The Cleveland Browns have not had much go right since returning to the NFL in 1999.
But one thing they absolutely nailed was signing Josh Cribbs as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2005.
A standout quarterback at Kent State for four years, Cribbs left the Golden Flashes as the program’s all-time leader in total offense with 10,839 yards, and in rushing touchdowns (38), completions (616), attempts (1,123), passing yards (7,169), and points (246).
As impressive as those numbers were, no NFL team
was willing to give Cribbs a shot at playing quarterback. But once he arrived in Cleveland and took over the kick return duties, Cribbs carved out what could arguably be called a Hall-of-Fame-worthy career.
In eight seasons with the Browns, Cribbs rewrote the franchise’s record book, as he in the team’s all-time leader in career kickoff return yards (10,015), combined kickoff and punt return yards (12,169), all-purpose yards (14,065), most kickoff return yards in a single season (1,809 in 2007), most kickoff return touchdowns in a single season (three in 2009), and most all-purpose yards in a single season (2,510 in 2009).
Cribbs earned Pro Bowl nods in 2007, 2009, and 2021; was a First Team All-Pro selection in 2009; was chosen to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2000s; and is a member of both the franchise’s Legends Program and the Kent State Sports Hall of Fame.
On Wednesday, things came full circle for Cribbs with the announcement that he is joining head football coach Mark Carney’s staff as a special teams analyst for the upcoming season.
Cribbs’ willingness to give back to the program was an opportunity that Carney could not pass up, as he told kentstatesports.com:
“Over the past year, I’ve had the chance to get to know Coach Josh Cribbs and have been blown away by his desire to share his wealth of knowledge built from his outstanding playing career here at Kent State and in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns. His pride in our university and his experience here as a student-athlete are apparent in every conversation we’ve had. I’m excited to welcome him and his family back to the university as our new special teams analyst, and I am certain this is a sign of the exciting times ahead for us here at Kent State!”
Much like the Browns, the Golden Flashes have had trouble finding much success on the football field over the years. But they do share a common bond in Cribbs, who left his mark on both programs during his playing days.
And now Cribbs will have the opportunity to return to where it all started and share his wisdom with a new generation of players.
