Browns DT Maurice Hurst named new “Stay in the Game” ambassador

His off-field contributions are front and center

One thing that immediately happened when the Cleveland Browns hired Jim Schwartz as their new defensive coordinator: they set out to find players to stop the run. Under former DC Joe Woods, offenses ran all over them.

Right off during free agency, the franchise signed DT Dalvin Tomlinson. Three days later, DT Maurice Hurst was signed.

The Browns already had Jordan Elliott, Ben Stille, Roderick Perry, Perrion Winfrey, Tommy Togiai, and Michael Dwumfour.

Trysten Hill was also signed as a free agent while Siaki Ika was drafted. Next, Shelby Harris was inked away from the Seattle Seahawks.

Hurst was viewed as just a rotational player because the thought process was that next to Tomlinson, Hill was assumed to be the starter, or the recently signed Harris.

On the final cutdown, Hurst was among those released. The Browns needed to keep two players and then after the final cutdown, place these two on IR. That is what happened. After the franchise placed WR Michael Woods and LB Jordan Kunaszyk on IR, the Browns re-signed Hurst.

Hurst became one of the best defenders on the roster. His Pro Football Focus grade was 81.0, one of the highest on the team.

In Week 14, he suffered a pectoral injury suffered in the Browns’ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The result was he was placed on season-ending IR. All starters are tough to replace — especially Hurst, who had revitalized his career in his first season in Cleveland. What was supposed to be a rotational hire became am important cog in Schwartz’s defense.

Hurst has a history of doing charity work. Recently, he was named the new ambassador for the “Stay in the Game!” program in the Cleveland area which encourages kids to remain in school.

LINK: STAY IN THE GAME!

Cleveland was pleased with his production and re-signed him in March to a one-year deal.

With the signing, he told clevelandbrowns.com:

“I feel like I definitely made a home here and I’m really comfortable with the scheme, with the coaches and really love the players, the guys that I got to be next to and work with and a lot of like-minded people. Which has been really awesome for me, personally, just having that that core group of guys to lean on. I think that’s how every great team is made is by having a great core group of guys.”

Hurst has always been a player who has spent a lot of time in the community. It began in college at the University of Michigan. His master’s degree was from the School of Social Work in Management of Human Services, with a focus on Child/Youth Services. This required him to spend time with organizations such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters among others.

He also collaborated with teammate Chase Winovich, who played for the Browns in 2022, in a program called “The ChadTough Foundation” in which they raised $15,000. The foundation raised money and awareness for DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) research and pediatric brain cancer.

While with the San Francisco 49ers, he was involved with the Colon Cancer Coalition. One of his best friends from childhood lost their father to colon cancer so this was an opportunity to hope to make a difference and raise awareness.

As a member of the Oakland Raiders, after reading about the devastation and distress in the Central American country of Nicaragua caused by Hurricane Eta and Hurricane Iota, Hurst helped donate food, health supplies and mattresses to 500 families affected by the storms near the Pacific coast.

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Last year with Cleveland, with the “My Cause My Cleats” program which shares player’s powerful stories and inspiration through custom cleat designs with signature meanings, Hurst chose “APDA Parkinson Support Network of Cape Cod.”

After being presented an award at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards in the off-season, Hurst stated:

“[Cleveland] is definitely a special spot,” Hurst said at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards, Tuesday. “I’ve been lucky to be at a few great spots. Being here with the guys that we have, and the room that we have and the coaches that we have, it’s really something that you can tell we’re building. We could be the team that wins it all at some point.”

Consistent school attendance is the foundation for student success. Even missing a few days a month can have a lasting impact on learning. 30% of Ohio students miss almost 20 days of school a year, and research shows that missing just two days a month can leave kids trailing on foundational learning and social skills.

“Stay in the Game” works as an attendance network that attempts to dramatically improve attendance in the Cleveland area.

As long as Hurst remains healthy going forward for the Browns, he will continue to be an important aspect of Schwartz’s defense for one of the NFL’s best defensive units.