Joshua Cribbs
Encyclopedia
Joshua "Josh" Cribbs is an American football
wide receiver
and return specialist
for the Cleveland Browns
of the National Football League
. He played collegiately
for Kent State University
. He holds the NFL record with eight kickoff
returns for touchdowns. He also has tied the NFL record with two kickoffs of 100 yards or more returned for touchdowns in a single game.
in Washington, D.C. As a senior in the 2000 season, he was named a first-team All-Met selection by the Washington Post. While attending, he was teammates with future San Francisco 49ers
tight end Vernon Davis
, he played and lettered in baseball
, swimming
and basketball
in addition to football
.
During Cribbs' time at Dunbar the Crimson Tide won three consecutive DCIAA football titles. In his senior season, Cribbs completed 130 of 277 passes for 2,022 yards, 9 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. In the 2000 Turkey Bowl (DCIAA Championship game played the morning of Thanksgiving), Cribbs led Dunbar to a 35-12 victory over the Ballou Knights
. Two second half touchdowns thrown by Cribbs were key to the Crimson Tide's victory over Ballou—one of which was caught by then Dunbar sophomore tight end Vernon Davis
.
, where he is the all-time total offense leader with 10,839 yards. Other school records include rushing touchdowns (38), pass completions (616), pass attempts (1,123), passing yardage (7,169), touchdowns scored (41), and points scored (246).
He is one of only two true freshman in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards (the other being Armanti Edwards
of Appalachian State). He is also one of only five players in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards in at least two different seasons, the others being Beau Morgan of Air Force
, Vince Young
of Texas
, Pat White of West Virginia
, and Armanti Edwards
of Appalachian State. Cribbs accomplished the feat three times. He is one of only four quarterbacks in NCAA history to rush for 3,500 yards and throw for 7,000 yards in his career (the other three being Antwaan Randle-El of Indiana
, Armanti Edwards
of Appalachian State, and Brad Smith
of Missouri
.
Cribbs is also the only player in NCAA history to lead his team in both rushing and passing in four different seasons, although his 2003 single-season school record of 3,125 combined yards was eclipsed in 2008 by quarterback Julian Edelman
.
Cribbs was a communication studies major with a concentration in public communication. He received his diploma on May 15, 2010.
College Statistics:
; however, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns on April 29, 2005. He made the Browns roster for the 2005 season
, and made an impact as a kick returner
. He averaged 24.5 yards per return, and his total of 1,094 return yards set a franchise record. In a game against the Detroit Lions
, he returned a kick 90 yards for his first NFL touchdown. He made his NFL debut versus the Cincinnati Bengals
on September 11.
, signed a 6-year contract extension with the Cleveland Browns, and returned another kickoff 92 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also set a new franchise record for most kickoff yardage in a season, breaking the record he set himself the previous year.
in Week 3 of the 2007 season
, Cribbs had one kick-return touchdown in each of his first three years in the NFL. Cribbs recorded his fourth kickoff-return touchdown with a 100-yarder against the Steelers in Week 10 of the 2007 season, as well as a 90 yard return earlier in the game. Cribbs continued his season with 245 return yards and 61 punt return yards in the Browns overtime victory over the Ravens in week 11. Cribbs was voted to the 2008 Pro Bowl
as a kick returner for the AFC. Cribbs also had a 76 yard punt return for a touchdown against the 49ers. Cribbs had another returned for 94 yards for another score but was called back on a holding penalty by Lennie Friedman.
in a Monday night game. On November 26, 2008, after placing Brady Quinn
on injured reserve, the Browns named Cribbs their emergency quarterback.
, Cribbs returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown, tying the team record for returns for a touchdown (7) with Eric Metcalf
. Also, in that same game, Cribbs was named the starting No. 2 wide receiver for the first time in his NFL career. On October 18, Cribbs returned a Pittsburgh kickoff for a touchdown, breaking the team record for returns for a touchdown. In this game he became the first NFL player to throw an interception and record a kick-off return touchdown in the same game since 1950. On December 10, Cribbs led the Browns to victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers
, their first win over their rival in 13 games. Cribbs led all offensive players with 200 all-purpose yards, including 87 yards rushing out of the Wildcat formation. On December 20, Cribbs returned two kickoffs for touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs
to set and extend the all-time NFL record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns in a career. On December 29, Cribbs was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl for the second time in his career as the Browns' and AFC's representative as the kick returner. Cribbs was also named the Browns' team MVP for the 2009 season.
In February 2010, Cribbs's agent said that contract negotiations were going well. John "JR" Rickert
(Cribbs's agent) has said multiple times that things were going well in making a new contract. On March 5, 2010, Cribbs re-signed with the Cleveland Browns with a three-year, $20 million dollar contract.
In January 2010, Cribbs was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team
for the 2000s.
wide receiver
and return specialist
for the Cleveland Browns
of the National Football League
. He played collegiately
for Kent State University
. He holds the NFL record with eight kickoff
returns for touchdowns. He also has tied the NFL record with two kickoffs of 100 yards or more returned for touchdowns in a single game.
in Washington, D.C. As a senior in the 2000 season, he was named a first-team All-Met selection by the Washington Post. While attending, he was teammates with future San Francisco 49ers
tight end Vernon Davis
, he played and lettered in baseball
, swimming
and basketball
in addition to football
.
During Cribbs' time at Dunbar the Crimson Tide won three consecutive DCIAA football titles. In his senior season, Cribbs completed 130 of 277 passes for 2,022 yards, 9 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. In the 2000 Turkey Bowl (DCIAA Championship game played the morning of Thanksgiving), Cribbs led Dunbar to a 35-12 victory over the Ballou Knights
. Two second half touchdowns thrown by Cribbs were key to the Crimson Tide's victory over Ballou—one of which was caught by then Dunbar sophomore tight end Vernon Davis
.
