Eric Metcalf's Electrifying Plays Cemented His Place in Browns Lore

Eric Metcalf flashed moves on the football field that left defenders chasing shadows and the Dawg Pound in ecstasy. All it ever took was a sliver of daylight. Playoff runs bookended his six years with the Cleveland Browns, including a memorable trip to the AFC Championship Game in 1990.

He’s done it all: Pro Bowls, NCAA track titles, coaching and appearances as an analyst on 19 News’ Tailgate 19 show. Thirty years after his Browns debut, the running back and kick return specialist looks back on the lessons he learned as a gridiron ankle breaker.

Growing up, I never thought about the Cleveland Browns. I didn’t know what to expect when I got here as a rookie.  

It didn’t take long to realize how passionate the fans are about the Browns — past, present and future.  

As a kid, you dream about winning the game at the very end. When I finally got that chance against the Raiders in ’93, it was amazing.  

But fans mostly remember when I returned two punts for touchdowns. People never talk about that last-second touchdown in Los Angeles, but always the two-punt return game. I love that.  

Cleveland fans are the greatest. There’s no other place I’d rather be associated with.

Even when we lost, the fans still treated me the same. That’s why I’ll always love them.

I watched my dad [Terry Metcalf] play when he first started in the NFL. That’s what made me love football. He showed me the way.  

You can’t control what anybody else does. The only one you can control is you.  

Being traded to Atlanta in 1995 was refreshing, but scary. Cleveland ran a “three yards and a cloud of dust” system, and I needed more opportunities.  

If I had my druthers, I would’ve played my entire career here. If I say I played for only one team, it’s the Browns.  

Long jumping in college taught me a lot about body control: running at full speed, jumping and kicking in the air, and then landing it. In football, that helped me hurdle defenders and change directions with the ball.  

As a coach, you deal with so many different personalities. When you’re a player, you don’t think about that. Trying to keep every kid ready, whether they’re playing regularly or not, takes a lot of work.  

Having a great relationship with Browns fans means the world to me. Whatever you do in life, you want people to feel good about your work. I love that fans appreciate what I did here.