CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns are inducting two former players into their Legends program, an honor given to Browns who played for the team for at least five years, were major contributors at their position and have been retired from the league for at least five years.
Wide receiver and return specialist Josh Cribbs and wide receiver Webster Slaughter have been named to the exclusive group, the team announced Thursday.
Cribbs joined the Browns as an undrafted free agent from Kent State University, where he played at quarterback, in 2005.
In his eight seasons in Cleveland and two with the Jets and the Colts, the three-time Pro Bowler finished with 13,488 career return yards, with 11,113 yards kickoff return yards, and is tied with Leon Washington for most career kickoff return touchdowns in NFL history with 8.
As a receiver, Cribbs had 1,175 yards, almost all of which came from his time in Cleveland. In January 2010, Cribbs was named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2000s. Two years after the Colts released him in 2015, Cribbs retired with the Browns.
Cribbs holds multiple Browns franchise records including most career kickoff return yards, most kickoff returns in a single season, most career all-purpose yards and most career combined kickoff and punt return touchdowns, to name a few.
Slaughter was a second-round pick out of San Diego State in 1986 and made the Pro Bowl three years later. He played for the Browns for six seasons, in which time he caught 305 passes for 4,834 yards and 27 touchdowns.
“I will never forget my six years in Cleveland,” Slaughter said. “I played in other places, but none of those places ever gave me the feeling that I had when I played for the Cleveland Browns. It was a different feeling and totally special.
"If I had to pick another team to play for, I would pick the Cleveland Browns. I couldn't pick another team. I had so much fun that I didn't know I was going to have. I met so many friends I didn't know I would meet. It was the most exciting set of fans to play for.”
Cribbs and Slaughter will be honored on Sept. 27 during a halftime ceremony in the Browns Week 3 game against the Washington Redskins at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The two join a long list of other legends to play in Cleveland. Here is the list of other Browns Legends inducted into the group over the years.
Class of 2001:
- Ray Renfro – Wide Receiver
- Greg Pruitt – Running Back
- Gene Hickerson – Offensive Guard
- Bernie Kosar – Quarterback
- Michael Dean Perry – Defensive Tackle
Class of 2002:
- Mac Speedie – Wide Receiver
- Brian Sipe – Quarterback
- Clay Matthews – Linebacker
Class of 2003:
- Bob Gain – Defensive Tackle
- Dick Schafrath – Offensive Tackle
- Hanford Dixon – Cornerback
Class of 2004:
- Tommy James – Defensive Back
- Dub Jones – Wide Receiver
- Gary Collins – Wide Receiver/Punter
- Mike Pruitt – Running Back
Class of 2005:
- Jim Ray Smith – Guard
- Frank Ryan – Quarterback
- Jerry Sherk – Defensive Tackle
- Frank Minnifield – Cornerback
Class of 2006:
- Walt Michaels – Linebacker
- Jim Houston – Defensive End/Lineback
- Doug Dieken – Offensive Tackle
- Earnest Byner – Running Back
Class of 2007:
- Horace Gillom – Punter/Wide Receiver
- Bill Glass – Defensive End
- Don Cockroft – Kicker/Punter
- Kevin Mack – Running Back
Class of 2008:
- Warren Lahr – Defensive Back
- Paul Wiggin – Defensive End
- Walter Johnson – Defensive Tackle
- Eric Metcalf – Running Back
Class of 2010:
- John Wooten – Offensive Guard
- Cody Risien – Offensive Tackle
Class of 2011:
- Vince Costello – Linebacker
- Tom DeLeone – Center
Class of 2012:
- Clarence Scott – Defensive Back
- Ernie Green – Running Back
Class of 2013:
- Abe Gibron – Offensive Guard
- Galen Fiss – Linebacker
Class of 2014:
- Robert Jackson – Offensive Guard
- Milt Morin – Tight End
Class of 2015:
- Don Colo – Defensive Tackle
- Bob Golic – Nose Tackle
Class of 2016:
- Dick Ambrose – Linebacker
- Thom Darden – Free Safety
Class of 2017:
- Bernie Parrish – Defensive Back
- Tony Adamle – Linebacker/Fullback
Class of 2018:
- Erich Barnes – Defensive Back
- Eddie Johnson – Linebacker
