josh cribbs

Joshua Cribbs was born on June 9, 1983, in Washington, D.C. He attended Dunbar High School, where he excelled in multiple sports including baseball, swimming, basketball, and football, playing as a quarterback. In his senior year of 2000, he was named a first-team All-Met selection by the Washington Post, leading Dunbar to a 35–12 victory in the Turkey Bowl, where he threw two crucial second-half touchdowns. Cribbs continued his football career at Kent State University, playing quarterback for the Golden Flashes. He became the all-time total offense leader with 10,839 yards, and holds numerous school records including rushing touchdowns (38), pass completions (616), passing yardage (7,169), and points scored (246). He is recognized as one of only two true freshmen in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 yards in a season, a feat he accomplished twice. Cribbs also holds the unique distinction of being the only player in NCAA history to lead his team in both rushing and passing for four different seasons. He earned his diploma in communication studies in May 2010.

Cribbs entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, signed by the Cleveland Browns in 2005. He quickly made an impact as a kick returner, setting a franchise record with 1,094 return yards in his rookie season and scoring his first NFL touchdown against the Detroit Lions with a 90-yard return. His career with the Browns, spanning from 2005 to 2012, was marked by consistent high performance in special teams. He signed a six-year contract extension in 2006 and continued to break his own franchise records for kickoff yardage. Cribbs was selected for the Pro Bowl three times (2007, 2009, 2012) and was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. In 2009, he set and extended the NFL record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns in a career, with two kickoffs returned for touchdowns in a single game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Following his tenure with the Browns, Cribbs played for the Oakland Raiders (2013), New York Jets (2013), and Indianapolis Colts (2014). He officially retired from professional football as a Cleveland Brown on March 22, 2017. Throughout his career, Cribbs accumulated 13,488 return yards and 11 return touchdowns, solidifying his status as one of the NFL’s premier return specialists. Post-playing career, Cribbs has remained involved in football as a special teams coaching intern for the Cleveland Browns in 2018. He also co-owns an indoor inflatable play arena and, with his wife Maria, hosts a local television talk show, “Cribbs in the CLE,” which began in 2019. He has also appeared on television shows such as “The League” and “Hot in Cleveland.”