The Cleveland Browns are honoring two former players who joined the franchise during the team’s 17-year playoff drought and helped them return to relevance.
Both wide receiver Rashard Higgins and linebacker Christian Kirksey are re-signing with the Cleveland franchise on one-day contracts to officially retire as members of the Browns organization.
The Browns’ official Twitter account posted the news Tuesday morning, congratulating the two on their retirement.
Two dawgs retiring as Browns
Congrats to Kirko and Higgins!
📰 » https://t.co/Z1cAA6MCO6 pic.twitter.com/uFXDfU9q6U
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) April 16, 2024
Higgins suited up for the Browns from 2016 until 2021, helping the team make the playoffs following the 2020 season.
The wide receiver played in only three games for the Carolina Panthers in 2022, never catching a pass in his limited role with the NFC franchise.
Higgins finished his Browns career playing in 82 games.
He recorded 137 receptions for 1,890 yards and 12 touchdowns during his time with Cleveland.
Kirksey joined the Browns in 2014 and played with the Browns until the 2019 season.
The linebacker finished his career playing with Green Bay for the 2020 season and the Houston Texans from in 2021 and 2022.
For his career, Kirksey notched 779 tackles and 16.5 sacks.
The former third-round pick also recorded seven interceptions and six fumble recoveries during his NFL playing days.
The Browns also acknowledged the duo’s contribution to the city of Cleveland in its official announcement.
Higgins – nicknamed “Hollywood” by his youth league coaches – volunteered for numerous charitable causes around the Cleveland area.
Kirksey was named the Browns’ 2018 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year recipient, an honor he repeated while playing for the Texans in 2022.
Earning the NFL’s highest service honor from two different franchises is extremely rare.
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