Malik McDowell’s improbable redemption path leads to the Browns 53-man roster

Malik McDowell has made the Cleveland Browns 53-man roster. That in and of itself is a pretty impressive feat for a guy who hadn’t played in an actual football game in almost five years. But it doesn’t begin to tell the redemptive story of the self-destructive, one-time draft flop.

McDowell earned his spot on the Browns defensive line with an outstanding summer. He came to Cleveland in shape, both physically and mentally, and he put forth great effort to prove his worth to everyone, every day. It’s not something many expected, including myself.

I’ve had limited interactions with McDowell personally, but they certainly were memorable ones. And not for the reasons McDowell would want them to be remembered.

He appeared as a guest on a radio program I co-hosted on ESPN 96.1 in Grand Rapids in the weeks leading into the 2017 NFL draft. He was a Michigan State guy whose time with the Spartans did not end well, and we offered him a chance to explain himself. Instead, he offered sometimes incoherent babbling and talked about how disrespected he felt by the local Michigan State fan base and various (unnamed) former teammates and coaches.

At the scouting combine in Indianapolis later that winter, I stood in front of McDowell’s interview podium with other media members. McDowell was asked about being played at nose tackle by the Spartans, and he responded by admitting he didn’t really like playing football but really didn’t like playing football for his MSU coaches. It was a stunning answer, coming as word of McDowell bombing in team interviews filtered out. Red flags were at full mast.

The Seattle Seahawks thought enough of the oft-dominant game tape to select McDowell in the second round. But he never even made it to training camp. McDowell was seriously injured in an ATV accident

Then there was the disturbing arrest, captured on video, where he assaulted a police officer. McDowell was sentenced to 11 months in jail for the incident.

The time away from football and the troubling past have produced a new man. A better man. And he’s humbly proud of where he’s at.

“A lot of stuff drove me to what I had going on,” McDowell told reporters on Tuesday. “The accident was the biggest part … That’s where I lost my faith and I shouldn’t have ever lost my faith.”

McDowell continued,

“Doctors telling me I’d never be able to play again, but I’ve got doctors saying another thing and go to a team and their doctor says the same thing, go to another team, doctor says the same thing. Just trying to push through that was a hard thing for me. I got down on myself a lot, just knowing I might not ever be able to play football again. But God blessed me and I’m back here.”

It’s a success story just getting back to even credibly trying out for the Browns. The fact the new and improved McDowell made it on his playing merits in spite of his unsavory history is a testament to his underlying character and drive. Those traits emerged later than hoped for, but certainly better late than never.

Good job, Malik, I’m proud of you.