, where he is the all-time total offense leader with 10,839 yards. Other school records include rushing touchdowns (38), pass completions (616), pass attempts (1,123), passing yardage (7,169), touchdowns scored (41), and points scored (246).
He is one of only two true freshman in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards (the other being Armanti Edwards
of Appalachian State). He is also one of only five players in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards in at least two different seasons, the others being Beau Morgan of Air Force
, Vince Young
of Texas
, Pat White of West Virginia
, and Armanti Edwards
of Appalachian State. Cribbs accomplished the feat three times. He is one of only four quarterbacks in NCAA history to rush for 3,500 yards and throw for 7,000 yards in his career (the other three being Antwaan Randle-El of Indiana
, Armanti Edwards
of Appalachian State, and Brad Smith
of Missouri
.
Cribbs is also the only player in NCAA history to lead his team in both rushing and passing in four different seasons, although his 2003 single-season school record of 3,125 combined yards was eclipsed in 2008 by quarterback Julian Edelman
.
Cribbs was a communication studies major with a concentration in public communication. He received his diploma on May 15, 2010.
College Statistics:
; however, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns on April 29, 2005. He made the Browns roster for the 2005 season
, and made an impact as a kick returner
. He averaged 24.5 yards per return, and his total of 1,094 return yards set a franchise record. In a game against the Detroit Lions
, he returned a kick 90 yards for his first NFL touchdown. He made his NFL debut versus the Cincinnati Bengals
on September 11.
, signed a 6-year contract extension with the Cleveland Browns, and returned another kickoff 92 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also set a new franchise record for most kickoff yardage in a season, breaking the record he set himself the previous year.
in Week 3 of the 2007 season
, Cribbs had one kick-return touchdown in each of his first three years in the NFL. Cribbs recorded his fourth kickoff-return touchdown with a 100-yarder against the Steelers in Week 10 of the 2007 season, as well as a 90 yard return earlier in the game. Cribbs continued his season with 245 return yards and 61 punt return yards in the Browns overtime victory over the Ravens in week 11. Cribbs was voted to the 2008 Pro Bowl
as a kick returner for the AFC. Cribbs also had a 76 yard punt return for a touchdown against the 49ers. Cribbs had another returned for 94 yards for another score but was called back on a holding penalty by Lennie Friedman.
in a Monday night game. On November 26, 2008, after placing Brady Quinn
on injured reserve, the Browns named Cribbs their emergency quarterback.
, Cribbs returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown, tying the team record for returns for a touchdown (7) with Eric Metcalf
. Also, in that same game, Cribbs was named the starting No. 2 wide receiver for the first time in his NFL career. On October 18, Cribbs returned a Pittsburgh kickoff for a touchdown, breaking the team record for returns for a touchdown. In this game he became the first NFL player to throw an interception and record a kick-off return touchdown in the same game since 1950. On December 10, Cribbs led the Browns to victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers
, their first win over their rival in 13 games. Cribbs led all offensive players with 200 all-purpose yards, including 87 yards rushing out of the Wildcat formation. On December 20, Cribbs returned two kickoffs for touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs
to set and extend the all-time NFL record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns in a career. On December 29, Cribbs was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl for the second time in his career as the Browns' and AFC's representative as the kick returner. Cribbs was also named the Browns' team MVP for the 2009 season.
In February 2010, Cribbs's agent said that contract negotiations were going well. John "JR" Rickert
(Cribbs's agent) has said multiple times that things were going well in making a new contract. On March 5, 2010, Cribbs re-signed with the Cleveland Browns with a three-year, $20 million dollar contract.
In January 2010, Cribbs was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team
for the 2000s.
wide receiver
and return specialist
for the Cleveland Browns
of the National Football League
. He played collegiately
for Kent State University
. He holds the NFL record with eight kickoff
returns for touchdowns. He also has tied the NFL record with two kickoffs of 100 yards or more returned for touchdowns in a single game.
in Washington, D.C. As a senior in the 2000 season, he was named a first-team All-Met selection by the Washington Post. While attending, he was teammates with future San Francisco 49ers
tight end Vernon Davis
, he played and lettered in baseball
, swimming
and basketball
in addition to football
.
During Cribbs' time at Dunbar the Crimson Tide won three consecutive DCIAA football titles. In his senior season, Cribbs completed 130 of 277 passes for 2,022 yards, 9 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. In the 2000 Turkey Bowl (DCIAA Championship game played the morning of Thanksgiving), Cribbs led Dunbar to a 35-12 victory over the Ballou Knights
. Two second half touchdowns thrown by Cribbs were key to the Crimson Tide's victory over Ballou—one of which was caught by then Dunbar sophomore tight end Vernon Davis
.
, where he is the all-time total offense leader with 10,839 yards. Other school records include rushing touchdowns (38), pass completions (616), pass attempts (1,123), passing yardage (7,169), touchdowns scored (41), and points scored (246).
He is one of only two true freshman in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards (the other being Armanti Edwards
of Appalachian State). He is also one of only five players in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards in at least two different seasons, the others being Beau Morgan of Air Force
, Vince Young
of Texas
, Pat White of West Virginia
, and Armanti Edwards
of Appalachian State. Cribbs accomplished the feat three times. He is one of only four quarterbacks in NCAA history to rush for 3,500 yards and throw for 7,000 yards in his career (the other three being Antwaan Randle-El of Indiana
, Armanti Edwards
of Appalachian State, and Brad Smith
of Missouri
.
Cribbs is also the only player in NCAA history to lead his team in both rushing and passing in four different seasons, although his 2003 single-season school record of 3,125 combined yards was eclipsed in 2008 by quarterback Julian Edelman
.
