BROWNS McCutcheon, Griffin earn top awards for '04

BEREA (AP) -- Browns safety Robert Griffith was chosen the team's player of the year for 2004 and cornerback Daylon McCutcheon was honored for his cooperation with the media in a vote Wednesday by Cleveland football writers.
Griffith has led the struggling Browns in tackles most of the season. He heads into Sunday's finale against the Houston Texans with a career-high 145 tackles. The 34-year-old is having his best season since signing with Cleveland as a free agent in 2002.
Griffith joins Andra Davis, William Green and Jamir Miller as players who have won the award, which is voted on by the Cleveland chapter of the Professional Football Writers of America.
McCutcheon, who along with kicker Phil Dawson are the only starters left from the 1999 expansion team, never ducked an interview and was always accessible to reporters despite the Browns' tough season.
McCutcheon is also one of the Browns' most active players in the community.
He recently hosted a Christmas party for underprivileged children and he will treat more than 700 Cleveland school kids to a free movie next month.
McCutcheon signed a five-year contract extension with the Browns before this season.
The Good Guy Award given to McCutcheon is named for Dino Lucarelli, a longtime public relations director for the Browns. Previous winners include Tim Couch, Corey Fuller and Shaun O'Hara.