The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Fatherhood, camps, celebrity softball keep Landry busy
Jarvis Landry is as busy these days as a circus juggler trying to keep tennis balls, bowling pins and frying pans spinning in the air, all at the same time.
The Browns’ star receiver became father to a baby boy in late March. Although he was resting on the sideline because of undisclosed discomfort, he and the Browns were in three days of minicamp last week.
Landry conducted a ProCamp at Shaker Heights High School on June 14 and has the second day of his ProCamp at the same site set for 9 a.m.-noon June 15.
Not long after his ProCamp on June 15 ends, he will head to Classic Park in Eastlake for the Jarvis Landry Celebrity Softball game set to begin at 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Captains’ ticket office at 440-9549467. Box seats are $27. Bleacher seats are $20.
Myles Garrett, David Njoku, Jaelen Strong, Kareem Hunt and Christian Kirksey from the Browns, Jordan Clarkson of the Cavaliers and former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic are among the more than 30 celebrities committed to the event.
Former Browns cornerback Joe Haden, now with the Steelers, and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will also be there, as will Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette.
Former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar will throw out the first pitch. Landry hinted some surprise guests might also play.
“If you come, you’ll find out,” Landry said. “It’s going to be a great event.”
Landry is also dealing with something he did not expect. He finds himself in the center of what he says is a non-issue involving his quarterback, Baker Mayfield, and another teammate, running back Duke Johnson.
Johnson during minicamp last week repeated his request to be traded. Mayfield was asked about Johnson’s remarks and said: “Obviously he’s going to handle his stuff how he wants, but you’re either on this train or you’re not. It’s moving. You can get out of the way, or you can join us. So it is what it is.”
Mike Silver of NFL Network wrote a story claiming some players spoke to Mayfield about going public with his remarks about Johnson.
Landry is caught in the middle because he is friends with both players. He is confident Mayfield and Johnson will work well together.
“I don’t think it would be difficult at all,’’ Landry said. “I say to you it’s a nonissue, and it’s not one that we are feeling any particular way about. It’s something that is being blown up from (the media) more than it really is.”
Landry was right at home working with the young boys divided into groups and running on the artificial turf of the Shaker Heights High football field.
Just as Mayfield did in his ProCamp on June 1 at Mayfield High School and Indians pitcher Corey Kluber did in his at Mentor High School (as much as Kluber could with a brace on his broken right forearm), Landry went from team to team to spend time with the campers.
At one point, speaking to the contingent as a whole, Landry told them he hoped one of them some day would be a pro athlete conducting a camp like the one Landry is running.
“I think I say it every year, but it’s the truth,” Landry said. “It’s something I wish I had when I was their age. It’s part of the reason why I wanted to do it for them. It’s something personally I wanted to do throughout my career. Football is one thing, but it doesn’t last forever.
“Playing my part while I’m in position to have the platform I have and having the opportunity to affect these kids is important to me.”
Landry held similar camps in Florida when he was with the Dolphins and made a point to invite MakeA-Wish children to his camp. He is doing the same thing in his ProCamp this year.