Dawand Jones Condemns Fitzpatrick for Hit on Concepcion

A helmet-to-helmet collision that forced Cleveland Browns rookie receiver KC Concepcion out of Sunday's game against the New York Jets sparked a confrontation between Browns tackle Dawand Jones and Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Jones criticized the hit as unnecessary and recalled Fitzpatrick's role in a serious knee injury suffered by Browns running back Nick Chubb in 2023.

The collision occurred during a first-and-10 play with 4:59 remaining in the first quarter at the Jets' 25-yard line. Quarterback Deshaun Watson threw toward Concepcion, who was at the 8-yard line when Fitzpatrick launched himself from the receiver's left side. The contact separated Concepcion from the ball, and officials immediately threw multiple flags.

Fitzpatrick received a personal foul for unnecessary roughness. Concepcion managed to sit up and leave the field under his own power but was ruled out shortly afterward with a head injury. He was later seen walking through the locker room toward the team bus and posted on Instagram that he was "good."

Jones confronted Fitzpatrick after the play. The Browns tackle, who briefly entered the game for right tackle Tytus Howard after Howard suffered a knee injury, exchanged words with the safety before Jets players separated them.

Jones said he reminded Fitzpatrick that he had witnessed the 2023 incident involving Chubb, which left a lasting impression on him.

"I just told him that (expletive)'s (expletive) up. I was there on the field when he did that (expletive) to Chubb, and he just told me, 'It's football,'" Jones said.

Jones continued to explain why he objected to the collision, arguing that the contact crossed a line beyond normal competition.

"And I'm not down with that (expletive)," Jones said.

The confrontation continued as Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood stood between the two players. Jones said he wanted Fitzpatrick to understand his objection directly.

"Just to let him know that, I don't know, I told him that (expletive)'s not right," Jones said.

Jones described his view of the play as a matter of personal judgment rather than an attempt to avoid confrontation.

"I call it how I see it. And some things ain't football. Some things are, and that wasn't football," Jones said.

Browns head coach Todd Monken offered a different assessment, describing the collision as an incident that unfolded quickly. He said he had not previously viewed Fitzpatrick as a player who deliberately targeted opponents.

"That's just a bang-bang play," Monken said.

Monken defended Fitzpatrick's reputation while acknowledging the consequences for Cleveland.

"Minkah's been in this league a long time. He's not a dirty player. I've never seen that out of him.

It's a bang-bang play. And unfortunately it happened to our guy and that's part of the league," Monken said.

Jones rejected that explanation and said he believed the hit went beyond acceptable football contact.

"That (expletive)'s not football at that point, you're just out there trying to hurt people," Jones said.

Jones said he was prepared to confront Fitzpatrick directly rather than keep his criticism private.

"I'm not cool with that. But I'm gonna tell you to your face flat out how it is. You can like it or not and get down with it, or you could do something about it. And you see what he did," Jones said.

The disagreement is rooted partly in the previous injury to Chubb. During a Week 2 Monday Night Football game in 2023, Fitzpatrick hit the running back low, causing a torn ACL, MCL and medial capsule, along with meniscus damage, according to the source report.

Chubb returned in Week 7 of the following season but did not regain his previous form. He played eight games for Cleveland in 2024 before a broken foot ended his season.

Jones started at right tackle during the 2023 game and said the latest collision revived his concerns about Fitzpatrick's encounters with Cleveland players.

"At that point, to me, it's just personal," Jones said.

Jones clarified that he was not claiming to know Fitzpatrick's intentions but said the repeated incidents had affected his view of the safety.

"It's like you got something against our players, and I'm not trying to say he does, but it's just like, come on, dog. This is more than football at this point. Just being dirty at that point," Jones said.

Other Browns players largely declined to assess the collision after the game. Wide receiver Denzel Boston, defensive tackle Maliek Collins and safety Grant Delpit said they had not seen the play.

Delpit nevertheless described how he approaches similar situations, emphasizing the importance of avoiding contact with an opponent's head.

"I can't speak on anybody else," Delpit said.

Delpit added that he tries to adjust his tackling target when facing a comparable situation.

"But when I try to have that situation, I try to lower my target a little bit, make sure I'm not hitting in the head," Delpit said.

Jones stopped short of declaring that Fitzpatrick had a broader reputation for such hits but reiterated his displeasure with the safety's encounters with Cleveland.

"I don't know what it is with him and Cleveland, but I don't like it," Jones said.

Jones said he had delivered that message directly to Fitzpatrick after Sunday's collision.

"And I told him to his face, and I can say some other words, but I'm gonna choose not to," Jones said.