BEREA, Ohio – The gold-plated title belt perched atop John Hughes' locker last week seemed out of place and character for a player of his humility.
Such ostentatious possessions are tailor made for the waists of electric sports figures like John Cena and Floyd "Money" Mayweather. Not someone who grinds anonymously in the gridiron trenches.
Naturally, there was a reasonable explanation. Hughes earned the "Play Like a Brown" belt -- a rotating honor presented to the team's top defender of the week -- for his performance in the win over the Titans.
The attention-grabbing ornament belies the essence of the productive, unassuming defensive lineman, according to his coach.
"John is kind of a no-name guy," Mike Pettine said. "'John Hughes,' it's pretty close to 'John Smith.' Just not a flashy guy at all, even from a personality standpoint, but he loves to play football and it shows up on Sundays."
It's always been about team first for the fourth-year veteran: Raised by a grandmother who drove a Columbus school bus for 42 years, Hughes also enjoys helping others get to where they want to go in life.
He does it on the field occupying blockers to allow teammates to make tackles. He does it in the locker room mentoring young players who are new to the NFL. He does it in the community donating money and time to disadvantaged kids.
Hughes' efforts draw little fanfare, but ample appreciation from those who understand his value to the organization.
"He's an easy guy for me to follow because he's never going to steer you wrong," first-round pick and fellow defensive lineman Danny Shelton said. "He does his job on the field and he's always talking about his family. That's what attracts me to hang around him."
And to think three years ago some fans were upset Hughes was joining their team.
'Never satisfied'
Sitting outside the locker room, Hughes smiles at the memory of his draft day and the strong response it generated from a segment of the Browns' fan base. Many wanted another skill player, perhaps a wide receiver, not a little-known defensive lineman from the University of Cincinnati.
"I try not to think about it too much," the third-round pick said. "People are going to have their own opinion. They are going to think what they're going to think, but I'm going to do what I do. From Day 1, I wanted to come in and make a statement . . . I'm never satisfied."
In an organization forever rebuilding, only Joe Thomas, Alex Mack and Joe Haden – three Pro Bowlers -- have more tenure than Hughes. He's the last member from the Browns' 2012 defensive front, which included Phil Taylor, Ahtyba Rubin, Frostee Rucker and Billy Winn.
The Columbus native has registered 1-1/2 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in three games. His helmet-popping wallop of Titans' quarterback Marcus Mariota is easily the most memorable hit for a defense that's struggled through the opening weeks.
"Rock-solid technique wise," defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil said of Hughes. "We talk about 'Play Like a Brown,' and he embodies all of those attributes . . . You can just always count on John to fill up the grade sheet with pluses. Does his job and allows a lot of other guys around him to make plays."
Cleveland Browns vs. Tennessee Titans
Browns defensive lineman John Hughes stripped sacked Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota and knocked him helmet off.
Joshua Gunter, NEOMG
In the offseason, the franchise rewarded the soft-spoken defender with a four-year, $12.8 million contract extension including a $2.5 million signing bonus.
Hughes, a husband and father, celebrated by sharing the wealth. He gave his alma mater, Gahanna Lincoln High, $50,000 to build a new weight room.
Anyone who knows Hughes knows who implanted the importance of generosity.
'Everyone else first'
Browns coaches speak of the need to turn words into actions. It's become a mantra, which Pettine admits has yet to take hold with some players who boasted of building an elite defense in the offseason.
Hughes, 26, is not one for bravado. He's followed in the path of an 82-year-old family matriarch, who woke up at 5 a.m. for four decades to ensure other parents' children made it to class safely.
Esther Hughes is not a woman armed with catchphrases or slogans. Her lessons were taught with deeds not lectures.
Some athletes will do things just for the press and publicity and the kids sense it. That wasn't John.
"She devoted (42) years of her life to driving kids to school every day and taking them home," Hughes said. "If you can't take anything from that . . . No matter what she did in life she always put everyone else first."
Hughes' parents split after he was born. His father, a military man, often traveled overseas, Hughes said, and couldn't provide a suitable home life for an infant.
Some half-sisters and half-brothers on his mother's side grew up being shuttled from one relative to the next. Stability was almost non-existent. But Esther and her husband, John, opened their home to Hughes and never shut the door. They enrolled him in an array of extra-curricular activities and watched as he blossomed into a three-sport prep athlete (football, basketball, track).
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John Hughes credits his grandmother, Esther, for teaching him the importance of selflessness.
Hughes family collection
"It wasn't her words like, '(you need to) be a great person,'" Hughes recalled. "It was her actions. How she went about her life every day. She stills tells me stories about kids on her bus 30 years ago and even though I've heard them a million times, I like to listen to them anyway."
Hughes admits he didn't apply himself in the classroom. He buckled down his senior year, however, with the help of teachers and coaches to earn a scholarship to Cincinnati. Hughes promised Esther he'd return home with a degree and he delivered one in criminal justice.
He tackled more than ball carriers and school work at college. Hughes spent a semester working as a guard at a minimum-security prison. The experience left a lasting impression, one that can't be replicated in any NFL Rookie Symposium.
"I was told if you can help change the life of one out of 10 people that come through those doors then you have done your job," he said. "It's tough, especially when people go back to the same situation they left.
"It (reinforced) it wasn't a life I wanted to live for myself. I was already on the safe-and-narrow path. But stuff happens after school, after football and it wasn't something I could see myself doing the rest of my life – being told what to do, when to wake up every day."
'Part of who I am'
Before Hughes agreed to become a mentor at Boys' Village School in Wooster two years ago, he made an unusual request. He asked administrators to close the doors and allow him to address the room of teenagers in private.
He shared the story of his upbringing with kids who have been removed from family homes for various reasons. One by one, the children reciprocated, opening up to reveal the details of their young lives.
Trust immediately began to form.
"We've had other athletes come in and talk to the kids, but it's the first time anyone asked to do something like that," Village Network CEO Richard Graziano said. "It meant a lot to the kids. They understood right away there were no ulterior motives.
"Some athletes will do things just for the press and publicity and the kids sense it. That wasn't John. He does it because he sees the value in it and the kids adore him for it."
Hughes, who learned of the program through former Browns defensive back Felix Wright, makes two or three visits a month during the offseason. He plays games and socializes with students as a reward for good grades and behavior. He's even invited a group to his Cleveland home for a Thanksgiving meal.
The burly Brown likes to "get real" with the teens. He wants to hear their visions for the future and how they intended to get there. Once again, a Hughes family member is driving the bus, this time as an agent for change.
"I see a little bit of myself in them, but I see a lot of my brothers and sisters in them," Hughes said. "They didn't have it as good as I did. They weren't as lucky as me . . . (This) is part of who I am. I've always wanted to give back."
John Hughes doesn't require a title belt to act like a champion.
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John Hughes gave $50000
