BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns added two players to the roster on the second night of the 2024 NFL Draft, a rivalry duo with second-round pick defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. out of The Ohio State University and third-round pick guard Zak Zinter out of Michigan.
While Hall and Zinter have the connection of playing for rival programs in the Big Ten, another unfortunate coincidence connects the two new Browns players.
In November, the Buckeyes and Wolverines took the field at Michigan Stadium for the yearly rivalry matchup. Late in the third quarter, Zinter, a team captain for Michigan got accidentally rolled up on by an Ohio State defender who was pushed during a play. The guard remained down on the field in pain and eventually was carted off with a fractured fibula and tibia.
"When the doctors came out, my leg was kind of sideways. So they straightened it out and I could feel all the bones like in there, like crinkling and touching. So it wasn't the best experience but we got through it," Zinter said.
It was a moment that rallied Michigan fans and players, and the Wolverines went on to win the game—the third straight win over Ohio State's program.
The player who fell into Zinter's leg, resulting in the fracture, was none other than Hall, Zinter's new teammate on the Browns.
"It's obviously the biggest rivalry of all sport, but just to see that out there," Hall recalled. "We even prayed for him after when that happened. It was just real tragic to see that. I mean, he's a hell of a player."
Zinter's injury was a freak accident and part of the game; unfortunate things happen at any given moment. But for the two players who were involved in the play to be now headed to Cleveland on the same night of the draft is something Zinter could only describe as "full circle."
"Yeah, everything comes full circle, I guess, huh?" Zinter said.
Zinter is healing well and has been cleared to participate in rookie minicamp and spring activities, while also deemed healthy enough to be ready to play this season, should the Browns call his number.
"Cleared for everything, so at this point, it's just building the strength back up, building the stamina, but the legs healed," Zinter said. "At this point, it's just building the calf strength and the muscles around it back up."
And fortunately, aside from the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry, there's no bad blood between the two new Browns.
"I’ve talked to him once, we were on a visit together, but he’s a great dude and it’s football, stuff happens when we’re playing in the trenches. But I’m fired up and I think everything happens for a reason. So just kind of a full-circle moment for that to happen and now we’re going to be teammates. So I’m fired up to get there and get to work with him at practice for sure," Zinter said.
The two players are happy to be putting the rivalry to the side and finding some common ground here in Cleveland.
"It started off how it is, but I mean let's go win a Super Bowl. Why not?" Zinter said as he sat beside Hall. "I guess we were enemies in college but now we're brothers. Now we're brothers and teammates."
