The Mount Rushmore of Browns Punt Returners – Metcalf runs past Steelers twice

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fifth in a series of stories about the Mount Rushmore-worthy players – the best players – in Browns history. Today we name the Mount Rushmore of Browns punt returners.

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By STEVE KING

The Mount Rushmore of Browns punters is the most difficult I’ve tried to build thus far.

Do you like vanilla ice cream? Or chocolate?

Uh, I like both.

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And therein lies the problem when it comes to Browns punts returners. There are a lot of more-than-worthy candidates.

To work through it, I had to split hairs. And even when I did, there still seemed to be no real differences, at least not any that mattered.

But there are only four spots on any of these Mount Rushmores, so I had to make some extremely tough decisions.

I’m going with, in chronological order of the years they played, Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell (1958-61), Cleveland Browns Legend Eric Metcalf (1989-94), Dennis Northcutt (2000-06) and Travis Benjamin (2012-15).

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That means we’re leaving out two players in Joshua Cribbs and Hall of Famer Leroy Kelly who have three touchdown returns each.

Ouch.

Double-ouch.

It’s almost criminal to leave Cribbs out of any all-time Browns special teams list, since he’s the best overall special teams player in team history.

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And then there’s the great Kelly, whose ability as a punt and kickoff returner in his first two seasons of 1964 and ’65 was so good that Jim Brown assured Browns head coach Blanton Collier and owner Art Modell that Kelly would do the job as his successor at running back after he retired just before the start of training camp in 1966. So, then, how can I leave Kelly off the list as well?

Triple-ouch.

Anyway, here’s a look at the players who did earn a place on Mount Rushmore, and why:

BOBBY MITCHELL

He is third all-time in Browns history with an 11.2 yards-per-return average, and he is in a five-way tie for second place with three touchdown returns. He was quick, fast and incredibly shifty, being way ahead of his time in having the ability to stop on a dime and change directions. He was a great running back alongside Jim Brown and later a great wide receiver with Charley Taylor with the Washington Redskins, but you could make the case – and you just might be right – that he was even a shade better as a punt returner.

ERIC METCALF

He’s the best punt returner the Browns have ever had, as evidenced by his five TD returns, two of which, from 75 and 91 yards, came in that memorable 28-23 home victory over Pittsburgh in 1993. Steelers head coach Bill Cowher, who had excelled with the Browns on that same field as a special teams cover man and special teams coach, became so infuriated that his team lost a game there on special teams that he fired his special teams coach on the spot.

DENNIS NORTHCUTT

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He had great speed and the ability to make defenders miss, which is why he has three TD returns. In addition, he was a two-way weapon for the Browns in that the wide receiver is tied for 10th place on the club’s career catches list. Perhaps because he dropped that pass at Pittsburgh that cost the Browns a playoff win in 2002, he doesn’t get the praise he deserves.

TRAVIS BENJAMIN

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Speed, speed, speed and more speed. That was Benjamin. His 12.6 average return, built on the fact that he just outran people, is the best in Browns history by almost a full yard, and he, too, has three returns for scores.

NEXT: Kickoff returners.

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