Browns Digest

Browns Safety Rodney McLeod Calls 2024 His "Last Lap"

The 12-year veteran returned to the Browns this offseason after tearing his bicep in Week 11.

Spencer German

Aug 26, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Rodney McLeod (26) celebrates with
Aug 26, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Rodney McLeod (26) celebrates with / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
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All good things must come to an end. For Browns veteran safety Rodney McLeod, the end of a productive NFL career is in sight.

The 33-year-old joined NFL Total Access recently and told NFL Network host Marcus Grant that he considers the upcoming season his "last lap."

"This is the last lap for me," said McLeod. "It's been a long career, a prosperous one. One that many didn't anticipate when I started out being undrafted, but I've been able to achieve a lot. Looking forward to just rocking out with my teammates this year, giving it my all. And hopefully ending up where we ultimately wanna be an that's part of that last dance at the end of this year."

McLeod has experienced that last dance once before during his second season with the Eagles in 2017. McLeod unfortunately missed Philadelphia's postseason runt hat year after suffering a quad injury late in the regular season, but earned a ring nonetheless. Last season, McLeod suffered a similar fate last season with Cleveland, tearing his bicep in Week 11 and winding up on the IR.

That frustrating situation left McLeod feeling like he had unfinished business with the Browns, hence his decision to re-sign this offseason.

"Just felt as though last year was left incomplete," explained McLeod. "I wanted a complete year, I pride myself on availability and being durable and so for me this year it's finishing 'unfinished business.' It felt like I left food on the plate and I'm hungry. And I think I can say the same for a lot of my teammates."

Despite his injury last season, McLeod stuck around, serving as a key leader during the team's run to the playoffs that ended in the wild card round. Prior to the injury, the 12-year veteran played in 10 games for the Browns, starting five, after he was thrust into action due to other injuries in the secondary. McLeod finished with 29 combined tackles, two for a loss and one forced fumble.

As he gears up for his final lap, McLeod is hoping it isn't in vein and that he can contribute to a Browns championship run.

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Spencer German
SPENCER GERMAN

Spencer German is a contributor to the Northeast Ohio cluster of sites, including Cavs Insider, Cleveland Baseball Insider and most notably Browns Digest. He also works as a fill-in host on Cleveland Sports Radio, 92.3 The Fan, one of the Browns radio affiliate stations in Cleveland. Despite being a Cleveland transplant, Spencer has enjoyed making Northeast Ohio home ever since he attended college locally at John Carroll University, where he graduated in 2013.

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