Browns' Kevin Stefanski Shares Diplomatic Response To Mike Hall Jr. Situation

The rookie defensive tackle was arrested on Monday night after a domestic disturbance involving his fiancee

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski meets with the media following the team's first joint practice with the Vikings / Spencer German

Kevin Stefanski channeled his inner Philadelphia when issuing a response to the troubling arrest of Browns rookie defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr.

"Respectfully, I don't have much to add," Stefanski said to open up his post-practice availability. "I'm gonna let the legal proceedings play out, and I understand you have to ask the question but I really don't have much on that subject."

Couple notes from #Browns HC Kevin Stefanski's presser:
- Denzel Ward is in the concussion protocol
- All Mike Hall questions got the sake answer "we have to respect the process"
- Said protection issues today were mostly about miscommunications

— 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 (@Spencito_) August 14, 2024

Over the remaining six and a half minutes of Stefanski's press conference, he reiterated and repurposed the "respecting the process" line a total of nine times while being peppered with questions about Hall Jr. returning to the practice field Wednesday after Monday night's domestic disturbance, what it says about the culture, so on and so forth. The Browns head man wouldn't budge.

As noted, the 2024 second-round pick was present for the Browns first joint practice with the Vikings on Thursday as if everything was totally normal. He warmed up with his teammates, did individual work with his fellow defensive lineman and even saw some reps with the second team defense during 11-on-11 work against Minnesota.

With about 30 minutes to go in practice Hall was slow to get up after a play as a crowd of Cleveland trainers, Stefanski and even owner Jimmy Haslam gathered around. After spending a decent amount of time on the ground he eventually made his way off the field with trainers and, notably, without his helmet.

Hall was arrested on Tuesday after his fiancee shared the disturbing details of a domestic dispute that occurred at their house in Avon, OH Monday night. According to the document, the arguments started after his fiancee discussed the "financial needs" of her daughter. The woman is the mother of Hall's son, but the daughter has a different father.

Things got ugly, according to the report, when Hall "attempted to physically force his fiancee out by pushing her from behind toward the front door." He then started "grabbing her by the feet and dragging her on her back across the porch and down to the end of the driveway," causing scrapes to the woman's arms and legs.

Later on, the couple returned inside and Hall allegedly retrieved a handgun and threatened his finacee with it. The report says the 21-year-old "pressed the firearm against her temple and threatened, 'I will (expletive) end it all. I don't care."

Hall was arraigned in Avon Lake Municipal Court one day prior to the team's first joint practice with Minnesota. He pled not guilty to one count of domestic violence and was released after posting a $10,000 bond. He's due back in court on Sept. 10.

The Ohio State product hails locally from Streetsboro, OH. Cleveland selected Hall 54th overall in this year's draft.