COLUMBIA STATION, Ohio – Browns fans were not the only ones who were shocked by the Trent Richardson trade, so was Richardson. He says he didn’t even hear the news from the team.
“One of my friends called me he was like ‘You got traded.’ I was like ‘Man, shut up talking to me get off my phone,’” he said. “I turned on the radio and all of a sudden I heard Cleveland Browns running back has been traded.”
“It just hit me in my face,” he said. “I didn’t see it coming.”
Richardson spoke late Wednesday night outside of his home. He was on the way to the airport for a flight to Indianapolis where he said he plans to hit the ground running.
“I’m going to get studying on my playbook and get ready to go against San Francisco,” he said. “When I do go in this weekend, I’ll be playing with a big chip on my shoulder. I play like that every week but this week I feel like I got a lot to prove to people.”
He said he wants to show everyone that he is the guy who was worthy of the number three pick in the NFL Draft, and he is someone a team can build a franchise around. “A guy that says that put the ball in my hand 4th and inches, fourth quarter, so I can’t wait to get there.”
Richardson said he didn’t get a chance to talk with Head Coach Rob Chudzinski.
“I know I got a text message from him. I know he was trying to contact me.”
When asked what the coach said, Richardson replied Chudzinski told him “It was a decision that came from above and it’s all going to work out for the best for both of us, for both organizations, for us and you.”
“I know Chud is a good guy,” he said. “And (Offensive Coordinator) Norv Turner that playbook of a mind he got, that offensive mind, he’s a genius, so whatever they’re putting together, man, I know is going to be something big.”
That’s why he had a message to Browns fans.
“Browns fans please get behind them 100 percent, don’t lose nothing, no fan base over this, still root for them and you all keep hope, keep hope because it is going to happen and the Browns are going to be good for a while when it does happen.”
So would he ever come back? “I think I would, the Browns have been good to me. Cleveland has been good to me, this area’s always going to be another home for me.”
“This place here is genuine to me.”