CantonRep.com reporter Steve Doerschuk writes how Hines Ward, 36, will get released by the Pittsburgh Steelers in a few days. And when that happens, would the Cleveland Browns want to sign Ward at his age?

Well, writes Doerschuk, Jerry Rice was 41 when he joined Mike Holmgren’s Seahawks in 2004 and turned 42 during the ‘04 season.

Doerschuk gives us Pro Football Weekly’s list of the top 100 free agents. Maybe the Browns will consider some of these players.

• No. 4 overall, Mike Wallace (Steelers). He is a restricted free agent. The others on the list are unrestricted. That means it’s unlikely he’s leaving Pittsburgh. It’s still hard to believe the Browns picked Brian Robiskie and Mo Massaquoi when he was still on the 2009 board.
• No. 7 overall, Vincent Jackson (Chargers). You wonder how it would play to a guy like this if you said, “We’ll have Robert Griffin throwing to you. Might be fun.” I didn’t realize he was this old: He’ll turn 30 before he next Super Bowl.
• No. 10 overall, Dwayne Bowe (Chiefs). He led Jackson 1,159-1,106 in 2011 receiving yards, and is younger.
• No. 13 overall, Wes Welker (Pats). Willie McGinest still had some tread left on his tires when Belichick let him slip to the Browns. The 5-foot-9 Welker will be 31 soon and might be beat up.

More Cleveland Browns

Here are several stories on Peyton Hillis and his dreams of the CIA, although coach Pat Shurmur didn’t have any knowledge of Hillis’ aspirations.

Several teams in the AFC North are expected to put franchise tags on players, writes ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

Daily Dawg Chow by Dawgs By Nature blog on the Cleveland Browns.

Cold. Windy. Miserable. That about sums up my experience at the Cleveland Browns game on Sunday, January 1. In addition to a good dose of Cleveland winter, the Browns unfortunately fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers by the score of 13-9.

Coming into the game I honesty was not expecting much. A win against the Steelers would be a fantastic way to end a mildly disappointing season while a loss would guarantee a better draft pick. (Am I really justifying a loss here?)

I was looking for a competitive football game, and based upon the final score it would appear the win could have gone either way. When taking a look at the final stats, the Steelers played poorly but the Browns were simply awful.

Quarterback Seneca Wallace completed just 16 of 41 attempts for a total of 177 yards on the day. He threw no touchdowns and was picked off once.

On the other hand, Joshua Cribbs had a career game netting seven receptions for 91 yards. Unfortunately, that was the lone bright spot for the Browns. For one of the only players that is passionate and wants to be on the field as much as possible, embraces and interacts with the fans, and genuinely loves Cleveland, he deserved all of his success in the game. I just wish it were enough to contribute to a win. One guy cannot do it all.

Peyton Hillis, who may have played his last game in Cleveland, carried the ball 10 times for 30 yards.

For the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger was only marginally better than Wallace going 23 for 40 for 221 yards. His decision to play with a lingering sprained ankle did not make much sense, especially with the playoffs right around the corner.

Isaac Redman racked up 92 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown. As the only touchdown of the game, it broke up the field goal battle between Phil Dawson and Shaun Suisham.

Dawson was 3-3 on the day hitting from 26 yards, 45 yards, and 49 yards on the day. Suisham was 1-1 in extra points and 3-2 in field goals hitting from 19 yards and 29 yards.

When all was said and done, the Browns fell yet again and finished the season with a 4-12 record. But in true Cleveland style—Just wait until next year!

More Cleveland Browns Commentary from this Contributor:

The Cleveland Browns’ experience: A fan’s take

Cleveland Browns lose to Cardinals in OT, QB debate begins: A fan’s reaction

The benefits of being a die-hard Cleveland Browns fan this season: A fan’s perspective

Cleveland Browns prepare for tough game against Baltimore Ravens: A fan’s view

Cleveland Browns release Pro Bowl veteran Pontbriand in favor of rookie Yount: A fan’s reaction

Sources:

All data provided by NFL.com

Paul Rados is an avid Cleveland Browns fan and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The
Pittsburgh Steelers
had no problems getting by without
Ben Roethlisberger
in their latest game, but the franchise quarterback says he plans to play in the team’s potentially significant regular-season
finale in Cleveland.

