The path to staying in the NFL year after year demands relentless determination.
Players constantly need to prove their worth, fighting for spots on team rosters as each new season approaches.
For many, the eventual transition away from football becomes more than just a career change—it’s the end of a way of life.
This reality hit home recently when Josh Cribbs shared his thoughts on how quarterbacks should approach being traded from a starting role to backup status, emphasizing the importance of adapting to any role that keeps you in the league.
On a recent episode of “The Return” Podcast, the Cleveland Browns legend opened up about his personal battle with retirement.
His candid words revealed the deep emotional toll of leaving the game behind.
“The depression I had….from getting out of the league was the camaraderie, scoring touchdowns, it’s the I’m not in the game anymore now what. Like, I don’t wear the jersey no more. Now what? Now, who am I?” Cribbs shared.
"The depression I had from getting out of the league was the camaraderie, scoring touchdowns, it's the I'm not in the game anymore now what."
–@JoshCribbs16 on the challenges he faced once he retired from the #NFL
presented by: @drinkgaragebeer pic.twitter.com/D9aduxkj7j
— The Return With Josh & Maria Cribbs (@TheCribbsShow) January 28, 2025
His raw honesty painted a vivid picture of life after football—wrestling with identity loss, no longer being the Josh Cribbs known for electrifying touchdowns, and facing the daunting question of what comes next when the roar of the crowd fades away.
Cribbs’s NFL journey spanned an impressive decade, with eight memorable seasons as a Cleveland Brown.
His final two years saw him suiting up for the New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts before hanging up his cleats in 2014.
While he accumulated 1,983 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns during his career, his true legacy was carved out in the return game.
Cribbs left an indelible mark on NFL history, setting a league record with eight kick return touchdowns and adding three more on punt returns.
His exceptional 2009 season, highlighted by four special teams touchdowns, earned him first-team All-Pro recognition.
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