Cribbs was a communication studies major with a concentration in public communication. He received his diploma on May 15, 2010.
College Statistics:
; however, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns on April 29, 2005. He made the Browns roster for the 2005 season
, and made an impact as a kick returner
. He averaged 24.5 yards per return, and his total of 1,094 return yards set a franchise record. In a game against the Detroit Lions
, he returned a kick 90 yards for his first NFL touchdown. He made his NFL debut versus the Cincinnati Bengals
on September 11.
, signed a 6-year contract extension with the Cleveland Browns, and returned another kickoff 92 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also set a new franchise record for most kickoff yardage in a season, breaking the record he set himself the previous year.
in Week 3 of the 2007 season
, Cribbs had one kick-return touchdown in each of his first three years in the NFL. Cribbs recorded his fourth kickoff-return touchdown with a 100-yarder against the Steelers in Week 10 of the 2007 season, as well as a 90 yard return earlier in the game. Cribbs continued his season with 245 return yards and 61 punt return yards in the Browns overtime victory over the Ravens in week 11. Cribbs was voted to the 2008 Pro Bowl
as a kick returner for the AFC. Cribbs also had a 76 yard punt return for a touchdown against the 49ers. Cribbs had another returned for 94 yards for another score but was called back on a holding penalty by Lennie Friedman.
in a Monday night game. On November 26, 2008, after placing Brady Quinn
on injured reserve, the Browns named Cribbs their emergency quarterback.
, Cribbs returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown, tying the team record for returns for a touchdown (7) with Eric Metcalf
. Also, in that same game, Cribbs was named the starting No. 2 wide receiver for the first time in his NFL career. On October 18, Cribbs returned a Pittsburgh kickoff for a touchdown, breaking the team record for returns for a touchdown. In this game he became the first NFL player to throw an interception and record a kick-off return touchdown in the same game since 1950. On December 10, Cribbs led the Browns to victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers
, their first win over their rival in 13 games. Cribbs led all offensive players with 200 all-purpose yards, including 87 yards rushing out of the Wildcat formation. On December 20, Cribbs returned two kickoffs for touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs
to set and extend the all-time NFL record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns in a career. On December 29, Cribbs was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl for the second time in his career as the Browns' and AFC's representative as the kick returner. Cribbs was also named the Browns' team MVP for the 2009 season.
In February 2010, Cribbs's agent said that contract negotiations were going well. John "JR" Rickert
(Cribbs's agent) has said multiple times that things were going well in making a new contract. On March 5, 2010, Cribbs re-signed with the Cleveland Browns with a three-year, $20 million dollar contract.
In January 2010, Cribbs was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team
for the 2000s.
Cribbs is also part owner of a children's indoor inflatable play arena called Bounce City. He shares the ownership of the facility, which is located in Strongsville, Ohio
, with Darnell Dinkins
, a former Browns tight end.
Cribbs indicated via Twitter that he will give his 2010 Pro Bowl paycheck to relief efforts for the 2010 Haiti earthquake
.
Cribbs was also featured in an episode of The League
, "The White Knuckler" where Ruxin (Nick Kroll
) contacts Cribbs to help out a sick kid, in hopes of meeting Cribbs himself.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
and return specialist
Return specialist
A Return Specialist is a player on American football or Canadian football special teams who specializes in returning punts and kickoff returns. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most play other positions as well. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a...
for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He played collegiately
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
. He holds the NFL record with eight kickoff
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
returns for touchdowns. He also has tied the NFL record with two kickoffs of 100 yards or more returned for touchdowns in a single game.
High school career
Cribbs played quarterback at Dunbar High SchoolDunbar High School (Washington, D.C.)
Dunbar High School is a public secondary school located in Washington, D.C., United States. The school is located in the Truxton Circle neighborhood of Northwest Washington, two blocks from the intersection of New Jersey and New York Avenues...
in Washington, D.C. As a senior in the 2000 season, he was named a first-team All-Met selection by the Washington Post. While attending, he was teammates with future San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
tight end Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis
-2006 rookie season:Vernon's first reception in the NFL was a 31-yard touchdown catch, against the Arizona Cardinals on September 10, 2006. He added a career-long 52-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers on December 10 with a short catch followed by a long run. Davis played in ten games in...
, he played and lettered in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
in addition to football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
.
During Cribbs' time at Dunbar the Crimson Tide won three consecutive DCIAA football titles. In his senior season, Cribbs completed 130 of 277 passes for 2,022 yards, 9 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. In the 2000 Turkey Bowl (DCIAA Championship game played the morning of Thanksgiving), Cribbs led Dunbar to a 35-12 victory over the Ballou Knights
Ballou High School
Ballou Senior High School is a public school located in Washington, D.C., United States. Ballou is a part of the District of Columbia Public Schools. The current principal is Rahman Branch...
. Two second half touchdowns thrown by Cribbs were key to the Crimson Tide's victory over Ballou—one of which was caught by then Dunbar sophomore tight end Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis
-2006 rookie season:Vernon's first reception in the NFL was a 31-yard touchdown catch, against the Arizona Cardinals on September 10, 2006. He added a career-long 52-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers on December 10 with a short catch followed by a long run. Davis played in ten games in...
.
College career
Cribbs played quarterback at Kent State UniversityKent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
, where he is the all-time total offense leader with 10,839 yards. Other school records include rushing touchdowns (38), pass completions (616), pass attempts (1,123), passing yardage (7,169), touchdowns scored (41), and points scored (246).