The progress of a game on the opposite end of Ohio may determine how much.

A first-round bye is in sight for the Steelers with a victory over the Browns on Sunday and some help, but otherwise they’d
likely need to win three times on the road to make a return trip to the Super Bowl.

After suffering a high ankle sprain in a 14-3 win over Cleveland in Week 14, Roethlisberger played through pain in a 20-3
loss at San Francisco 11 days later, throwing three interceptions as Pittsburgh blew a chance to stay in the driver’s seat
for the AFC’s top seed.

Needing two wins and a Baltimore loss to win the AFC North and guarantee at least a first-round bye, the Steelers (11-4) rested
Roethlisberger in favor of
Charlie Batch
last weekend against St. Louis. Batch threw for 208 yards while Pittsburgh rode a 116-yard rushing performance from
Rashard Mendenhall
and a dominant defensive effort to a 27-0 win.

Baltimore held off a late rally by the Browns to win 20-14 that same day, but the division’s current leader – by virtue of
a head-to-head sweep of the Steelers – hardly has it easy in Week 17. The Ravens travel to Cincinnati, where a win would put
the Bengals in the playoffs as the AFC’s No. 6 seed and third qualifier from the North.

A Baltimore loss and Pittsburgh win would give the Steelers the No. 2 seed, and potentially No. 1 should New England falter.
But anything else leaves Pittsburgh as the AFC’s fifth seed with no week off, almost certainly requiring the defending conference
champions to win three road games to reach a fourth Super Bowl in seven years.

It was unclear early in the week if the Steelers would risk Roethlisberger for what amounts to a 50-50 shot at best at a bye,
but Thursday the recently named Pro Bowl passer said he’d give it a go.

“As long as I can deal with pain, I’ll be out there,” Roethlisberger said. “I don’t want to let the guys down, so I’ll do
what I can to be out there.”

Coach Mike Tomlin’s offensive coordinator agrees – to a point.

“I want him out there but not at the risk of injuring himself,” Bruce Arians said. “If he can’t move around and get out of
the way, there’s no sense in getting him out there.”

While the Steelers need help from the Bengals – offensive lineman
Trai Essex
said he “might peek a couple of times” at the scoreboard – they’re focused on the Browns (4-11), especially considering they
didn’t put the Dec. 8 meeting away until a 79-yard Roethlisberger-to-
Antonio Brown
touchdown with 2:52 left.

“Cleveland’s going to do whatever they can to put a damper on our season as much as possible,” Essex told the Steelers’ official
website. “They’re not having the year I’m sure they wanted to, but whenever we play against each other it doesn’t matter what
our record is, we’re going to get their best and they’re going to get ours.”

Roethlisberger isn’t the only quarterback to have sustained a potentially significant injury in the first meeting. Browns
quarterback
Colt McCoy
took a helmet-to-helmet shot from Steelers linebacker
James Harrison
late in the fourth quarter, a hit that drew Harrison a one-game suspension and opened the door to Cleveland’s coaching staff
receiving plenty of criticism.

McCoy returned to the game, but was later diagnosed with a concussion. The decision to send him back in led to the NFL instituting
a policy that requires teams to have a certified athletic trainer in the press box help medical staffs evaluate injured players.

One of the harshest critics of the Browns’ handling of the situation was none other than Harrison, who said last week that
Cleveland should be disciplined since he was docked one game.

As for his play, Harrison claims he’s lowered his target area. Browns linebacker D’Qwell Jackson isn’t so sure.

