Josh Cribbs ran, and tackled, his way to the top of the list of all-time Browns specialists. (Cleveland Browns)

The Browns at 75 years old: Three Hall of Famers make our list of Browns specialists, but No. 1 is an expansion-era player

As of Friday, July 23, 2021

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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Browns, I will commemorate the franchise with periodic lists honoring top moments, players, coaches, games and characters from my history as a beat writer and analyst.

The category: Top 10 specialists

Despite a drought of five seasons since their last punt or kickoff return for a touchdown, the Browns have had a rich tradition of specialists.

Some of their most notable players have been kickers, punters and returners.

10a. Matt Stover, kicker: 1991-95, 80 games, 108-of-134 FG, 480 points.

Bill Belichick’s kicker all five years with the Browns, he had his best season in Cleveland in the team’s playoff year in 1994. He proceeded to have an outstanding 13-year career with the Baltimore Ravens, earning him a spot in that franchise’s Ring of Honor. Stover’s career long field goal of 55 yards came as a rookie with the Browns.

10b. Travis Benjamin, returner: 2012-15, 54 games, 12.6 PR avg., 26.0 KR avg., 3 TD.

He was the last bona-fide returner threat the Browns have had. Nicknamed “Rabbit” because he was quick enough to catch rabbits with his bare hands as a kid in south Florida, Benjamin’s three punt return TDs all came in victories at a time team wins were scarce. He was under-rated as a receiver (15.4 yards average) and his three return TDs match four others for second-most all-time for the Browns.

9. Matt Bahr, kicker: 1981-89, 115 games, 143-of-193 FG, 677 points.

If you think FirstEnergy Stadium is a tough venue for kickers, it is paradise compared to old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Not only did Bahr navigate the capricious winds off Lake Erie, he kicked on a field barren of grass for most of the football season. “Painted dirt” is what opposing kickers called the field conditions. Yet, in his nine seasons with the Browns, Bahr had a better field-goal percentage at home than on the road. He is fourth in points scored among Browns kickers.

8. Horace Gillom, punter: 1947-56, 116 games, 43.1 gross punt average.

The third African-American player signed by founding coach Paul Brown, Gillom saw triple duty in the Browns’ last three years in the All-America Football Conference at receiver and defensive end as well as punter. Beginning in 1950, Gillom concentrated as the full-time punter and led the NFL in gross average three times. His career average in the NFL of 43.8 yards stood for more than 50 years as the franchise record.

7. Gerald McNeil, returner: 1986-89, 60 games, 9.6 PR avg., 20.3 KR avg., 2 TD.

Nicknamed “Ice Cube” by punter Jeff Gossett, McNeil’s 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown helped the Browns break a 16-year losing streak in Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium in 1986 -- a break-through that led to three division titles over the next four seasons. McNeil, who weighed in at 122 pounds at his first training camp, is fourth on the club’s all-time list with 1,545 yards in punt returns. He is one of only four Browns with touchdowns on a punt and kickoff return.

6. Leroy Kelly, returner: 1964-73, 136 games, 10.5 PR avg., 23.5 KR avg., 3 TD.

Kelly broke in as return specialist and averaged 16.7 yards on punts and 25.0 on kickoffs and scored three times in his first two seasons. Following Jim Brown’s abrupt retirement in 1965, Kelly took over as the starting halfback and proceeded to a Hall of Fame career as a rusher.

5. Phil Dawson, kicker: 1999-12, 215 games, 305-of-363 FG, 1,271 points.

His career highlight was besting Lou Groza’s franchise record for field goals, but he came up short of Groza’s NFL franchise points record because the Browns failed to renew his contract for 2013. He was the last player of the original 1999 expansion roster to leave the team. Dawson prided himself in being a football player, not just a kicker, and he later became an amateur meteorologist by studying winds and atmospheric conditions at all NFL venues, especially FirstEnergy Stadium. In his 14 years in Cleveland, Dawson made 84 percent of his field goals, including 70.5 percent from 50 yards or more.

4. Bobby Mitchell, returner: 1958-61, 50 games, 11.2 PR avg., 25.0 KR avg., 6 TD.

Despite six punt and kickoff return touchdowns in four seasons, Paul Brown never warmed to Mitchell as backfield mate with Jim Brown because of his size and fumbling problem. Mitchell would become one of the significant figures in Browns history. When Brown traded Mitchell to Washington in 1962, it widened a personality conflict with Jim Brown and created an irreparable rift with new owner Art Modell that led to Brown’s firing. Mitchell broke the color barrier with Washington, the last NFL team to field a black player, and had a Hall of Fame career after a position switch to receiver.

3. Eric Metcalf, returner: 1989-94, 88 games, 10.6 PR avg., 20.2 KR avg., 7 TD.

Electrifying with the ball in his hands, he’d break ankles of pursuers with his ability to cut on a dime. He had the first postseason kickoff return for a touchdown in Browns history and helped beat the Steelers in 1993 with the longest pair of punt returns for touchdowns in an NFL game at that time. Metcalf would go on to have punt return touchdowns with three other teams. He held the NFL record with 10 punt returns for touchdowns until Devin Hester broke it in 2011.

2. Lou Groza, kicker: 1946-67, 268 games, 264-of-481 FG, 1,608 points.

Groza was the Browns’ starting left tackle for 12 seasons and that’s the position inscribed on his Hall of Fame ring. But he became known as the quintessential, straight-ahead kicker of his era. In 21 seasons, he played in every one of the Browns’ 13 league championship games and contributed to all eight of their league titles. The native of Berea is the Browns’ all-time scorer. One of Groza’s size 12 black high tops is displayed in the Smithsonian Institution museum in Washington, DC, and his name adorns college football’s annual award to the sport’s best kicker. The Browns headquarters address is 76 Lou Groza Blvd.

1. Josh Cribbs, returner: 2005-12, 124 games, 11.0 PR avg., 25.9 KR avg., 11 TD.

The Kent State quarterback made the roster as an undrafted free agent and immediately led the NFL in kickoff return yards as a rookie. He scored return touchdowns in each of his first five seasons. In his fifth year, he became the first player to return two touchdowns of 100 or more yards in a game. He led the NFL with a 30.7-yard kickoff return average in 2007. He co-holds the NFL record with eight career kickoff return TDs. Not insignificantly, Cribbs also led the Browns five times in special teams tackles, making him a unique two-way performer on special teams worthy of Hall of Fame discussion.

Previously

My top 10 defensive backs

My top 10 pass rushers

My top 10 quarterbacks

My top 10 running backs

My top 10 wide receivers

My top 10 head coaches

My top 10 games

The Browns At 75 Years Old: Three Hall Of Famers Make Our List Of Browns Specialists, But No. 1 Is An Expansion-Era Player

The Browns at 75 years old: Three Hall of Famers make our list of Browns specialists, but No. 1 is an expansion-era player

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