Browns starter spills how he really feels about the city of Cleveland following 5-2 start with win over Titans
The Browns just paid a key member of their defense, and then he got real about the city of Cleveland after they beat the Titans.
The Cleveland Browns are 5-2, and almost nobody had them there at this point in the 2026 NFL season. If someone claims they did, they’re probably stretching the truth. The Browns needed another game-winning drive in Week 7 against the Tennessee Titans to get there, and that’s okay.
This past weekend was a big one Browns defensive tackle Maliek Collins. The game against Tennessee was his first since Cleveland signed him to a two-year contract extension that ties him to the team through the 2028 season on Saturday.
Browns keep finding ways to win
Cleveland played well on offense and defense for most of the afternoon against the Titans. The start was rough, with the Browns falling behind 14-0 after the first quarter. From there, the defense settled in.
The Browns allowed 322 yards. Still, they kept the Titans offense quiet for much of the game after the rough start. Once again, the offense delivered when it mattered most with a game-winning drive.
Collins was part of that effort up front defensively. He recorded a tackle for loss against Tennessee in his first game since getting his new deal.
Maliek Collins earned his new contract with the Browns
News broke Saturday evening that Cleveland had extended Collins on a two-year deal worth $30 million. It was a well-earned paycheck for a player in his 10th NFL season.
At 31 years old, Collins is still getting the job done. He has 3.5 sacks and 17 tackles this season, and he’s playing at a potential Pro Bowl level for the Browns.
That production is even more impressive considering where he was a year ago. A quad injury cut his 2025 season short after 12 games. Before he went down, Collins looked strong for Cleveland with 6.5 sacks.
After the game, Collins was honest about how the extension came together. He said a new contract was something he wanted and something he had been talking with the team about almost every week for quite some time. According to Collins, the Browns wanted to see him healthy following the quad injury before extending him.
Collins then got real about the city he plays in now.
“I love the city of Cleveland. … I want to be up there one day, banging that guitar too,” Collins stated.
That comment shows how much Collins has embraced Cleveland. The guitar is a part of the Browns’ game day experience for fans by bringing back former standouts to fire up the crowd before home games during the season. Collins wants to be one of those players someday.
Collins is a hard worker who shows up and does his job, and that approach plays well with Northeastern Ohioans. He’s also become a team leader on a defense that has helped carry the Browns to this point.
The two-year deal puts Collins in position to stay with Cleveland for the next couple of seasons. If he keeps playing at a high level and stays healthy, another contract to finish his career with the Browns isn’t out of the question. That depends on how long he wants to play.
Either way, Collins is putting together another strong season. If he can stay on the field, there’s a solid chance postseason accolades could be on the menu for him.
