The two-time Pro Bowl kick returner and developing wide receiver has set multiple team and league records over his career but has no plans of slowing down any time soon. He knows that slowing down is a luxury most NFL players cannot afford.
“Asking yourself that lets you know already,” he said in response to a question about his desire to play hard. “I have young guys on my back. I’m still trying to be the same person and consistent throughout my year, still show the same high level type of play and I’m just trying to do a good job of doing that.”
While he keeps himself humble and hungry, Cribbs is also busy making sure his teammates stay the same way.
“We’re not looking for a lot of attention out there,” he said. “When we win games, I’m going to be like, ‘Shhh. Don’t let everybody know. Let’s keep up these one o’clock games.’ We don’t need Thursday night; we don’t need any of that. Let us slip on under the radar until the postseason comes. That’s all we’re thinking about, taking one game at a time. We want to be the underdogs.”
In 2009, Cribbs caught 20 passes for 135 yards and one touchdown. Even though he showed progress throughout the year, Cribbs spent the offseason working to improve his skills as a wide receiver.
He caught 8 passes for 77 yards and one touchdown in three preseason games. Cribbs’ longest reception, a 30-yarder along the sideline against the Detroit Lions was an over-the-shoulder pass from
“I think a lot has to do with coaches believing in me and coaches having more confidence in me to say, ‘Hey, you are going to be the man, so strap up,’” said Cribbs. “That says a lot for me, it gives my confidence a boost so I can go out there and do what I’m capable of. I don’t have to worry about making mistakes, just go out there and play. That’s the biggest thing.
“I feel somewhat of a swag about myself and at the same time, staying humble to the point where I am getting on my responsibilities,” he said. “If it’s thrown to me, I’m going to catch it. Playing without the football in my hands, it’s knowing that I still have got to run good routes and just help my team and knowing that I’m going to play my position and not try to play everybody else’s.”
Part of his development as a wide receiver has been because of the new Browns quarterbacks, Delhomme and
Their leadership and Cribbs’ play-making abilities will help the Browns when they open the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday afternoon.
“The biggest difference is believing that we can,” said Cribbs. “Guys are motivated, even throughout the preseason. If we were scored on, the attitudes are so much different. It’s not even a question of if we are not going to come back and answer their score. It’s like, ‘Alright, let’s come back and answer.’ The general feeling of the team, there’s no pointing fingers. It’s a lot of selfless play out there and that’s the biggest difference.
“Because there is so much that we are going to showcase, I’m just excited for the game,” he concluded. “I’m excited for the world to see our new Cleveland Browns offense. I’m just ecstatic. Coach (Mangini) is trying to just calm everyone down because we know we have something. Coach is trying to calm us down basically because we are excited about this season and we are ready.”