“Harrison is who he is and whether you fine him, you suspend him, he’s not going to change,” Jackson said.

McCoy, who missed the past two games, has not been medically cleared and is unlikely to return for the finale.
Seneca Wallace
figures to get the call again after throwing for 373 yards, two TDs and an interception in losses to the Cardinals and Ravens.

“We have to try to take advantage of every opportunity and make sure we do it at 100 percent,” Wallace said. “Do it at a high
level and minimize mistakes. Against teams in this division, we can’t give them easy ones.”

As long as Roethlisberger’s been in Pittsburgh, matchups with Cleveland have typically been just that. The Steelers are 13-1
against the Browns with Roethlisberger starting, and he’s thrown seven touchdown passes without a pick in his last four visits
to Cleveland.

“You never want to lose to Cleveland,” Steelers safety
Ryan Clark
said. “When you are in this city, when you play for this organization, that’s a game you don’t want to lose.”

Read More: Tony Pashos (OL – CLE), Dimitri Patterson (DB – CLE), Peyton Hillis (RB – CLE), Kaluka Maiava (LB – CLE), Mohamed Massaquoi (WR – CLE), Jordan Norwood (WR – CLE), Shawn Lauvao (OL – CLE), Colt McCoy (QB – CLE), Owen Marecic (FB – CLE), Quinton Spears (LB – CLE), Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns

As the Cleveland Browns prepare for their regular season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, they’re still hoping to get a few players healthy.

Wide receivers Mohamed Massaquoi (foot) and Josh Cribbs (groin) returned to full participation in practice on Thursday, joining fullback Owen Marecic (ankle), guard Shawn Lauvao (ankle) and cornerback Dimitri Patterson (hand), who returned to full participation on Wednesday according to Dave Bryan of Steelers Depot.

Bryan also said that defensive lineman Scott Paxon (hand, calf), running back Peyton Hillis (elbow), linebacker Kaluka Maiava (hand) and linebacker Quinton Spears (head) were limited in practice while quarterback Colt McCoy (concussion), wide receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion) and tackle Tony Pashos illness were all held out of practice.

For more on the Steelers, please visit Behind the Steel Curtain, SB Nation’s Steelers blog. For the perspective from the other side, please visit SB Nation Cleveland and Dawgs by Nature, SB Nation’s Browns blog.

BEREA — Browns quarterback Colt McCoy spoke publicly for the first time Thursday since being diagnosed with his concussionafter the Pittsburgh game on Dec. 8.

He declined to re-create that fateful and controversial night, refusing to answer questions about what he does and doesn’t remember about the crushing hit by linebacker James Harrison and the aftermath.

McCoy did praise the Browns medical staff for their handling of the situation, despite the fact they didn’t see the hit and unwittingly sent him back into the game with the concussion. “Our medical staff does an outstanding job and that should never be in question.”

* He said the Browns won’t hold his father Brad McCoy’s comments to the Plain Dealer against him. McCoy said that his son had a concussion after the huge hit and should not have gone back into the game. ”I don’t think it has any effects here,” said McCoy.

* He said he’s addressed things with his dad, but chooses to keep them private.

* He declined to say what his lingering symptoms are but said ”I’m feeling a lot better. I can tell you that I’m making progress.” He wishes he could play Sunday but has no idea if he’ll be active. “I’d do anything to be out there. I’d love to. Hopefully I’ll be able to contribute to the team this weekend.”

* He said he wants to be a Cleveland Brown for the long-term.  “I love this place. I want to be part of the resurrection with the Browns.”

* He said the hardest part is not being around his teammates and not being able to help them in games.

* He said the feedback from the Browns about him “has been positive” but that he doesn’t know what their postseason evaluation will be.

* He said of the NFL’s handling of the situation, “I think that their first priority is safety of the players.”

* He said he’s not worried about the long-term effects. “I’m really close (to being healthy) and I feel good. I feel much better.”

