Joshua Cribbs

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Josh Cribbs

Josh Cribbs returning a kick against the Ravens in 2007.
No. 16     Cleveland Browns
Wide receiver
Personal information
Date of birth: June 9, 1983 (1983-06-09) (age 26)
Place of birth: Washington D.C
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	Weight: 215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
College: Kent State
Undrafted in 2005
Debuted in 2005 for the Cleveland Browns
Career history
As player: Cleveland Browns (2005–present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
2× Pro Bowl selection (2007, 2009) All-Pro selection (2007)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 16, 2009
Receptions	36
Receiving Yards	288
Total Return Yards	8,132
Total Touchdowns	13
Stats at NFL.com

Joshua Cribbs (born June 9, 1983 in Washington, D.C.) is an American football player who currently plays wide receiver, special teams, and occasionally wildcat quarterback for the National Football League's Cleveland Browns. He played collegiately for Kent State University. He holds the NFL record with 8 kickoff returns for touchdowns. He also has tied the NFL record with 2 kickoffs returned for touchdowns in a single game.

High School career

Cribbs played quarterback at Dunbar High School 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 played and lettered in baseball, swimming and basketball in addition to football.^[1]

During Cribbs' time at Dunbar the Crimson Tide won three consecutive DCIAA football titles[2]. 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 [3]

College career

Cribbs played quarterback at Kent State University, 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.^[2]

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.^[3]

Cribbs played quarterback opposite former Cleveland Browns teammate Charlie Frye who attended the University of Akron, Kent's chief rival and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of Miami University (another in-state rival).

He was a pre-business major.^[1]

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.

Professional career

2005

Cribbs was not chosen in the 2005 NFL Draft; 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.

2006

Cribbs, in 2006, 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 Raiders 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.

2008

Cribbs during his record setting game against the Chiefs.

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. He also is a great weapon in the "Wild Cat" offense. Cribbs also had a 4-yard rushing touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in a Monday night game. On November 26, 2008, after placing Brady Quinn on injured reserve, the Browns named Cribbs their emergency quarterback.^[4]

2009

In July 2009, Cribbs was named pro football's top returner by NFL Total Access' Jamie Dukes.

On September 13, in the Browns' home opener versus the Minnesota Vikings, 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.^[5]

Cribbs was endorsed by fellow teammate and Browns starting left tackle Joe Thomas as having the chance of becoming a great NFL running back.^[6]

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 TD's in a career

NFL Statistics