He is one of only two true freshman in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards (the other being Armanti Edwards
Armanti Edwards
Armanti Fredrico Edwards is an American football player for the Carolina Panthers. He was the starting quarterback for the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team from 2006–09. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
of Appalachian State). He is also one of only five players in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards in at least two different seasons, the others being Beau Morgan of Air Force
Air Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
, Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
of Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
, Pat White of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, and Armanti Edwards
Armanti Edwards
Armanti Fredrico Edwards is an American football player for the Carolina Panthers. He was the starting quarterback for the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team from 2006–09. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
of Appalachian State. Cribbs accomplished the feat three times. He is one of only four quarterbacks in NCAA history to rush for 3,500 yards and throw for 7,000 yards in his career (the other three being Antwaan Randle-El of Indiana
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, Armanti Edwards
Armanti Edwards
Armanti Fredrico Edwards is an American football player for the Carolina Panthers. He was the starting quarterback for the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team from 2006–09. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
of Appalachian State, and Brad Smith
Brad Smith (American football)
Bradley "Brad" Alexander Smith is an American football quarterback, running back, wide receiver and return specialist for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played college football at Missouri.-High...
of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
.
Cribbs is also the only player in NCAA history to lead his team in both rushing and passing in four different seasons, although his 2003 single-season school record of 3,125 combined yards was eclipsed in 2008 by quarterback Julian Edelman
Julian Edelman
Julian Francis Edelman is a wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Kent State as a quarterback.-Early years:Edelman was born in Redwood City, California...
.
Cribbs was a communication studies major with a concentration in public communication. He received his diploma on May 15, 2010.
College Statistics:
- 2001: 131/238 (55.0%) for 1516 yards and 10 TD vs. 5 INT. 164 carries for 1192 yards and 5 TD.
- 2002: 91/186 (48.9%) for 1014 yards and 4 TD vs. 14 INT. 137 carries for 1057 yards and 10 TD.
- 2003: 178/364 (48.9%) for 2424 yards and 14 TD vs. 9 INT. 161 carries for 701 yards and 14 TD.
- 2004: 216/335 (64.5%) for 2215 yards and 17 TD vs. 6 INT. 170 carries for 893 yards and 9 TD.
2005
Cribbs was not chosen in the 2005 NFL Draft2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
; however, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns on April 29, 2005. He made the Browns roster for the 2005 season
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, and made an impact as a kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
. He averaged 24.5 yards per return, and his total of 1,094 return yards set a franchise record. In a game against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, he returned a kick 90 yards for his first NFL touchdown. He made his NFL debut versus the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on September 11.
2006
Cribbs, in 20062006 Cleveland Browns season
The 2006 Cleveland Browns season marked the 60th anniversary of the Browns franchise. It began with the team attempting to improve upon their win-loss record from 2005, where the team ended the year at 6–10. They were one of the most active teams during the free agency period, and looked to be one...
, signed a 6-year contract extension with the Cleveland Browns, and returned another kickoff 92 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also set a new franchise record for most kickoff yardage in a season, breaking the record he set himself the previous year.
2007
After returning yet another kickoff for a touchdown against the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Week 3 of the 2007 season
2007 Cleveland Browns season
The 2007 Cleveland Browns season began with the Browns attempting to improve upon their 4–12 record from the 2006 season, in which the team finished in fourth place in the AFC North. The Browns also attempted to overcome the many injuries that plagued the team throughout the 2006 season...
, Cribbs had one kick-return touchdown in each of his first three years in the NFL. Cribbs recorded his fourth kickoff-return touchdown with a 100-yarder against the Steelers in Week 10 of the 2007 season, as well as a 90 yard return earlier in the game. Cribbs continued his season with 245 return yards and 61 punt return yards in the Browns overtime victory over the Ravens in week 11. Cribbs was voted to the 2008 Pro Bowl
2008 Pro Bowl
The 2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2007 season. It was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 10, 2008. The game was televised in the United States by Fox and began shortly after 11:40am local time . The NFC won, 42–30, despite a 17-point first half AFC...
as a kick returner for the AFC. Cribbs also had a 76 yard punt return for a touchdown against the 49ers. Cribbs had another returned for 94 yards for another score but was called back on a holding penalty by Lennie Friedman.
2008
For the fourth straight season, Cribbs again had a touchdown on a kickoff return, scoring on a 92-yard return versus the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. It was the fifth kickoff return touchdown of Cribbs's career. Cribbs also had a 4-yard rushing touchdown against the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in a Monday night game. On November 26, 2008, after placing Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
on injured reserve, the Browns named Cribbs their emergency quarterback.
2009
On September 13, in the Browns' home opener versus the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, Cribbs returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown, tying the team record for returns for a touchdown (7) with Eric Metcalf
Eric Metcalf
Eric Quinn Metcalf is a former American football running back and wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Browns, Falcons, Chargers, Cardinals, Panthers, Redskins and Packers...
. Also, in that same game, Cribbs was named the starting No. 2 wide receiver for the first time in his NFL career. On October 18, Cribbs returned a Pittsburgh kickoff for a touchdown, breaking the team record for returns for a touchdown. In this game he became the first NFL player to throw an interception and record a kick-off return touchdown in the same game since 1950. On December 10, Cribbs led the Browns to victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, their first win over their rival in 13 games. Cribbs led all offensive players with 200 all-purpose yards, including 87 yards rushing out of the Wildcat formation. On December 20, Cribbs returned two kickoffs for touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
to set and extend the all-time NFL record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns in a career. On December 29, Cribbs was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl for the second time in his career as the Browns' and AFC's representative as the kick returner. Cribbs was also named the Browns' team MVP for the 2009 season.