* Asked if the hit was a cheapshot and if he has any animosity toward Harrison, he said, “No, I really have no opinion. I think the league has handled that. And I’m doing the best I can to move forward and to get healthy and get back and help our team.

BEREA — Colt McCoy was absent again from practice because he wasn’t cleared to return by Browns doctors.

 Today was the 21st day since McCoy played in the Dec. 8 game in Pittsburgh after suffering a concussion on a vicious hit by Steelers linebacker James Harrison.

 McCoy’s practice status routinely has been the first question asked of coach Pat Shurmur at his daily press briefing. Shurmur consistently has declined to elaborate on exactly what symptoms McCoy is experiencing.

 Although Shurmur would not rule out McCoy from the season-ending game Sunday against Pittsburgh, it’s obvious he will not play. It means he missed the final three games after his concussion — longer than any player on the Browns this year with the head injury. Tight end Benjamin Watson also missed the last three games, but he was placed on injured reserve following his third concussion of the season.

 Shurmur said he didn’t think there was anything about McCoy’s concussion injury that would suggest long-term concerns.

 ”He’s getting better every day,” Shurmur said. “Every injury’s different. Every rehab’s different.
 
 ”He’s been good. He’s been anxious to get out there and play. He knows there’s a process to go through. He looks fine. I don’t ask him every moment how he’s feeling.”

 In other pre-practice tidbits:

 * Shurmur said receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion) and right tackle Tony Pashos (stomach virus) would not practice.

 * Pressed on the future with the Browns of running back Peyton Hillis, Shurmur would not say that he absolutely wants him back.

 ”I think it’s important that we investigate everything,” he said.

 * Shurmur called Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III a “tremendous player” and admitted he is interested in watching him in the Alamo Bowl tonight.

 ”Yeah, once our day is over, I’ll find a way to watch that game,” he said.

The Pittsburgh Steelers can’t afford a loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, but the Browns can feel better about themselves, especially during the offseason, with a victory.

Ohio.com reporter Nate Ulrich does this Q and A with Scott Brown, who covers the Steelers for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Q: What’s the latest injury update on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who missed the Steelers’ most recent game with a high-ankle sprain suffered Dec. 8 against the Browns?

A: Coach Mike Tomlin didn’t give a lot [Tuesday during his news conference]. He said he’s hopeful that Ben Roethlisberger and a couple other injured Steelers, center Maurkice Pouncey and outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley, will play. But he’s very noncommittal when it comes to Roethlisberger. When asked if he will practice him Wednesday, he said that they’ll see, so not a whole lot of clarity when it comes to who will play quarterback for the Steelers. Although he did say if any of the injured guys are healthy and ready to go, they will play, which indicates they’re not gonna just sit Ben and give him another week to get healthy. Basically, if he’s cleared by the medical staff and thinks he can go, thinks he’s OK on the ankle he injured earlier this month, he’ll play against the Browns.

Ulrich also asks Brown how wasJames Harrison’s helmet-to-face mask hit on Browns quarterback Colt McCoy viewed in Pittsburgh?

A: As far as the hit, the Steelers are pretty tight-lipped about it. It’s something that’s been a point of contention, the way the league has come down on them in their eyes since that Harrison hit in the Browns game last year in October, when he knocked out [wide receiver] Mohamed Massaquoi and got fined $75,000 for it. They’ve been pretty vocal ever since then through the end of the season about how they thought the league was targeting them and targeting James Harrison. They’ve kind of changed their tune, and they’re not talking about it as much.   

More Cleveland Browns

Rushing with the Steelers (Post-Gazette.com).

Joe Thomas makes another Pro Bowl (Cleveland.com).

Does Joe Thomas deserve the Pro Bowl nod (Cleveland.com)?

Despite the rivalry, two fans fall in love (Cleveland.com).

These Browns/Steelers fans enjoy the ride (Cleveland.com).

