Connor Shaw gives back with kids camp, looks forward to new season with Browns

It’s the only time Connor Shaw smiled after throwing a pick-six.

It helped that the defensive back was half his size.

“It’s fun. It’s my favorite thing to do in the offseason,” Shaw said Saturday during his football camp at Irmo High School. “I know I loved it when I was their age. This is what I love to do.”

Shaw, entering his second year with Cleveland, returned to the Midlands for the first time since his season ended. Hosting a camp for players age 6-16 and mostly stocked with Pop Warner stars, Shaw ran his troops through a goal-line drill.

His pass downfield was intercepted and the youngster just made it into the end zone past the lunging Shaw’s outstretched arms. Wife Molly and daughter Mila, clad in her pink No. 14 jersey, gave him a hand anyway.

Helped by former teammate Patrick Fish, former Richland Northeast/Clemson standout Airese Currie and Currie’s fellow A.C. Flora coaches, Shaw directed a four-hour camp of passing, blocking, receiving and kicking drills. He provided individual instruction to each camper and clarified for the curious – the orange on his cleats was Cleveland orange, not the orange they thought.

He’ll head back to Cleveland on July 22. The Browns’ quarterback race is still open – while veteran Josh McCown was signed during the offseason, Shaw, Johnny Manziel and Thaddeus Lewis are also in camp – and Shaw is trying to do what he always has.

He’ll work his hardest and hope for a chance. It paid off last year when he was chosen to start the Browns’ final game, where he played well for three quarters before succumbing to Baltimore’s defense.

“I think they’re going to give everybody a fair shot,” Shaw said. “We got Josh McCown, where he’s played for a long time, and he’s done a really good job this spring, and he’s mentoring guys like me and Johnny. I’m looking forward to getting back there and competing, go through training camp and we’ll see what happens.”

In the meantime, he’ll travel around South Carolina, doing camps and visiting old friends. He had to leave immediately after camp to get to Lancaster for Dylan Thompson’s wedding.

Shaw left the orange cleats in the car.

This story was originally published June 27, 2015 at 12:50 PM.