BEREA, Ohio (AP)
The losses have been piling up, one on top of the other, for seven seasons. Josh Cribbs doesn't know how many more he can handle.
The Browns aren't winning, and Cribbs' frustration has reached a boiling point.
"I am fed up," he said. "I'm tired of losing. Everybody in this locker room, they'll say they're tired and they want to win every game. I want to win this year. Everybody says we're building, we look good. I don't really care about the building process because I want to win now. I'll worry about next year next year.
"I want to win now."
In recent days, Cribbs has expressed disappointment that the Browns (4-7) seem to be stuck in the same cycle of losing. Cribbs, who has been with the club since 2005, vented like never before following Sunday's 23-20 loss in Cincinnati. On the verge of saying something he might regret, Cribbs stopped himself before a member of the team's media relations staff stopped questioning.
"I really need to stop talking now because I don't want to say anything that I shouldn't," he said at the time.
The same thing happened Wednesday when he wouldn't directly answer if he's happy with the way he's being used.
"Uh," he said with a long pause. "I just won't answer that."
Cribbs seemed to be alluding to bigger problems - either with his role in Cleveland's offense or with the team's coaches.
On Thursday, Cribbs reiterated his disgust with losing - the Browns are 38-69 since he joined them - and said his comments or refusal to answer certain questions should not be interpreted that he's unhappy with the opportunities he's getting or that he wants out of Cleveland.
"That doesn't mean I want to leave," he said. "I am sick and tired of losing, like everybody is. And I think I have to start saying that. Me being sick and tired doesn't mean I want to leave. It doesn't mean anything. It means I want to win. So we want to focus on trying to win because I'm tired of losing. It's not like I wasn't tired of losing before, but I'm really tired."
Browns coach Pat Shurmur isn't concerned with Cribbs, or any of his players, voicing their weariness over the club's current state.
"I don't have a problem with guys feeling that way," Shurmur said. "He wants to win and that's OK."
Shurmur wants players who are passionate and refuse to accept losing. Shurmur is confident that Cribbs' anger is directly tied to the losing and not him being selfish.
"You want guys that are disappointed," he said. "I used to help coach my son's little league baseball team. You see kids strike out all the time. You can work with the guys that throw their bats because they're angry. They care. Guys that just drop their bat and walk back, no big deal, then those are tougher guys to get better. If it's truly I'm angry because I didn't succeed or we didn't win you can work with that because they care. The ones that don't care, those are the ones that are tough to reach."
There's no doubt Cribbs cares, but it's not always certain if he's talking about the team or pushing a personal agenda.
Before he received a new three-year, $20 million contract from the Browns last year, Cribbs, who holds the NFL record with eight kickoff returns for touchdowns, used his popularity with Cleveland fans to convince the club to pay him.
He may be using a similar tactic to have his role expanded in Cleveland's offense, but as Shurmur pointed out, Cribbs is getting plenty of chances to shine.
"His role is heavy on special teams and in the case of Josh, we use him quite a bit," Shurmur said. "He had the second most reps of the receivers. He's got more catches (29) and more yards (358) at this point in the season than he had all of last year. So that's that."
Shurmur said he's willing to speak with any player who has a gripe about anything.
"We handle it man-to-man behind closed doors and if I see something then I'll call him in," Shurmur said. "If they have an issue then they'll come see me."
Cribbs, though, said he has not spoken to Shurmur about any issues involving playing time.
And, he has no plans to.
"It's not about my role," Cribbs said. "It's about winning games. That's all what it was ever about. I let the coaches coach. I can't give you what you want. It's just about winning. Things that I need or might want to talk about with coach - that's between us. Other than that, contrary to what people might say or think or try to take from what I'm saying, people are assuming or just putting words in my mouth, but it's about winning."
Part of Cribbs' frustration lies in the Browns' inability to break him free on a long kickoff return. He hasn't taken one the distance since Dec. 20, 2009, and with the league's new kickoff rules, teams have been able to kick the ball away from Cribbs or keep him penned in.
But losing is what's eating at him most.
Cribbs has played on only one winning team since signing with the Browns as an undrafted free agent. Like a Cleveland fan, he's grown impatient.
"I hear them talk every day," he said. "I run into them on the street. It hurts me not to win for them. That's my ultimate motivation. Cleveland is built around it's sports teams, and when we win, the city wins. When we don't win, the city feels down.
"So we need to win, plain and simple."
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