Mike Tomlin bring own approach (Tribune-Review.com).

The Cleveland Browns suffered another disappointing heartbreak against the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Eve (12/24/11). The end of the first half certainly has fans scratching their heads. Why the Browns did not attempt a field goal is beyond comprehension. Browns’s coach Pat Shurmur looked like he was going to explode when the team did not go for a field goal.

Shurmur is saying that he is responsible for the communication breakdowns that happened throughout the game. However, speaking of the particular play at the end of the first half, Shurmur said, “I never would have called a run in that situation with that much time.”

Seneca Wallace took the field as quarterback for the game because Colt McCoy is still out with his concussion. Wallace really looked a lot better last week. He had a few good passes in today’s game, like the excellent touchdown pass to Evan Moore, but he seemed far less confident in this game than he did in the Arizona game.

Wallace has been in the NFL for nine seasons, but he really seemed to be carrying a rookie confidence around with him today. This is the thing that the Browns do not need, especially when playing a team with the talent of the Ravens.

Going into the second half with no points on the board looked really terrible. Then, finally Josh Cribbs saved the day by running an 84-yard touchdown off of a punt. It was a truly remarkable play. This play was not a game-saver, but it definitely re-energized the Browns and gave the fans a little hope and confidence.

Should we even discuss the fourth quarter? Specifically that play where Wallace passed to Hillis when they should have just kicked the ball. This was another head-scratching play that is becoming all too characteristic of the Browns.

Then, with two minutes to go in the game, Phil Taylor just had to go offsides. The Browns had one more chance to actually do something, but him going offsides completely eliminated their chances of a last ditch effort. Had he not gone offsides, the Browns would have had two minutes (I know not much, but at least it would have been something) to at least attempt to score a touchdown.

The Browns will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers for their last game. If they expect to add another win to their record, they are going to have to stop with the careless mistakes and put forth more focus.

R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen is a lifelong Browns fan who grew up in a household of Browns’ fans. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. Regardless of the trials and tribulations the Browns have been through, she remains loyal, albeit honest about her home team. Follow Rose on Twitter @Rose_Kitchen

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

BALTIMORE, Md. — Spoiled eggnog. Lumps of coal in your Christmas stocking. Brutal time management at the end of the Browns’ first half.

‘Tis that kind of season.

An upset bid by the Browns against the Baltimore Ravens was sabotaged by two major blunders — one at the end of the first half and one at the end of the game.

They were the bow and ribbon on a 20-14 victory gift-wrapped to the team despised by Browns fans. It kept the Ravens (11-4) in first place in the AFC North Division, a tiebreaker ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers with a game to go.

The Browns (4-11) ring out this rookie season of coach Pat Shurmur on New Year’s Day against headhunter James Harrison and the Steelers (11-4).

A loss by the Browns next Sunday would assure them no worse than the No. 5 spot in the draft. Nos. 3 and 4 also are possible with a loss.

For the third game in a row, the Browns played hard and threw a scare into the heavily favored home team. This time, they were done in by hard-to-fathom mental errors.

“We’ve got to play a little smarter in some of the critical situations,” Shurmur said.

The embattled head coach will be the lightning rod for the brownout in the first half, but quarterback Seneca Wallace rightfully took the blame.

The Browns handed off to Peyton Hillis from the Ravens’ 3-yard line with time running out and no timeouts left. Hillis, who had 112 yards on 24 carries, was stuffed for no gain. The Browns came away with no points after using their last timeout with 57 seconds left at the Ravens’ 8.

“At that point, it’s not the head coach’s fault,” said Wallace, a nine-year veteran. “I’ve got to make sure we’re in the right situation to get points out of it.”

Confusion abounded — as usual — when tight end Evan Moore was ruled down by forward progress on a first-down pass to the 3 before he stepped out of bounds.

