Wyatt Teller 'Excited' By Change To Browns Coaching Staff

Cleveland's three-time Pro Bowl guard detailed the difficulties of playing for legendary offensive line coach Bill Callahan

Browns offensive guard Wyatt Teller speaks with offensive line coach Bill Callahan during practice, Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, in Berea. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK

There is more than one way to skin a cat and there is more than one way to coach football.

Cleveland Browns guard Wyatt Teller knows that first hand. The entirety of Teller's Cleveland tenure to this point has been spent under the perfectionist that is legendary offensive line coach Bill Callahan. In NFL circles Callahan is considered the best in the business at his job, but as Teller explained to Tyler Dunne on the Going Long Podcast playing for him is no walk in the park.

"Bill, who’s one of the most intelligent men I’ve ever met, he’s got some hardness to him," Teller said. "There’s times where Bill is unbelievably kind. When we’re talking about family, unbelievably kind. He knows my son’s name. Has reached out multiple times. It’s also like, 'Hey, when I was at my lowest coach, I think you kept on pushing when I was barely afloat.'"

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In one anecdote Teller detailed how Callahan was particularly harsh to him in the midst of some severe sleep deprivation following the birth of his son. It all transpired in the lead up to that infamous nine-degree game between the Browns and Saints in December of 2022.

"I just remember being up every couple hours, maybe getting three to four hours to sleep at night. I didn’t miss any days," Teller explained. "Bill knew this. He knew this very well. We go out Christmas Eve — negative-18 degrees. We can’t run the ball.

"I remember going into that meeting ... just remember him just being merciless. Just tearing me down and being like, 'You’re not giving any effort. You’re not running after the plays. You’re not doing this. You look soft.' And it was just like, 'Coach, I’m with you, man. I want to play better, too. And I wish that we ran for 455 yards and you would’ve been happy. We would’ve won by 21 points. But that wasn’t the case. So why are we even pushing it more when I do nothing but work hard for you, Coach? I do everything I can for this team.' So I’m getting confused. I’m like, 'Do I suck? Am I literally that lazy?” Because I take coaching very serious."

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When Teller arrived in Cleveland in 2019 he was a castaway fifth-round pick of the Bills. Buffalo sent teller to the Browns for a pair of day three draft picks in 2020. At the time no one really thought much of the deal. The Bills had other options at the position they were higher on. The Browns were taking a chance on a player they thought had some upside.

Little did they know what Teller would become – a three-time Pro Bowler and one of the most consistent interior offensive lineman in football. Despite his frustrations it's not lost on him that Callahan made him the player he is today.

I know why he does this," said Teller. "He's playing chess, we’re playing checkers. Bill wanted me to work extremely hard in the offseason. And if he comes in saying, “You’re the GOAT, you’re the greatest of all time, you’re the man.” He’s afraid that I’m not going to work hard. So I get why. I will say this: Bill Callahan would do all that s*** to get the best out of me."

Over the offseason Callahan accepted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be the offensive line coach for his son, Brian Callahan, who was named the head coach of the Tennessee Titans. While the change represents a transitional period for the Browns coaching staff, Teller is seeing a different style of coaching with new offensive coordinator Andy Dickerson. One that has him "excited" about going to work everyday.

"I’m just seeing an open sense of communication with Andy and Roy (Istvan), and it’s a season that I’m actually excited for. I’m actually excited," said Teller. "And usually it was like, “I got to go spend 30 days with Bill and then five days every week being told that, not that you suck, but 'hey, ‘you’re not doing it right. You got to work harder.’

Bill is arguably the best offensive line coach in the league. In history. But I’m really thankful to have a coach that has open conversations, has open reasoning. If I don’t like something, I’m not afraid to ask ... 'hey coach, what are we doing here?'"