2010
Relations between Cribbs and the Browns soured at the end of the 2009 season, as negotiations on a new contract extension ended with a reported $1.4 million per year offer that Cribbs felt was insultingly low. On January 7, 2010, Cribbs cleaned out his locker at the Browns' training complex and announced his intention to walk out on the final three years of his contract, telling reporters, "... it absolutely felt like the last time I'd be setting foot inside the building. I feel like it's over for me in Cleveland", adding that the Browns' offer felt "like I've been betrayed and stabbed in the back."In February 2010, Cribbs's agent said that contract negotiations were going well. John "JR" Rickert
John "JR" Rickert
John "JR" Rickert is an American sports agent who represents players in the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association, as well as boxers. He co-owns National Sports Management, a New York based sports agency, and is known for representing players...
(Cribbs's agent) has said multiple times that things were going well in making a new contract. On March 5, 2010, Cribbs re-signed with the Cleveland Browns with a three-year, $20 million dollar contract.
In January 2010, Cribbs was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team
National Football League 2000s All-Decade Team
The NFL 2000s All-Decade Team is composed of outstanding performers in the National Football League in the ten years spanning 2000–2009. Only a player or coach's performance in the 2000s is used as criteria for voting....
for the 2000s.
NFL statistics
Joshua "Josh" Cribbs (born June 9, 1983) is an American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
and return specialist
Return specialist
A Return Specialist is a player on American football or Canadian football special teams who specializes in returning punts and kickoff returns. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most play other positions as well. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a...
for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He played collegiately
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
. He holds the NFL record with eight kickoff
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
returns for touchdowns. He also has tied the NFL record with two kickoffs of 100 yards or more returned for touchdowns in a single game.
High school career
Cribbs played quarterback at Dunbar High SchoolDunbar High School (Washington, D.C.)
Dunbar High School is a public secondary school located in Washington, D.C., United States. The school is located in the Truxton Circle neighborhood of Northwest Washington, two blocks from the intersection of New Jersey and New York Avenues...
in Washington, D.C. As a senior in the 2000 season, he was named a first-team All-Met selection by the Washington Post. While attending, he was teammates with future San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
tight end Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis
-2006 rookie season:Vernon's first reception in the NFL was a 31-yard touchdown catch, against the Arizona Cardinals on September 10, 2006. He added a career-long 52-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers on December 10 with a short catch followed by a long run. Davis played in ten games in...
, he played and lettered in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
in addition to football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
.
During Cribbs' time at Dunbar the Crimson Tide won three consecutive DCIAA football titles. In his senior season, Cribbs completed 130 of 277 passes for 2,022 yards, 9 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. In the 2000 Turkey Bowl (DCIAA Championship game played the morning of Thanksgiving), Cribbs led Dunbar to a 35-12 victory over the Ballou Knights
Ballou High School
Ballou Senior High School is a public school located in Washington, D.C., United States. Ballou is a part of the District of Columbia Public Schools. The current principal is Rahman Branch...
. Two second half touchdowns thrown by Cribbs were key to the Crimson Tide's victory over Ballou—one of which was caught by then Dunbar sophomore tight end Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis
-2006 rookie season:Vernon's first reception in the NFL was a 31-yard touchdown catch, against the Arizona Cardinals on September 10, 2006. He added a career-long 52-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers on December 10 with a short catch followed by a long run. Davis played in ten games in...
.
College career
Cribbs played quarterback at Kent State UniversityKent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
, where he is the all-time total offense leader with 10,839 yards. Other school records include rushing touchdowns (38), pass completions (616), pass attempts (1,123), passing yardage (7,169), touchdowns scored (41), and points scored (246).
He is one of only two true freshman in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards (the other being Armanti Edwards
Armanti Edwards
Armanti Fredrico Edwards is an American football player for the Carolina Panthers. He was the starting quarterback for the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team from 2006–09. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
of Appalachian State). He is also one of only five players in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards in at least two different seasons, the others being Beau Morgan of Air Force
Air Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
, Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
of Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
, Pat White of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, and Armanti Edwards
Armanti Edwards
Armanti Fredrico Edwards is an American football player for the Carolina Panthers. He was the starting quarterback for the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team from 2006–09. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
of Appalachian State. Cribbs accomplished the feat three times. He is one of only four quarterbacks in NCAA history to rush for 3,500 yards and throw for 7,000 yards in his career (the other three being Antwaan Randle-El of Indiana
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, Armanti Edwards
Armanti Edwards
Armanti Fredrico Edwards is an American football player for the Carolina Panthers. He was the starting quarterback for the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team from 2006–09. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
of Appalachian State, and Brad Smith
Brad Smith (American football)
Bradley "Brad" Alexander Smith is an American football quarterback, running back, wide receiver and return specialist for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played college football at Missouri.-High...
of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
.
Cribbs is also the only player in NCAA history to lead his team in both rushing and passing in four different seasons, although his 2003 single-season school record of 3,125 combined yards was eclipsed in 2008 by quarterback Julian Edelman
Julian Edelman
Julian Francis Edelman is a wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Kent State as a quarterback.-Early years:Edelman was born in Redwood City, California...
.
Cribbs was a communication studies major with a concentration in public communication. He received his diploma on May 15, 2010.
College Statistics:
- 2001: 131/238 (55.0%) for 1516 yards and 10 TD vs. 5 INT. 164 carries for 1192 yards and 5 TD.
- 2002: 91/186 (48.9%) for 1014 yards and 4 TD vs. 14 INT. 137 carries for 1057 yards and 10 TD.
- 2003: 178/364 (48.9%) for 2424 yards and 14 TD vs. 9 INT. 161 carries for 701 yards and 14 TD.
- 2004: 216/335 (64.5%) for 2215 yards and 17 TD vs. 6 INT. 170 carries for 893 yards and 9 TD.