The Browns were lethargic in getting back to the line of scrimmage. With the game clock ticking under 20 seconds, Shurmur was signaling — and imploring — for Wallace to spike the ball to stop the clock. Wallace made a split-second decision to call an inside run to Hillis instead.

“I would never have called a run in that situation,” Shurmur said.

Pressed on why Wallace didn’t just spike the ball, the coach said: “I need to communicate it better, OK? Let’s just leave it at that.”

Wallace acknowledged he heard Shurmur yelling “Clock, clock, clock,” but the loud crowd noise affected his decision-making.

“I didn’t want to yell ‘Clock, clock, clock’ and have somebody jump offsides. We didn’t know what we were in. It was a tough situation. I should have handled it better,” he said.

The botched opportunity preserved the Ravens’ 17-0 lead at halftime. It should have deflated the Browns, but they came out more angry than embarrassed.

“We still had a job to do,” said linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, who was victimized in the first half on Joe Flacco touchdown passes of 5 yards to tight end Ed Dickson and 42 yards to running back Ray Rice.

The Browns prevented Rice from taking over the game in the second half. They forced three Baltimore punts and a long field goal in four possessions. Rice, who hit the Browns for 204 yards rushing in the first meeting earlier this month, was held to 39 yards in the second half and 87 for the game.

The third Ravens punt was returned 84 yards by Josh Cribbs for a touchdown. It was his first return TD of any kind in 32 games and his first with a punt since the 2009 season opener.

Still, the Ravens were in control with a 20-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Flacco tried to put the game away on his first drive of the final quarter. After two first downs, he faced third-and-7 from the Browns’ 33. Instead of safely dumping off, he went for the home run to Lee Evans single-covered by Sheldon Brown. Brown intercepted in the end zone.

“The play before, I bit on the short route. The coordinator probably saw it and came after me,” Brown said.

Wallace then moved the Browns 80 yards in 12 plays. He got the touchdown rolling right and throwing to Moore in the corner. With 8:22 to go, the Browns were back in it.

The defense forced another Baltimore punt. After one first down, the Browns faced third-and-5 at their 45. Wallace barely escaped a blitz by Ed Reed and threw short for Hillis.

On fourth down, the Browns sent two receivers in the middle of the field and Hillis flared out in the left flat. Wallace saw coverage in the middle and threw to Hillis, who was quickly covered up for no gain.

After three defensive stops of Rice, Baltimore pondered fourth-and-2 at the Browns’ 46 at the two-minute warning. When the Ravens sent their offense back on the field, most everyone knew Flacco would try to draw the Browns offside with a hard count. If that didn’t work, he would call time and the Ravens would punt.

“Come on, you guys can figure it out,” Flacco said.

As the play clock ticked down to two seconds, rookie tackle Phil Taylor jumped offsides. And that was the ballgame.

Taylor immediately was consoled by defensive teammates.

“In this game, sometimes you go through learning curves that you don’t want to go through. Unfortunately, it happened,” Brown said.

“Today told the story of our season,” Jackson said.

Not the greatest story ever told.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @Tony Grossi

When the Cleveland Browns take on the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, December 24, 2011, they will be doing it with Seneca Wallace at quarterback. There is a good chance he will play the role of QB in the final game against the Pittsburgh Steelers the following week as well.

Colt McCoy is still out because of the concussion he sustained due to the head on collision courtesy of James Harrison. He is still having recurring symptoms from this injury and until he is fully recovered from this injury, it is simply not safe for him – or the other players – for him to be out on the field. McCoy will not travel with the Browns either. He will stay home and rest and focus on recovering.

Since Wallace is going to be taking over the role of quarterback for the remainder of the season, he has to start acting like a starting quarterback. According to his teammates. He is falling into the role well.

“I think he’s more vocal in the locker room and on the field,” said Joe Thomas, a left tackle for the Browns. “When you’re the starter, you’re the coach on the field, not only calling plays but getting everybody lined up correctly, making sure the formation’s are correct, the personnel is right. You’re kind of the designated rah-rah guy. When things are going south, you’re the guy that needs to stand up and get everybody in a positive direction.”

