
The last time Cleveland Browns wide receiver and two-time Pro Bowl kick/punt returner
Cribbs returned to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday afternoon, and said he “felt great.”
“I was blessed to come back and not really have too bad of a concussion,” Cribbs said. “I passed all my tests from the doctors, went to the specialist and everything is okay. I passed all the tests, even the balance test during the game. Some guys don’t get up from that; they don’t recover as fast as I have, but like I said, I’ve got someone looking out for me.
“I don’t remember much about the hit, but after I came up, I was ready to play again. They had to take my helmet and everything for me not to play and had to keep tabs on me in the locker room so I wouldn’t run back out there. I was ready to play and I’m ready to play this week. I’m back ready.”
With just over five minutes remaining in the first quarter of play last Thursday, Cribbs dropped back and fielded Sam Koch’s 54-yard punt. He returned the kick 14 yards, but lost the ball when inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe hit him. After losing the ball, Cribbs’ helmet was dislodged and he hit his head on the turf.
After several minutes and players from both teams gathering around the fallen Pro Bowler to express their support, Cribbs walked off the field with assistance from Cleveland’s medical staff.
Cribbs said he has only seen the hit once and “didn’t really want to see it again.”
“I just remember catching the ball and that’s it,” Cribbs said. “I was ready to go back in there. I guess that’s what happens in a game when you lose that couple seconds and it was a long time I was out there. To me, it felt like a couple seconds.”
Rookie quarterback
“He just loves to play this game, and he’s Josh Cribbs,” Weeden said. “He does a lot of things and I’m glad 16’s on our team because there’s not many guys in the league that bounce back up and respond the way he did. That’s pretty impressive.
“You just can’t keep him off the field. Whether he’s hurt or not playing or whatever, you can’t keep him off the field. He’s a guy you want in your foxhole. He’s a tough guy that makes play and he’s done it for a long time. Like I said, as a quarterback, you want that especially late in games.”