2005
Cribbs was not chosen in the 2005 NFL Draft2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
; however, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns on April 29, 2005. He made the Browns roster for the 2005 season
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, and made an impact as a kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
. He averaged 24.5 yards per return, and his total of 1,094 return yards set a franchise record. In a game against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, he returned a kick 90 yards for his first NFL touchdown. He made his NFL debut versus the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on September 11.
2006
Cribbs, in 20062006 Cleveland Browns season
The 2006 Cleveland Browns season marked the 60th anniversary of the Browns franchise. It began with the team attempting to improve upon their win-loss record from 2005, where the team ended the year at 6–10. They were one of the most active teams during the free agency period, and looked to be one...
, signed a 6-year contract extension with the Cleveland Browns, and returned another kickoff 92 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also set a new franchise record for most kickoff yardage in a season, breaking the record he set himself the previous year.
2007
After returning yet another kickoff for a touchdown against the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Week 3 of the 2007 season
2007 Cleveland Browns season
The 2007 Cleveland Browns season began with the Browns attempting to improve upon their 4–12 record from the 2006 season, in which the team finished in fourth place in the AFC North. The Browns also attempted to overcome the many injuries that plagued the team throughout the 2006 season...
, Cribbs had one kick-return touchdown in each of his first three years in the NFL. Cribbs recorded his fourth kickoff-return touchdown with a 100-yarder against the Steelers in Week 10 of the 2007 season, as well as a 90 yard return earlier in the game. Cribbs continued his season with 245 return yards and 61 punt return yards in the Browns overtime victory over the Ravens in week 11. Cribbs was voted to the 2008 Pro Bowl
2008 Pro Bowl
The 2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2007 season. It was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 10, 2008. The game was televised in the United States by Fox and began shortly after 11:40am local time . The NFC won, 42–30, despite a 17-point first half AFC...
as a kick returner for the AFC. Cribbs also had a 76 yard punt return for a touchdown against the 49ers. Cribbs had another returned for 94 yards for another score but was called back on a holding penalty by Lennie Friedman.
2008
For the fourth straight season, Cribbs again had a touchdown on a kickoff return, scoring on a 92-yard return versus the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. It was the fifth kickoff return touchdown of Cribbs's career. Cribbs also had a 4-yard rushing touchdown against the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in a Monday night game. On November 26, 2008, after placing Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
on injured reserve, the Browns named Cribbs their emergency quarterback.
2009
On September 13, in the Browns' home opener versus the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, Cribbs returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown, tying the team record for returns for a touchdown (7) with Eric Metcalf
Eric Metcalf
Eric Quinn Metcalf is a former American football running back and wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Browns, Falcons, Chargers, Cardinals, Panthers, Redskins and Packers...
. Also, in that same game, Cribbs was named the starting No. 2 wide receiver for the first time in his NFL career. On October 18, Cribbs returned a Pittsburgh kickoff for a touchdown, breaking the team record for returns for a touchdown. In this game he became the first NFL player to throw an interception and record a kick-off return touchdown in the same game since 1950. On December 10, Cribbs led the Browns to victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, their first win over their rival in 13 games. Cribbs led all offensive players with 200 all-purpose yards, including 87 yards rushing out of the Wildcat formation. On December 20, Cribbs returned two kickoffs for touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
to set and extend the all-time NFL record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns in a career. On December 29, Cribbs was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl for the second time in his career as the Browns' and AFC's representative as the kick returner. Cribbs was also named the Browns' team MVP for the 2009 season.
2010
Relations between Cribbs and the Browns soured at the end of the 2009 season, as negotiations on a new contract extension ended with a reported $1.4 million per year offer that Cribbs felt was insultingly low. On January 7, 2010, Cribbs cleaned out his locker at the Browns' training complex and announced his intention to walk out on the final three years of his contract, telling reporters, "... it absolutely felt like the last time I'd be setting foot inside the building. I feel like it's over for me in Cleveland", adding that the Browns' offer felt "like I've been betrayed and stabbed in the back."In February 2010, Cribbs's agent said that contract negotiations were going well. John "JR" Rickert
John "JR" Rickert
John "JR" Rickert is an American sports agent who represents players in the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association, as well as boxers. He co-owns National Sports Management, a New York based sports agency, and is known for representing players...
(Cribbs's agent) has said multiple times that things were going well in making a new contract. On March 5, 2010, Cribbs re-signed with the Cleveland Browns with a three-year, $20 million dollar contract.
In January 2010, Cribbs was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team
National Football League 2000s All-Decade Team
The NFL 2000s All-Decade Team is composed of outstanding performers in the National Football League in the ten years spanning 2000–2009. Only a player or coach's performance in the 2000s is used as criteria for voting....
for the 2000s.
NFL statistics
Joshua "Josh" Cribbs (born June 9, 1983) is an American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
and return specialist
Return specialist
A Return Specialist is a player on American football or Canadian football special teams who specializes in returning punts and kickoff returns. There are few players who are exclusively return specialists; most play other positions as well. The special teams counterpart of a return specialist is a...
for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He played collegiately
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
. He holds the NFL record with eight kickoff
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
returns for touchdowns. He also has tied the NFL record with two kickoffs of 100 yards or more returned for touchdowns in a single game.
High school career
Cribbs played quarterback at Dunbar High SchoolDunbar High School (Washington, D.C.)
Dunbar High School is a public secondary school located in Washington, D.C., United States. The school is located in the Truxton Circle neighborhood of Northwest Washington, two blocks from the intersection of New Jersey and New York Avenues...
in Washington, D.C. As a senior in the 2000 season, he was named a first-team All-Met selection by the Washington Post. While attending, he was teammates with future San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
tight end Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis
-2006 rookie season:Vernon's first reception in the NFL was a 31-yard touchdown catch, against the Arizona Cardinals on September 10, 2006. He added a career-long 52-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers on December 10 with a short catch followed by a long run. Davis played in ten games in...
