Josh Cribbs Thinks He’s the Best Returner Ever
February 2, 2010 – 9:56 am by Chris FedorAfter a great career at Kent State as a quarterback, Josh Cribbs went undrafted in 2005. Despite setting numerous school records for the Golden Flashes, no NFL team thought he could be a quarterback and he really didn’t have a potential position in the league. Because of that, everyone in the NFL passed on him and the Cleveland Browns signed him as an undrafted free agent. The Browns decided to bring Josh Cribbs in as a special teams player and all he did in his rookie season was set the franchise record for return yards in a season. Since that time, Cribbs has turned into the best kick returner and the best special teams player in the NFL. Cribbs is electrifying. I watch him every Sunday here in Cleveland and every time he touches the ball I get the feeling that he is going to take it the distance. That’s how dangerous he is. He may not be a wide receiver or a running back or a quarterback and some may just say he’s simply a special teams player. All those things are true. He may not have a position on the offense, but he’s the best special teams player of the last decade in the NFL.
Right now, Cribbs is trying to get a new contract with the Browns. He signed a poor contract in 2006 and is getting paid more like the Browns 30th best player as opposed to one of their best. As painful as it is for a team to admit that a special teams maven like Cribbs is one of their best players, that’s exactly what Cribbs is. This past season, Cribbs was a big part of the Browns four game winning streak to finish the season and was named the team MVP. That’s how important he is to the Browns. That’s what kind of value he has in Cleveland. It may be unprecedented to rework a player’s contract when he has three years left on his current deal, but Cribbs has earned it. He has outplayed his current contract and he should be paid like one of the teams best player’s not like a former undrafted free agent.
Josh Cribbs joined 790 the Ticket in Miami with Dan LeBatard to talk about what makes him such a good kick returner, whether or not he likes playing for Eric Mangini and whether or not he thinks he’s the best kick returner in NFL history.
On what the key is for him being such a good kick returner:
“I’m adamant on going north and south. That’s my thing. When I came into the league under Jerry Rosburg, he told me one name. Brian Mitchell. That’s who I’ve been trying to emulate and the record that I’ve been chasing. Each game I envision what I do before it happens. Scoring, big touchdowns, setting up the blocks and watching film. All that plays into it.”
On whether or not he’s fearless:
“As I can be. You have to be playing this position when you have guys coming at you. Linebackers 60 yard sprint, it’s a lot of hard collisions. You have to be fearless at that job.”
True or False Eric Mangini is boring:
“False. (Host: I’ll take that as a true) No. You gotta meet him personally. He’s a great guy and you gotta have a chance to meet him before you make judgment now. In the media, boring, but if you know him one on one you will see a different story.”
On the trade rumors with him and the Dolphins earlier this year:
“(Laughing) They were trying to go after me pretty hard according to my agent. I was welcoming all trades at that time with the Browns, but things just didn’t turn out that way. Holmgren came in, he’s trying to right a ship right now, he’s trying to turn this organization around and he’s a great offensive mind. I don’t think they’re gonna be able to let me go. I love Cleveland, I wanna stay there. I’ve been there five years so if it’s time for a change then that’s what it’s time for, but if they handle things than that’s great.”
On whether or not he thinks any returner is better than him:
“Nope. I can’t because I have the record. I’m welcoming all challengers but I didn’t get there all by myself. It’s a host of people that helped me get to where I am today.”
On whether or not returning kicks is the scariest thing in the NFL:
“Definitely. You have to have a lot of heart and some cajones to do it but I love football, I love hitting, I love getting hit and that’s one reason why I take initiative to get on kickoff cover and punt team so I can deliver some blows and get some payback for some of the guys coming down there to get me.”
Listen to Josh Cribbs on 790 the Ticket in Miami here
Tags: 00 NFL All Decade team, 790 the Ticket, Cleveland Browns, Josh Cribbs, Josh Cribbs contract dispute, NFL
