PITTSBURGH – What started as a quiet Tuesday morning media session quickly turned into a viral moment across the Premier Madden League, as Coach DK LaFleur of the Pittsburgh Steelers made it crystal clear that he wasn’t backing down from his criticism of the Cleveland Browns and their head coach, SPDot.
After Sunday’s 45–27 loss to the Browns, LaFleur referenced the “Camp Counselor Monstars,” a not so subtle jab at the Browns’ offseason use of the controversial Camp Counselor ability, which allows coaches to boost their rookies’ overall ratings through accelerated development sessions. Reporters followed up with him on Tuesday to ask whether his comments were intended as playful banter or if he truly took issue with it.
LaFleur didn’t hesitate.
“I stand on that s***,” he said bluntly. “It’s cheesy as h***. You can try to justify it however you want, but when your quarterback goes from a 59 overall at the draft to a 73 overall before even taking a single snap in the league, come on, man. That’s not development, that’s a magic trick.”
The room fell silent for a moment before reporters started firing off more questions. LaFleur, clearly animated but controlled, elaborated.
“You would think when you use something like that, you’re making a trade-off,” he said. “Like, okay, we’re sacrificing short-term success to build for the long haul. That’s the point of development systems. But when your rookies come in as some of the best players in the league right out the gate, it’s bullshit.”
LaFleur was referring specifically to several Browns players whose ratings skyrocketed during the offseason thanks to the Camp Counselor ability. Rookie quarterback Haynes King saw an unprecedented jump from a 59 overall prospect at the draft to a 73 overall before Week 1, which is an increase that typically takes a full season or close to it of in-game performance to achieve.
Then there’s defensive tackle Mason Graham, who somehow managed to leap from a 92 overall at the end of the previous Super Bowl week to a 97 overall entering this season. That’s an improvement worthy of an entirely new superstar ability, and one that has raised plenty of eyebrows around the league.
And it doesn’t stop there. Rookie wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. was drafted as a 77 overall, yet entered Week 1 as an 86 overall, nearly on par with veterans who’ve been grinding for years.
“Look, everyone knows what that is,” LaFleur said. “I’m not saying they broke a rule, because technically they didn’t. But let’s not act like it’s normal or fair. If we’re gonna talk about competition and balance, you can’t just turn your roster into the Space Jam team overnight and then pretend it’s the same playing field.”
The Browns’ head coach, SPDot, hasn’t shied away from the controversy either. His defense? He claims he warned the commissioners about how exploitable the Camp Counselor ability could be, and when no rule was implemented to restrict it, he used it to its fullest extent.
From Dot’s perspective, it’s simple. If it’s in the game and not explicitly banned, it’s fair game.
LaFleur isn’t buying it.
“That’s like saying there’s a glitch in the game and you decide to use it anyway to win,” he said. “Just because you pointed it out and nobody stopped you doesn’t make it right. Actually, it makes it worse, because you knew exactly how bad it was for the league and still went ahead with it. That’s not strategy, that’s exploitation.”
When asked how Dot might feel about his comments, LaFleur didn’t blink. “I don’t give a d*** what Dot thinks about what I said,” he fired back. “I had respect for him before this, I really did. But all that s***’s out the window now. You can’t say you care about league integrity one minute and then use something that breaks the entire balance of the league the next. That’s fake to me.”
It’s rare to see LaFleur this outspoken, as he’s typically one of the most composed and professional voices in the PML community. But when it comes to competitive integrity, he doesn’t mince words.
“Listen, I’ve been in this league a long time,” he continued. “We’ve all seen things come and go. Cheesy plays, broken abilities, patches, all of it. However, when you manipulate something that literally changes how rookies enter the league, that’s not just building your team smart. That’s breaking the ecosystem of the league. You end up punishing teams who are actually developing players the right way.”
One reporter asked LaFleur if he believed Dot’s actions gave the Browns an unfair advantage in their Week 1 matchup.
“I don’t even have to think twice about that,” he said. “It didn’t matter how we played or how I called it, we didn’t play well enough to win that game. We weren’t sharp, we weren’t disciplined, and that’s on us. But let’s be real, Haynes King didn’t look like a 59 overall quarterback out there. He looked like a seasoned veteran running the show. So while we have to be better, anyone watching could see that wasn’t some rookie performance.”
Still, LaFleur isn’t losing focus on what matters most, which is the Steelers’ season ahead. When asked if he was worried about any league backlash for his candid comments, he shrugged.
“I don’t care what people think,” he said. “My job is to coach my guys and compete. If people get uncomfortable because I told the truth, that’s on them. We’ll see them again later in the season, and I promise you we’ll be ready.”
The remark drew a mix of laughter and applause from the media room, as LaFleur gave a knowing smirk before exiting the podium.
Whether you agree with him or not, there’s no denying that DK LaFleur has injected some serious fire into the AFC North rivalry. And for a league that thrives on competition and controversy, that’s pure gold.
As one reporter put it on the way out of the facility, “If you thought Week 1 was heated, wait until the rematch.”
– Forged In Steel Times