, he played and lettered in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
in addition to football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
.
During Cribbs' time at Dunbar the Crimson Tide won three consecutive DCIAA football titles. In his senior season, Cribbs completed 130 of 277 passes for 2,022 yards, 9 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. In the 2000 Turkey Bowl (DCIAA Championship game played the morning of Thanksgiving), Cribbs led Dunbar to a 35-12 victory over the Ballou Knights
Ballou High School
Ballou Senior High School is a public school located in Washington, D.C., United States. Ballou is a part of the District of Columbia Public Schools. The current principal is Rahman Branch...
. Two second half touchdowns thrown by Cribbs were key to the Crimson Tide's victory over Ballou—one of which was caught by then Dunbar sophomore tight end Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis
-2006 rookie season:Vernon's first reception in the NFL was a 31-yard touchdown catch, against the Arizona Cardinals on September 10, 2006. He added a career-long 52-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers on December 10 with a short catch followed by a long run. Davis played in ten games in...
.
College career
Cribbs played quarterback at Kent State UniversityKent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
, where he is the all-time total offense leader with 10,839 yards. Other school records include rushing touchdowns (38), pass completions (616), pass attempts (1,123), passing yardage (7,169), touchdowns scored (41), and points scored (246).
He is one of only two true freshman in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards (the other being Armanti Edwards
Armanti Edwards
Armanti Fredrico Edwards is an American football player for the Carolina Panthers. He was the starting quarterback for the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team from 2006–09. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
of Appalachian State). He is also one of only five players in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards in at least two different seasons, the others being Beau Morgan of Air Force
Air Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
, Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
of Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
, Pat White of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, and Armanti Edwards
Armanti Edwards
Armanti Fredrico Edwards is an American football player for the Carolina Panthers. He was the starting quarterback for the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team from 2006–09. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
of Appalachian State. Cribbs accomplished the feat three times. He is one of only four quarterbacks in NCAA history to rush for 3,500 yards and throw for 7,000 yards in his career (the other three being Antwaan Randle-El of Indiana
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, Armanti Edwards
Armanti Edwards
Armanti Fredrico Edwards is an American football player for the Carolina Panthers. He was the starting quarterback for the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team from 2006–09. He was drafted by the Panthers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
of Appalachian State, and Brad Smith
Brad Smith (American football)
Bradley "Brad" Alexander Smith is an American football quarterback, running back, wide receiver and return specialist for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. He played college football at Missouri.-High...
of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
.
Cribbs is also the only player in NCAA history to lead his team in both rushing and passing in four different seasons, although his 2003 single-season school record of 3,125 combined yards was eclipsed in 2008 by quarterback Julian Edelman
Julian Edelman
Julian Francis Edelman is a wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Kent State as a quarterback.-Early years:Edelman was born in Redwood City, California...
.
Cribbs was a communication studies major with a concentration in public communication. He received his diploma on May 15, 2010.
College Statistics:
- 2001: 131/238 (55.0%) for 1516 yards and 10 TD vs. 5 INT. 164 carries for 1192 yards and 5 TD.
- 2002: 91/186 (48.9%) for 1014 yards and 4 TD vs. 14 INT. 137 carries for 1057 yards and 10 TD.
- 2003: 178/364 (48.9%) for 2424 yards and 14 TD vs. 9 INT. 161 carries for 701 yards and 14 TD.
- 2004: 216/335 (64.5%) for 2215 yards and 17 TD vs. 6 INT. 170 carries for 893 yards and 9 TD.
2005
Cribbs was not chosen in the 2005 NFL Draft2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
; however, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns on April 29, 2005. He made the Browns roster for the 2005 season
2005 NFL season
The 2005 NFL season was the 86th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 8, 2005 to January 1, 2006...
, and made an impact as a kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
. He averaged 24.5 yards per return, and his total of 1,094 return yards set a franchise record. In a game against the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, he returned a kick 90 yards for his first NFL touchdown. He made his NFL debut versus the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on September 11.
2006
Cribbs, in 20062006 Cleveland Browns season
The 2006 Cleveland Browns season marked the 60th anniversary of the Browns franchise. It began with the team attempting to improve upon their win-loss record from 2005, where the team ended the year at 6–10. They were one of the most active teams during the free agency period, and looked to be one...
, signed a 6-year contract extension with the Cleveland Browns, and returned another kickoff 92 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also set a new franchise record for most kickoff yardage in a season, breaking the record he set himself the previous year.
2007
After returning yet another kickoff for a touchdown against the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in Week 3 of the 2007 season
2007 Cleveland Browns season
The 2007 Cleveland Browns season began with the Browns attempting to improve upon their 4–12 record from the 2006 season, in which the team finished in fourth place in the AFC North. The Browns also attempted to overcome the many injuries that plagued the team throughout the 2006 season...
, Cribbs had one kick-return touchdown in each of his first three years in the NFL. Cribbs recorded his fourth kickoff-return touchdown with a 100-yarder against the Steelers in Week 10 of the 2007 season, as well as a 90 yard return earlier in the game. Cribbs continued his season with 245 return yards and 61 punt return yards in the Browns overtime victory over the Ravens in week 11. Cribbs was voted to the 2008 Pro Bowl
2008 Pro Bowl
The 2008 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2007 season. It was played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 10, 2008. The game was televised in the United States by Fox and began shortly after 11:40am local time . The NFC won, 42–30, despite a 17-point first half AFC...
as a kick returner for the AFC. Cribbs also had a 76 yard punt return for a touchdown against the 49ers. Cribbs had another returned for 94 yards for another score but was called back on a holding penalty by Lennie Friedman.
