Cleveland Browns DB Terrance Mitchell has been selected by his teammates to receive the 2018 Ed Block Courage Award. The Ed Block Courage Award is given annually to a member of each of the 32 NFL teams who exemplifies the qualities of Ed Block, the former head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts, based on courage, compassion, commitment and community.
"Just to have the love from my teammates and for them to vote for me to get the award, that is a blessing," said Mitchell. "I love my teammates. The injury was a test of faith. There are always going to be ups and downs. This was a down that I had to overcome. Doing that, it just helped me build and become a better person. The trainers and even the strength coaches, they did a lot. I appreciate them so much because they were on me every day. We worked hard, and they got me back right."
After joining Cleveland as an unrestricted free agent this past March, Mitchell started the Browns' first four games at cornerback, posting 19 tackles (18 solo), three passes defensed, one interception, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. However, he fractured his wrist in the second quarter at Oakland in Week 4, an injury that required surgery at University Hospitals the next day. Mitchell was placed on injured reserve, but following his rehab with the Browns athletic training staff and team doctors, he returned to the active roster prior to Sunday's 26-20 win against Carolina.
Entering Week 4, Mitchell was involved in three of Cleveland's league-best 11 turnovers, including two forced fumbles (tied for the second-most in the NFL). He also ranked fourth on the team with 16 tackles and recorded a team-high 15 solo stops. During the team's 21-17 primetime win against the NY Jets in Week 3, he registered five tackles (four solo) and helped seal the victory by intercepting NY Jets QB Sam Darnold with 11 seconds remaining in the game.
Mitchell has also been active in Browns Give Back's efforts in the Northeast Ohio community and the team's commitment to education, youth football and the First and Ten volunteering movement. Last week, Mitchell and teammates visited Toni Morrison Elementary School as the Cleveland Browns Foundation launched an initiative with Lorain City School District to help provide clothing to kids in need and promote the importance of attending school for academic and future success. He also attended Taste of the Browns at FirstEnergy in September, benefitting the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
Mitchell will be presented the 2018 Ed Block Courage Award tonight at the Providence House Annual Deck the House Benefit Auction at FirstEnergy Stadium, where the dinner program will begin at 6 p.m. Browns alumnus WR/KR and special teams assistant Josh Cribbs and his wife, Maria, are serving as honorary co-chairs for the event.
Providence House, the Cleveland Browns Courage House for Children since 1999, protects at-risk children and supports families through crisis, strengthening communities to end child abuse and neglect. For more information, visit www.provhouse.org.
Cleveland Browns Ed Block Courage Award winners:
1984 WR Willis Adams
1985 DE Carl Hairston
1986 TE Ozzie Newsome
1987 RB Earnest Byner
1988 LB Eddie Johnson
1989 T Cody Risien
1990 RB Kevin Mack
1991 CB Mark Harper
1992 WR Lawyer Tillman
1993 WR Patrick Rowe
1994 LB Carl Banks
1995 DB Bennie Thompson
1999 DE Derrick Alexander
2000 LB Jamir Miller
2001 OG Jeremy McKinney
2002 TE Mark Campbell
2003 DL Courtney Brown
2004 RB Lee Suggs
2005 LB Kenard Lang
2006 K Phil Dawson
2007 DB Gary Baxter
2008 WR Joe Jurevicius
2009 WR Mike Furrey
2010 LB Eric Barton
2011 LB D'Qwell Jackson
2012 P Reggie Hodges
2013 DB T.J. Ward
2014 DL Desmond Bryant
2015 OL Alex Mack
2016 DB Joe Haden
2017 OL Kevin Zeitler
2018 DB Terrance Mitchell
About the Cleveland Browns and Browns Give Back:
The Browns Give Back to Northeast Ohio with a commitment to education and youth football while engaging the community through the team's signature First and Ten volunteer movement. For more information, visit www.clevelandbrowns.com/brownsgiveback.
Education – The Cleveland Browns are dedicated to improving the quality of education for students in Northeast Ohio by making investments that keep kids in school every day so they can succeed. The team engages local schools and promotes education in various capacities throughout the year to help identify and remove attendance barriers and support engagement opportunities for students to thrive by monitoring attendance patterns to help understand how best to support students and schools.
Youth Football – The Cleveland Browns are committed to assisting the development, safety and growth of youth and high school football throughout Northeast Ohio with year-round programming for players, coaches, officials and parents. Through camps, clinics and other initiatives, the Browns' goal is to promote healthy, social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of youth by enhancing opportunities for youth football participation and education.
First and Ten – Launched in June 2014, the Cleveland Browns First and Ten campaign is the team's community program, established to inspire fans to #give10 and help their communities by volunteering for 10 hours each year. Through First and Ten, the Browns are the only NFL club to promote a long-term volunteering program that unifies the team and its entire fan base, with the goal of impacting every individual's city across the globe, as well as the franchise's local community. To date, nearly two million hours of volunteering have been pledged through First and Ten. All Browns fans are encouraged to join the volunteering effort by signing the First and Ten pledge on the team's website and by sharing their stories with #give10.
About Providence House
Providence House – Ohio's first crisis nursery – provides emergency shelter and care for children in crisis, newborn through age 12, who are at risk of abuse or neglect while offering family support services to strengthen and stabilize families long term. Visit www.provhouse.org for more information.
