The former Lake Catholic High School (Mentor, Ohio) star returned to Cleveland in 2006 to play out his career near family and friends following the tragic death of his infant son, Michael Joseph. Jurevicius pointed his finger to the sky whenever he scored a touchdown in honor of his son.

Jurevicius, 34, was one of the most prolific third down receivers in the NFL during the Browns 10-6 season of dreams in 2007, but a knee injury that year led to an infection and seven surgeries later, the wound finally healed. Jurevicius told the media his goal was to retire a Brown. He described ending his career by walking off of the field at Cleveland Browns Stadium, orange helmet in hand, his two young daughters by his side.

That is no longer possible thanks to the Mangini-Kokinis regime of stomping out anything orange and brown that is good.

As late as Dec. 18, Joe Jurevicius said, “I want to play here in Cleveland. If that doesn’t happen, then the show goes on the road. But I’m going to play football next year,” according to Tony Grossi of The Plain Dealer in today’s story about the Browns releasing Joe Jurevicius.

I will be rooting for Joe, a true team leader and class act, on whatever team lands him.

In announcing the fate of Jurevicius, George Kokinis used the usual managerial line that the two sides tried, but could not agree on terms of a new contract. But this was no multi-million dollar San Diego Chargers vs. L.T. deal.

Before Jurevicius’ contract was terminated on Wednesday, he was due to make $2.4 million in the final season of a four-year contract he signed in 2006. The Browns may have tried to bring him back at the NFL minimum salary of $845,000 for veterans of 10 or more years—the same concession made by offensive lineman Ryan Tucker, Grossi reported.

But of course this fact was neither confirmed nor denied by the Browns. If true, that kind of “offer” had to be an insult to a proud man who wanted to go out with style on his own terms.

Kokinis stated, “Joe’s done a lot. I know what he means to this team.”

Apparently not, A-hole.

In a statement issued by agent Mark Humenik, there was more than money involved in the Browns’ decision. Jurevicius’ statement said, “As a Cleveland native and lifelong Browns fan, I always hoped to finish my career in brown and orange with my family and friends in the stands, and was even willing to take a steep pay cut to keep that dream alive, which is why I have such a heavy heart today.”

Jurevicius, a Chardon native, said he will “forever cherish the three seasons that I spent here and will never forget the chills that I got whenever I stepped foot on the field on the shores of Lake Erie.”
He thanked Browns owner Randy Lerner, the coaching staff, the Browns organization and their fans “for the overwhelming support … especially the past 14 months.” Joe Jurevicius caught six touchdown passes during his time with the Browns. He says his knee now feels well enough that he hopes to play somewhere next season.

“I know there is still plenty of good football left in me, so please don’t throw any dog biscuits my way when I return to Cleveland Stadium,” he said.

My guess is, when Jurevicius plays for an opposing team at the stadium, loyal Browns fans will give Joe a standing O – and deservedly so. Jurevicius missed all of last season after a staph infection set in following a routine knee procedure in January. Complications required a total of seven surgical procedures, ravaging the knee. But after the last one, which he had done by the prestigious Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., Jurevicius was heartened that he would be able to play another season.

The Browns have tried to underplay the team’s staph infection problems. Apparently, the new treatment plan under Mangini consists of ridding the team of staph by getting rid of the infected players. Yeah, that will work. Get rid of the patients and the problem disappears.

Browns tight-end Kellen Winslow was recently dealt to Tampa Bay for a second and fifth draft picks. Winslow was hospitalized in 2008, missing several games, purportedly after his third staph infection.
He was suspended for one game after calling out former General Manager Phil Savage for trying to cover-up the problem by telling Winslow to keep silent about what was reported an “undisclosed illness.”

But it was Jurevicius’ support for the Savage-Romeo Crennel regime in December that may have sealed the wide receiver’s fate under the Mangini regime. Jurevicius blamed the Browns 4-12 season in 2008 to injuries and player immaturity, appealing to Browns owner Randy Lerner to stay the course.

