On being named starting QB:
"I think I am obviously very fortunate. Obviously, after the past couple weeks, I was forced to learn a hard lesson, and I had to learn it the hard way. I am lucky to be back in the position that I am in and being the starter again. I am definitely not taking it lightly, that's for sure."
On what he learned:
"Obviously, there is a way to conduct yourself that 31 other guys in the league do each and every week. You have to follow that example and realize that this is a very prestigious situation that I am in being a starting quarterback in the NFL. I have to take pride in that and act accordingly."
On why the Browns and fans can believe similar situations won't happen again:
"By far, in a way, improved from where I was last year. Am I perfect by any means? No, but there has been improvement all the way around from the way I've conducted myself in the building and for the majority of the time, the way I have conducted myself off the field. Are there obviously times where I need to better, and like I said, act the way I want to each and every day, every second of every day? Sure, but from where I was last year to where I am today, I still am extremely proud of where I am."
On how he thought actions in Austin, Texas would not come to light:
"It was a lapse of judgement. I think that is what it comes down to."
On if another incident was necessary to learn that lesson and message:
"I don't know. There is nothing you can do now to go back and change what happened."
On if he agreed with Head Coach Mike Pettine's decision:
"In Coach Pettine's mind, he thought that was necessary to get a harsh point across to me. Did I like it? No. Did I have to sit there with a bad taste in my mouth and accept the consequences for my actions? Sure, and I did and I tried to help the guys out these past couple weeks as best as I could. It was hard going into the uncertainty of last week and not know what was going to happen either and then to have to sit another week. I am just sitting here today very thankful to be back in this role, to be back in front of these guys and be in the huddle calling the plays again and trying to go out and salvage what is left of this season and take some pride in these last four games."
On sharing similar comments with the media last year and off-field incidents occurring again:
"I have answered a majority of the questions. I have answered those adequately. For now, we do have a game this week so as much as everyone wants to talk about what has gone on off the field and what has gone on in that regard, we do play the Niners on Sunday at home. I would love to sit here and talk to you guys about that, and I will stay up here as long as you guys would like, but for the most part, I think I have answered the way that I wanted to about everything that has happened the past weekends."
On how he will play Sunday, given he hasn't been able to play regularly this season:
"Each and every time I have got on the field, I have gotten a chance to go out and play better than I have before. I have showed improvement, at least in my eyes. There are going to be people that maybe think what they think, but every time I have gone out, I have felt more comfortable and felt better prepared than I did the last time that I was on the field. I don't expect that to be any different. Do I expect to come out and have the same numbers or have the same stats or anything like that? No because each week is a week in its own. At the same time, I do expect to go out and have things slow down, continue to slow down and continue to progress as a quarterback and play in this position."
On what he hopes to accomplish over these last four weeks and if he considers the four weeks a last chance for him:
"No, I haven't gotten that impression from this organization. These last four weeks for me are a just chance to go out and take pride in this job and this positon and get these guys rallied around and try to provide a spark. There is no hiding the fact of what our record is and what position we sit in right now. We are on the clock as we speak. That is not a very good position to be in. It is not where we wanted to be at the beginning of the year or what we hoped. Now is the time to dig deep. We still have a quarter of the season left. We still have a chance to win some of these games. It comes down to pride. I am going to continue to say it over and over again – if people have pride in what they do and their craft – Coach Pett has talked about it. I know from my standpoint, I can only speak for myself, but I am completely bunkered in for these last four weeks. I am going to come in here every day and give every ounce of energy that I have to try to win these last four games. Whether the odds are against us, whether we are favored or whether we are huge (underdogs) or whatever the case may be, we need to win some of these games."
On if it will send a message to the organization that he can be the QB of the Browns future if he plays well these last four games of the season:
"I have to play. Obviously, they want to see what they have in me, and the only way that they can do that is to put me on the field on Sunday. I am excited to get these starts for the remainder of the season and put my total at seven or eight starts over the past couple years. For me and my progression as a quarterback, it is another time to go out with these guys and try to get a win and put our team and our offense in a position to score more points than they do."
On if he may have had a better personal scenario if another NFL team drafted him:
"I'm not giving up on myself being here. That's been talked about since the day I came out to enter the draft leaving (Texas) A&M. That's been talked about pretty consistently since then. I'm not giving up on my situation here. I was brought here and I believe I still have people in this organization that want me to be here. I'm still here for a reason. I'm here now and controlling what I can control and that's going out on Sunday and trying to play well. That's what it comes down. I want to play well and still have a lot of prove in this league. Obviously, I haven't really done anything. That's been my focus."
On how much it hurt to not play in the Monday night game:
"Yeah it sucked. It sucked."
On injuries on offense since his last start:
"I have faith in those guys that are in there with us. TP (WR Terrelle Pryor) is obviously a new addition. We don't know if he'll be up this week. Look at (WR) Darius Jennings last week and what he did coming in from a practice squad role to really performing on Sunday and doing some good things for us. I have faith that (wide receivers coach) Joker (Phillips) and (running backs coach) Wilbert (Montgomery) and Kev (quarterbacks coach Kevin O'Connell) and Flip (offensive coordinator John DeFilippo) and all of us are going to be on the same page offensively. Would it be nice to have some of those guys back? Sure, but we can only play with whoever we have on Sunday. I know whoever is in there is going to go and fight extremely hard. I don't have any doubts about those guys coming in and playing hard."
On the world hearing that he was not honest with coaches and if he can earn the coaches' trust back:
"I think what was said between me and Coach Pettine and Flip and Kevin stays in that room. I'm a firm believer in what Coach Pett has preached and that's there's certain things that are family business and stay within this organization and that's one of them. What I told them is between me and them. I don't know how things got out or what certain people said, but I know what I told Coach Pettine and Flip and Kevin when I was in that room. That's going to stay family business and I'm not going to speak on it any further."
On if he can block out recent distractions and focus to play well:
"I'm not looking at it as anything else in the past. Like I said, I'm in the mindset of I put that behind me and I'm moving forward and really focusing on this San Francisco gameplan and trying to go out and win, trying to go out and put up more than three or 10 or 17 points or whatever we put up in the last few games. We need to perform better offensively and come out. It's a team sport. It takes all 11 guys on offense, takes all 11 guys on defense and all 11 on special teams to really make this thing work. We want to come out and have a team game. I know from my end I'm focused on this gameplan. I'm focused on this opponent. Like I said, we need to score more points than the other team."
On if he is bringing back the money sign or if it was simply a photo posted for his birthday:
"I think it was just a happy birthday thing on the internet. That's just a non-factor at least from my point of view. I know you guys like to talk about it a lot, but I wouldn't look too much into it."
