The Cleveland Browns claimed the first victory of the 2023 NFL season, winning 21-16 against the New York Jets in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Thursday.
Kicking off the preseason with the annual exhibition, the game was an opportunity for both teams to put some of their less experienced players through the ringer. With Jets' new star quarterback Aaron Rodgers watching on from the sidelines, New York's Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle and Chris Streveler took the snaps as they tried to make enough of an impression to be Rodgers' main understudy.
And while the Jets looked the better of the two teams in the first half, the insertion of rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson turned the game around for the Browns as they overcame a nine-point halftime deficit to claim the win. Thompson-Robinson, chosen in the fifth round of this year's NFL Draft, made an instant impact in his first professional minutes, coming in during the second half and throwing 75 yards on 7/10 passing, while also adding 58 rushing yards and even throwing a crucial block on the first touchdown of the third quarter.
What looked at halftime to be a pedestrian preseason effort for the Browns turned into a thrilling comeback victory in Canton, with Thompson-Robinson making his case to be the primary backup to Cleveland starter DeShaun Watson, who watched on from the sidelines like his Jets counterpart Rodgers.
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