TV INTERVIEW: THE CLEVELAND BROWNS' JOSH CRIBBS
NFL Star to Make Special Appearance on FX's 'The League'
When you’re a Cleveland sports fan, it’s hard to keep your chin up or maintain much optimism about anything. The elation that comes with an event like getting LeBron James in the NBA draft is paired with the creeping expectation that, not too many years down the line, he’ll skip town for brighter shores and Cuban sandwiches, taking no trophies with him. But when you’re probably the most beloved athlete in Cleveland, surprisingly, it’s hard to be anything but optimistic. And if you’re on the phone with that guy, suddenly that encouragement spreads. That guy is Josh Cribbs, and in my head I’m seeing him on red, white and blue campaign posters labeled “HOPE.”
Josh Cribbs is an accomplished football player, a high school quarterback in DC, then a college QB for Ohio’s own Kent State in college, where he set records like whoa. He went un-drafted but not unnoticed. The Cleveland Browns picked him up in ’05, and ever since he’s been one of the most electrifying players in the league, a Pro Bowler, and was named to the NFL’s All Decade team.
This Thursday, Cribbs will test that electricity on screen, appearing in FX’s fantasy football comedy The League, and audiences will discover the charisma under the helmet, just like I did in our somewhat choppy phone interview (I’ll blame this one on LA reception, considering I was on the line with maybe the Browns’ best receiver).
Josh Moorhead: How did the opportunity to be on The League come up?
Josh Cribbs: Some people on my marketing team put it together, but some members of the cast were fans of the team.
JM: Were you a fan of the show before?
JC: I had heard of it but hadn’t watched it. Then they sent me the DVDs, and I didn’t realize how funny it was.
JM: How did you enjoy acting?
JC: It was a great experience. I was more nervous for the show than I was for a game. It was new territory. But the actors were so funny, it made me calm. We had to shoot a lot because I was just dying laughing the whole time.
JM: Was it a lot of improv? Did you keep up?
JC: The script was really just a guideline. Those guys were so hilarious and just making stuff up every time. I’d definitely try it again. I can’t wait to go back.
JM: Do you have any other acting gigs lined up?
JC: I’m gonna head to LA in the off season, hopefully with some other (NFL) guys, and see if we can’t get a show or something.
JM: Who else is with you in this episode? Someone from the Broncos, right?
JC: Terrell Suggs.
JM: Did you guys have a competition on the show like you would on the field?
JC: We ain’t friends right now. Not on the field. Not when we’re competing. Not during the season. Too focused.
JM: Do you feel pressure, being the most beloved figure in Cleveland sports right now?
JC: No pressure. I know I just need to do what I’m doin’ — do my best on the field and be the best man I can be off the field.
JM: Do you play fantasy football?
JC: No, nothin.
JM: Would you say many guys on the team do, and do they play Browns players?
JC: I would say probably six guys play, but I don’t know who.
JM: What’s your favorite part of the game right now? Kick returns, receiving, or the Wildcat?
JC: Wildcat. It’s a challenge. Teams are looking for it now. It was like, “oh another kick return” for a while, but the Wildcat is a new challenge. They know it’s coming — we just have to beat them.
JM: How do you feel about the Browns’ current direction?
JC: It’s a great mood. I know we’re 0 and 3, but we could easily be 3 and 0. We’re not getting blown out. It’s not like times before when we didn’t know what we were doing. We know what we’re doing. We just to have to finish. We have a plan, we believe in it — we just have to do it.
JM: What would you say to Cleveland fans who feel Cleveland sports are doomed to fail? How do you and the team relate to that?
JC: It’s motivation. We just have to disprove that. We have the greatest fans — die-hard fans. They drive this city. We owe our best effort to them. We can turn it around.
JM: What are the best and worst things about being a Cleveland Brown?
JC: Fan support is definitely the best. And I like that you have to constantly prove yourself. If you can play well, this city will really embrace you. The worst part is that we get no respect across the league…but that’s also a positive. Teams come in and downplay us, and it can work for us. We just have to prove ourselves.
JM: Is it more exciting to have played in the Pro Bowl or to have been on The League?
JC: The show for sure. The Pro Bowl is about honor, but the game itself is just an exhibition. When you see the list come out, you’re like, “Oh my gosh, I did it!.” But the game itself, nobody even plays until the fourth quarter. The show is more impactful.
There are a few things I can tell you for sure. The League is hilarious and airs after It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia at 10:30 on Thursday nights on FX. I’ve also just verified that Cribbs is a great, driven guy who’s got the right goals for him, his team, and their city. And for Josh Cribbs and his fans, it’s always sunny in Cleveland.
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