Wallace has acknowledged that he is just the backup quarterback and that he is afraid to overstep his boundaries. However, he needs to lose this mentality as it could hold him back. He is not the backup at this moment. He is the starter for the remainder of the season and he needs to think like a starter. He has played in nine NFL seasons and has earned his time on the field.

In the Arizona game, Wallace showed that he has what it takes to make plays. He definitely gave the Browns some new energy. The only thing the Browns need to work on right now is keeping that energy throughout the entire game because that energy definitely faded by the end of the third quarter. If Wallace can keep throwing good passes and keep his men energized, the Browns just might have a chance to defeat the Ravens.

R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen is a lifelong Browns fan who grew up in a household of Browns’ fans. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. Regardless of the trials and tribulations the Browns have been through, she remains loyal, albeit honest about her home team. Follow Rose on Twitter @Rose_Kitchen

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Browns will not be disciplined by the NFL for their handling of the Colt McCoy concussion injury in Pittsburgh on Dec. 8, according to league spokesman Greg Aiello.

The Browns put McCoy back in the game without testing for a concussion.

The NFLPA has not decided whether to file a grievance against the club, said union spokesman Carl Francis in an email reply.

The incident spurred two changes in league protocol. Teams were notified on Wednesday that starting with this weekend’s games:

* A certified athletic trainer paid by the NFL will monitor the game from an upstairs booth and will notify both teams’ medical staffs if it feels an injured player needs special attention. The trainer will not have the authority to remove a player from a game, but will provide information to a medical staff that might not have seen the hit or injury absorbed by a player.

The Browns contended McCoy was not given the sideline concussion test because he displayed no symptoms and their overtaxed medical staff did not see the hit by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison.

* Team medical staffs will be able to use cell phones during games to obtain information relating to the care of an injured player. This will not be limited to concussion injuries.

McCoy has not been cleared to practice 13 days after suffering the concussion on the hit.

Harrison returned to practice on Wednesday and delivered another shot on the Browns. He believes they should be disciplined for their handling of McCoy. 

“If he was hurt so bad I don’t know why they let him back in . . . two plays later,” Harrison told the Associated Press. “Something should be done to them I would think. I got a game, what should they get?

Another sit-down: Quarterback Seneca Wallace had a sit-down with running back Peyton Hillis last week.

“We had a long talk,” said Wallace. “I just told him don’t get discouraged and don’t ever lose the happiness you got from playing football. Don’t let the media, whatever else, take away from what you love to do. Just make sure you come out and have fun with it.”

Hillis went on to have the highest-yardage rushing game of his star-crossed season. Hillis ran 26 times for 99 yards and one touchdown in Arizona.

He said he felt healthier than at any point since Week 2, in which, coincidentally, he produced similar numbers — 27 rushes for 94 yards and two touchdowns — against the Colts.

Wallace and Hillis have bonded because if the Browns are going to make anything of the remaining games at Baltimore and home against Pittsburgh, they are going to have to be the main cogs on offense.

Wallace will make his second start on Christmas Eve in place of McCoy.

“I don’t want to overstep my boundaries,” he said. “I understand if somebody has to step up and speak their mind and say what they have to say, if it’s for the best of the team, you’ve got to do it.”

Hillis said the Wallace talk hit home. It was: “Just go out and enjoy football, enjoy the game, the guys you’re around, because any game can be your last. Every game’s precious.”

Hillis might have only two games left in a Browns uniform. His contract expires after the season. General Manager Tom Heckert recently said of re-signing Hillis, “That’s another one we’ll have to decide once the season’s over.”

