Top 5 all-time punt returners in Cleveland Browns history
By John Suchan
Cleveland Browns – No. 2: Josh Cribbs, 2005-2012
After the before mentioned Dennis Northcutt left the Browns in 2007, in came Josh Cribbs and likely one of the most popular Cleveland players in recent memory. Cribbs was not drafted out of college in 2005. He was a quarterback from Kent State and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the team.
He made a name for himself in the return game. He was “must-see” tv and when Cribbs waited on a punt or kick return every Browns fan was ready to see something special. He made an impact early in his career and was the Browns’ best threat to score touchdowns during many years when the team struggled in the win department.
In his rookie 2005 season, he was used primarily as a kick returner where he took 45 returns that included one for a touchdown of 90 yards. The following season he took 61 kick returns and again had one more touchdown of 92 yards. He would go on to have six more touchdowns as a kick returner.
By 2007, Cribbs was also the primary punt returner. In the last game of that season, in a home game against the San Francisco 49ers, he returned the first punt return of his career for a touchdown that went for 76 yards.
In 2009 Cribbs had one of his more spectacular moments as he took not one but two kick returns back for touchdowns in a game at the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s a very rare thing to see a return to begin with and to have two in one game is just special.