2008
For the fourth straight season, Cribbs again had a touchdown on a kickoff return, scoring on a 92-yard return versus the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. It was the fifth kickoff return touchdown of Cribbs's career. Cribbs also had a 4-yard rushing touchdown against the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in a Monday night game. On November 26, 2008, after placing Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
on injured reserve, the Browns named Cribbs their emergency quarterback.
2009
On September 13, in the Browns' home opener versus the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, Cribbs returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown, tying the team record for returns for a touchdown (7) with Eric Metcalf
Eric Metcalf
Eric Quinn Metcalf is a former American football running back and wide receiver in the National Football League who played for the Browns, Falcons, Chargers, Cardinals, Panthers, Redskins and Packers...
. Also, in that same game, Cribbs was named the starting No. 2 wide receiver for the first time in his NFL career. On October 18, Cribbs returned a Pittsburgh kickoff for a touchdown, breaking the team record for returns for a touchdown. In this game he became the first NFL player to throw an interception and record a kick-off return touchdown in the same game since 1950. On December 10, Cribbs led the Browns to victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, their first win over their rival in 13 games. Cribbs led all offensive players with 200 all-purpose yards, including 87 yards rushing out of the Wildcat formation. On December 20, Cribbs returned two kickoffs for touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
to set and extend the all-time NFL record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns in a career. On December 29, Cribbs was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl for the second time in his career as the Browns' and AFC's representative as the kick returner. Cribbs was also named the Browns' team MVP for the 2009 season.
2010
Relations between Cribbs and the Browns soured at the end of the 2009 season, as negotiations on a new contract extension ended with a reported $1.4 million per year offer that Cribbs felt was insultingly low. On January 7, 2010, Cribbs cleaned out his locker at the Browns' training complex and announced his intention to walk out on the final three years of his contract, telling reporters, "... it absolutely felt like the last time I'd be setting foot inside the building. I feel like it's over for me in Cleveland", adding that the Browns' offer felt "like I've been betrayed and stabbed in the back."In February 2010, Cribbs's agent said that contract negotiations were going well. John "JR" Rickert
John "JR" Rickert
John "JR" Rickert is an American sports agent who represents players in the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association, as well as boxers. He co-owns National Sports Management, a New York based sports agency, and is known for representing players...
(Cribbs's agent) has said multiple times that things were going well in making a new contract. On March 5, 2010, Cribbs re-signed with the Cleveland Browns with a three-year, $20 million dollar contract.
In January 2010, Cribbs was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team
National Football League 2000s All-Decade Team
The NFL 2000s All-Decade Team is composed of outstanding performers in the National Football League in the ten years spanning 2000–2009. Only a player or coach's performance in the 2000s is used as criteria for voting....
for the 2000s.
NFL statistics
| Through 11/29/09 | Receiving | Rushing | Passing | Punt Return | Kick Return | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Games | Rec | Yards | TD | Avg | Long | Att | Yards | TD | Long | Att | Comp | Yards | TD | No | Yards | Avg | TD | Long | No | Yards | Avg | TD | Long |
| 2005 | Cleveland | 14 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 45 | 1094 | 24.3 | 1 | 90 |
| 2006 | Cleveland | 16 | 10 | 91 | 0 | 9.1 | 14 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 51 | 8.5 | 0 | 34 | 61 | 1494 | 24.5 | 1 | 92 |
| 2007 | Cleveland | 16 | 3 | 37 | 0 | 9.1 | 18 | 9 | 61 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 405 | 13.5 | 1 | 76 | 59 | 1809 | 30.7 | 2 | 100 |
| 2008 | Cleveland | 15 | 2 | 18 | 1 | 9 | 17 | 29 | 167 | 1 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 28 | 228 | 8.1 | 0 | 32 | 44 | 1110 | 25.2 | 1 | 92 |
| 2009 | Cleveland | 16 | 20 | 135 | 1 | 6.9 | 35 | 55 | 381 | 1 | 37 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 0 | 38 | 452 | 13.2 | 1 | 67 | 39 | 1542 | 27.5 | 3 | 103T |
| 2010 | Cleveland | 15 | 23 | 292 | 1 | 12.7 | 65T | 20 | 66 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 20 | 168 | 8.4 | 0 | 17 | 40 | 814 | 20.4 | 0 | 37 |
| Total | 92 | 59 | 580 | 3 | 9.8 | 65T | 115 | 686 | 2 | 37 | 12 | 4 | 45 | 0 | 123 | 1309 | 10.6 | 2 | 76 | 305 | 7863 | 25.8 | 8 | 103T | |
Personal
Married to Maria Cribbs since 2002. Has two children Kimorah and Israel Cribbs.Cribbs is also part owner of a children's indoor inflatable play arena called Bounce City. He shares the ownership of the facility, which is located in Strongsville, Ohio
Strongsville, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,858 people, 16,209 households, and 12,383 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,779.6 people per square mile . There were 16,863 housing units at an average density of 684.2 per square mile...
, with Darnell Dinkins
Darnell Dinkins
Darnell Joseph Dinkins is an American football tight end for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent in 2001...
, a former Browns tight end.
Cribbs indicated via Twitter that he will give his 2010 Pro Bowl paycheck to relief efforts for the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
.
Cribbs was also featured in an episode of The League
The League
The League is an American sitcom that premiered on FX on October 29, 2009. The series, set in Chicago, is a semi-improvised comedy about a fantasy football league, its members, and their everyday lives.-Synopsis:...
, "The White Knuckler" where Ruxin (Nick Kroll
Nick Kroll
Nick Kroll is an American actor and comedian best known for appearing in television shows such as Best Week Ever, Cavemen and Sit Down, Shut Up. He co-stars in the shows The Life & Times of Tim and The League....
) contacts Cribbs to help out a sick kid, in hopes of meeting Cribbs himself.
External links