A fan favorite, Joe Jurevicius played in three Super Bowls with three different teams in his career before signing with the Browns in 2006. In that off-season, he joined local products LeCharles Bentley and Bob Hallen, both centers, and punter Dave Zastudil, in using free agency to return home to play.
Three years later, only Zastudil remains. Bentley left Cleveland a bitter man after a staph infection contracted while with the Browns destroyed his football playing days.

More bad news: The Browns intend to pay a $5 million roster bonus owed quarterback Derek Anderson. The bonus is guaranteed so the Browns had no choice. Rumors have swirled around the league that the Browns were trying to trade Anderson, but no one took the bait.

If the 2009 season turns out to be another quarterback competition between Anderson and Brady Quinn, the Browns will have taken a giant step backward, further into NFL mediocrity and deeper into oblivion.

The only upside of this Nomangenius regime’s latest move is Jurevicius winds up on a team that respects his talent.

Go, Joe! Godspeed.

———-

Top picture of Joe Jurevicius photo credit: John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer

Second picture of Joe Jurevicius photo credit: Joshua Gunter / The Plain Dealer

Jurevicius’ announcement Monday came as no surprise.

But the reason for his lengthy recovery time following arthoscopic knee surgery in January sounded all too familiar. It seems Jurevicius developed a staph infection and had five surgeries to eliminate the infection.

Sound familiar?

Jurevicius also revealed he scheduled his sixth surgery to clean out his knee with a specialist in the field located in Vail, Colorado.

Browns tight end Kellen Winslow was suspended for one game on Oct. 26 and a huge paycheck after revealing to reporters that his previously reported “undisclosed illness” at Cleveland Clinic was actually treatment for a staph infection — his second as a Brown.

Number 80 also complained that Browns General Manager Phil Savage never even bothered to pick up the phone and ask how he was, making Winslow feel he was being treated like a “piece of meat.”

The Browns abruptly dropped the suspension after it was revealed Winslow was warned in a text-message to keep the staph infection secret.

Meanwhile, back at the Jurevicius ranch in an eastern Cleveland suburb, for all these months Joe kept silent about his battle with staph.

But on Monday in an interview with Mark Bishop, on ESPN affiliate WKNR-AM 850, Jurevicius, who will turn 34 on Dec. 23, spoke of his desire to return next season and end his career as he has always envisioned — walking off the field for the last time, with a daughter on each arm.

Joe Jurevicius made a name for himself as a wide receiver for Lake Catholic High School in Mentor, Ohio where his number 84 jersey is retired and hangs in the Lake Catholic gym.

He played football at Penn State and was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he won a Super Bowl XXXVII ring.

In 2005 he played for the Seattle Seahawks, finishing the season with a career high 10 touchdowns and led the Seahawks with five catches in the 21-10 Super Bowl loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In 2006, Jurevicius signed a four-year contract with the Browns, his hometown team, and was known as the go-to guy for third down conversions.

The staph infection sidetracked Jurevicius for this year, forcing him onto the Active/PUP list and on August 25, he was transferred to the Reserve/PUP list, forcing him to miss six weeks.

When asked by WKNR if he was angry at anyone or anything, Joe Jurevicius did not answer the question directly, but said he is using his anger to motivate him in his efforts to rehab his knee and be ready for 2009.

Jurevicius also admitted that neither Savage nor Top Men called to ask how he was doing after the knee surgery — but that he really didn’t care who didn’t call, who didn’t visit.

Instead, he remembers the Browns’ personnel and players who did come to visit him like Steve Heiden, back-up tight end and wide receiver for Winslow and Jurevicius.

Jurevicius also said he has been heartened and pleased by the Browns fans who call out to him, “Hi, Joe! Hope you get better soon, Joe! When are you coming back, Joe.”

Jurevicius told WKNR that it is for the fans and himself that he cannot give up his dream to play again as a Cleveland Brown.

“Those times at the Cleveland Clinic, I’d see kids go by in wheelchairs,” Jurevicius said. “What is a hurt knee compared to that?”

[tags]joe jurevicius, cleveland browns, nfl, football[/tags]