CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Rashard Higgins has had two chances to leave the Browns in the last two offseasons if he really wanted to.
He didn’t.
Higgins re-signed, once again for one-year, making him the third-longest tenured Brown on the team as he enters his sixth season since Cleveland selected him in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
“I knew where I wanted to be,” Higgins said Friday on a Zoom video conference call. “[There were] obviously a lot of teams hitting on me and I had decisions, but why not be a Cleveland Brown? I feel like all the pieces to the puzzle [are] in place.”
Higgins, who had toiled through being released, benched and a ton of losses in his time in Cleveland finally got to enjoy the sweet taste of success along with his teammates last season, the best for the franchise in 26 years, and he didn’t want to leave.
“We just made an historic run, something that hasn’t been done in, what, I don’t know, 20 years, something like that,” Higgins said.
Higgins had multiple offers on the table, and he admitted at least one was more lucrative than the $2.38 million he stayed for, but now was not the time for him to make a change.
“Going to another team, how does that really benefit me,” Higgins said. “Obviously, for the money you can say that, but the cap is down. To go somewhere for another million, two million, then you start over with a whole ‘nother quarterback. Then you start over with a whole new playbook and it’s just like what in another team would you be looking for?
“We just made a playoff run. We’ve got everything I need here as a Cleveland Brown.”
Football trumped business, this time, but Higgins conceded next year could be a different story.
“Obviously, a goal for me is to get paid, and that is the reason that we do play the game is because we love it, we want to get paid and take care of our family,” Higgins said. “If I have to do what I did to do it even better, why not bet on myself again? I am willing to bet on myself every time if I have to. The cap is going up next year – better TV, more market. It will be way better next year so we will see around this time next year where we stand.”
Higgins and quarterback Baker Mayfield hit it off immediately in 2018 and their chemistry is undeniable. Another year together should boost his market value.
The two have connected on 80 of 116 attempts that have gone for 1,226 yards and nine touchdowns over the last three seasons. Higgins averages 15.3 yards per catch with Mayfield.
Higgins consulted his QB, and friend, during free agency.
“He was telling me to weigh my options,” Higgins said. “Honestly, he wants me to be a Brown, but if I have to do something from the standpoint of taking care of my family, then make the best decision for me. Baker is always going to be there for me – there is no question about that.”
With Higgins back in the fold, and assuming restricted free agent KhaDarel Hodge returns, the Browns will return their entire starting offensive unit from a year ago that scored the second-most points in franchise history (408), ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards (148.4 yards per game), and had the league's third-best red zone offense with touchdowns on 73.6% of their trips.
Led by the 2020 NFL coach of the year in Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland’s coaching staff also returns with just one change at offensive quality control.
Coming off 11 wins, a playoff victory and that stability was too much for Higgins to give up.
“That is what everybody wants in life – they just want something that is consistent,” Higgins said. “If you are consistent on the football field, obviously, the staff wants you. Looking at the staff coming back, everybody is here. That weighs in on the judgmental aspect of things on making the decision. You have a coach that is here to stay – the Coach of the Year – I have not had that since I have been here. There has always been a different coach. Just knowing coach Stefanski and believing in him and his group and making a playoff run his first year here, that is the start for me. Let’s run it back.”
Then there are the fans who have come to love Higgins’ big play ability and stroll down the red-carpet celebration after touchdowns.
“The fan support for me in Cleveland is unbelievable,” Higgins said. “I have fans reaching out from Canada and from London. It is unbelievable. To say Cleveland is not the best fan base in America, I do not know if there is a better fan base. Weighing my decision, did the fans have an impact on it? I can say yeah. Obviously, I love our fans and they love me.
“At the end of the day, this is somewhere that I want to be. Honestly, it was a no-brainer for me weighing my options so here I am. The fans still love me. I think they would still love me regardless if I go anywhere. I am just excited to be a Brown, and they are, too.”
