcion continued to justify their opportunities against Pittsburgh. Boston led Cleveland with 89 receiving yards on four catches, including a 60-yard gain that helped set up a touchdown. Concepcion added five receptions for 64 yards.
Monken had praised the rookies’ preparation earlier in the week while acknowledging the challenges of learning multiple positions in his offense.
“First of all, you talk about two young men that are diligent, highly intelligent, it’s important to them to get it right,” Monken said.
Jerry Jeudy Delivers on Browns’ Winning Drive
When Pittsburgh tied the game with 1:42 remaining, Watson turned to Jeudy to get Cleveland moving again. Jeudy opened the possession with a 17-yard reception, taking the Browns from their own 26 to the 43. After a false start and a completion to Harold Fannin Jr., Jeudy caught another pass for 10 yards and got out of bounds at Pittsburgh’s 40.
Those two catches accounted for 27 of his 36 receiving yards and produced a pair of first downs. Jeudy caught all three passes thrown his way Thursday.
Watson finished 24-of-33 for 268 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also lost a fumble. Cleveland ultimately needed Andre Szmyt’s 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds remaining to secure its third consecutive victory.
The Browns improved to 3-1 and will visit the New York Jets on October 11, with Jeudy looking to build on his most productive game of the season.
Browns Confirm Jerry Jeudy Demotion Despite Late Heroics