Injury roundup: Besides McCoy, six other Browns did not practice on Wednesday — linebacker Ben Jacobs (concussion), receiver Jordan Norwood (concussion), safety T.J. Ward (foot), receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (foot), defensive lineman Scott Paxson (hand, foot) and cornerback Joe Haden (thigh). . . . Coach Pat Shurmur said the team has discussed shutting down Ward, who will miss his seventh consecutive game.

Now batting: Josh Cribbs’ recurrent groin injury will result in possibly more kickoff return opportunities for Buster Skrine, Shurmur said. Skrine had a 32-yard return in Arizona after Cribbs’ injury acted up.

Skrine was the lone returner when Arizona kicked off in overtime, but Jay Feely’s kickoff sailed into the end zone and went as a touchback.

Skrine is hoping to have some returns in Baltimore. The Ravens signed veteran Shayne Graham as a temp for Billy Cundiff, who has a calf injury and hasn’t practiced for the third week in a row. Cundiff is second in the AFC with 42 touchbacks.

Cribbs, who still may get some returns in Baltimore, has not had a return over 37 yards in six games. He hasn’t had a kickoff return for touchdown in 32 games.

“We’re doing what we can to get him blocked up so that we can get those,” Shurmur said.

Precinct report: Fan voting for the Pro Bowl ended on Monday. Joe Thomas finished fifth among AFC tackles, D’Qwell Jackson placed third among inside linebackers, and Cribbs was third among kick returners. Voting among coaches and players — which comprises the other two-thirds of the vote total — is completed today. Pro Bowl teams will be announced on Tuesday.

Colt McCoy will not play in the game against the Arizona Cardinals as he continues to recover from the concussion he sustained in the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Owen Marecic – a Cleveland Browns’ fullback – will also not take part in the Cardinals’ game due to a concussion.

Seneca Wallace will quarterback in McCoy’s place. He made two plays in the Steelers’ game after McCoy sustained the hit that was responsible for his current concussion.

Eddie Williams will take Marecic’s place at fullback for the Cardinals’ game. He was signed off the Browns’ practice squad.

“I saw [McCoy] this morning,” Browns’ coach Pat Shurmur said. “He’s still having some symptoms [including headaches], and that’s why we sent him home. I wouldn’t know exactly how to characterize it, but we’ll talk about him, obviously, next week when we get back.”

It is critical that McCoy take off the necessary time to fully recover. First and foremost, if he was to get a second concussion prior to a full recovery from this one, the consequences could be very serious for him. Second, if he is unable to play at 100 percent, he is not helping himself or his team, and he is putting himself at risk for further injury. Being a dedicated athlete, it is hard to sit on the sidelines, but right now, this is the best thing he can do for himself, his health and his team.

The Arizona game will mark Wallace’s 19^th pro start. The nine-year veteran, made four starts last season and went 1-3.

“I’m anticipating that Seneca’s going to go out and execute efficiently and I think we saw Colt do that at times this year,” said coach Shurmur.

This will certainly be an interesting game. Hopefully the rest of the team will play well and remain healthy, and those who are injured will quickly recover and be ready to tackle the Ravens and Steelers in the final two weeks of the season.

R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen is a lifelong Browns fan who grew up in a household of Browns’ fans. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and still lives there. Regardless of the trials and tribulations the Browns have been through, she remains loyal, albeit honest about her home team. Follow Rose on Twitter @Rose_Kitchen

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BEREA — Browns President Mike Holmgren has scheduled a surprise appearance in the team media room for 11:45 this morning.

It will be Holmgren’s first formal press conference since Oct. 21. At that time, running back Peyton Hillis’ contract dispute was a hot topic and Holmgren was fending off criticism for appearing on a Seattle radio show while shunning local media.

Now, Holmgren has been criticized for remaining silent while coach Pat Shurmur has struggled to explain the club’s handling of quarterback Colt McCoy after he suffered a concussion late in the Pittsburgh game last Thursday.

Mike Holmgren’s press conference coverage:

• Tony Grossi’s live blog

• Follow Mary Kay Cabot on Twitter