DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns sign Rubin to 3 year deal

http://www.ohio.com/sports/cleveland-browns-rubin-quietly-pleased-about-contract-extension-1.235268

Cleveland Browns’ Rubin quietly pleased about contract extension

By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sports writer

CLEVELAND: Ahtyba Rubin isn’t a man of many words.

He’s a soft-spoken man who leads by example, a guy who doesn’t believe in cutting corners, a player whose secret to success is simply to work harder than everyone else.

That might help explain why Rubin, 25, didn’t even bother to call his parents at home in Florida to tell them about his three-year contract extension with the Browns.

He figured they would read it in the papers or on the Internet.

So without saying a word, Rubin did something else. He began the process of buying his parents, Marion and Ronnie Rubin, a new house in his native Pensacola, Fla.

“It’s the dream of every guy, to buy Mom a house,” Rubin said. “To take care of her so she won’t have to worry about anything any more in her life. That has always run through my mind when I’ve thought about being a professional football player, taking care of my family.”

Rubin, a 6-foot-2, 330-pound nose tackle, was the Browns’ sixth-round pick (190th overall) in the 2008 draft. His path to the pros wasn’t an easy one. He began at Trinity Valley (Texas) Junior College for two years before transferring to Iowa State to finish his collegiate career.

“I wouldn’t change anything for nothing,” he said. “I loved junior college, being there in Athens. It helped me become the person I am now, [shaped my] character to get into the league. Looking back on it, it was a good choice and I’d do it again.”

Working hard is how he got to the NFL, and it’s how Rubin plans to stay.

“Rubin deserves it so much,” teammate Joe Haden said of the extension. “He’s one of the hardest workers on the team. Every time you watch the film, you see him running to the ball. He never takes any plays off, he gives it his all.”

When asked what stands out the most about Rubin, Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron said, “Probably his professionalism.”

“Clearly he’s physically gifted. He’s a very large and very powerful man, but he works. He’s a real worker. I think he works as hard as anyone we have. He’s not a real talker, but he’s very much a leader. He plays every snap, he works every down. He’s got huge value for us.”

Still can't believe we got him in the sixth round

So glad this guy is on our team.

Savage: "Can Athyba Rubin make this team?"

Quote:

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Rubin's value:

The Browns had a fourth-round grade on Ahtyba Rubin, the nose tackle they landed in the sixth round, 190th overall.

"Can Ahtyba Rubin make this team?" Savage asked his scouts, according to clevelandbrowns. com. The response was a resounding yes.

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http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2008/04/savage_hoping_hubbard_is_the_n.html

I wanted the Browns to take Rubin in the third after the senior bowl before they traded their 2nd and 3rd rounders for DL (Rogers and Williams.) I think Savage was saying with the new depth, can he still make it?

Quote:

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I wanted the Browns to take Rubin in the third after the senior bowl

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Same with me ... I thought that we got a real steal with Rubin.

Meh, even a blind GM gets lucky once in awhile.

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2011/09/cleveland_browns_ahtyba_rubin.html

Cleveland Browns' Ahtyba Rubin quietly becomes a leading force on the defensive line
Published: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 10:35 PM     Updated: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 10:50 PM
By Tony Grossi, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio — There's a buzz about the Browns' new, young defensive line -- rookie Phil Taylor's immediate impact, rookie Jabaal Sheard's move from right end to left, and Jayme Mitchell making GM Tom Heckert look prophetic for trading for him a year ago.

Yet the one among the front four who's least talked about is the one probably playing the best.
Ahtyba Rubin is off to a fast start in his new role as a 4-3 defensive tackle. He notched his first sack Sunday in Indianapolis.

Rubin, who is just 25, has blossomed from quiet understudy to Shaun Rogers to quiet leader of an energetic group of defensive linemen.

"He's just a great person on and off the field," Taylor said Wednesday. "He's helped me just getting acclimated, knowing what to look out for, learning who to surround myself with. He's helped me tremendously. I look up to people like that."

Taylor is one of the few players, obviously, to have had constructive conversations with Rubin, probably because he has been able to get to know him in position meetings. Others look up to Rubin as a man who speaks mostly through actions, not words.

"I think I've heard him say like six words in two years," linebacker Scott Fujita said. "But he listens. That's the good thing. You tell him what to do and he does it. As a linebacker, you can't ask for anything better than that."

Coach Pat Shurmur said: "We've conversed over the last couple months, but not much. Not much. That's just his nature. I have a strong appreciation for that.

"He's a very quiet, steady guy. That's something those new players on the defensive line can rally around. And he's played well [these] two good games."

Rubin chuckles at such comments.

"I'm sort of quiet," he said. "You've got to get to know me. People that really know me probably will tell you how I interact with them. The coaches, I just listen to what they say and go do it."

Besides showing first-round pick Taylor the ropes, Rubin has established himself quickly in coordinator Dick Jauron's scheme as a relentless hustler and disruptive tackle.

"He's the guy that's going to make the whole thing go," Fujita said. "You always want that one guy to make it go. I think Rubin is our guy. He's got a motor that's kind of unparalleled for a guy his size, his strength. And he's one of the strongest guys I think I've ever seen play. It's unbelievable. He just has brute strength."

Rubin's hustle on the field comes from his desire during his high school days in Pensacola, Fla., to "always run to the ball and make every play. It carried on to the pros. I'm trying to keep that up and, hopefully, it'll rub off on some of the young guys."

Rubin trimmed down about 15 pounds to 330 during the off-season with the goal of improving his quickness and pass rush. He was stereotyped as a run-plugging nose tackle at Iowa State and appealed only to 3-4 defensive teams in the draft. The Browns caught enough of Rubin's emerging season last year to envision him as a difference-maker in the 4-3 scheme.

"It's doing pretty good," Rubin said of the new system. "I get a lot of one-on-one in pass rushing. Last year there were two or three guys blocking me at the line. I feel I can get better but I'm comfortable at the same time."

The Browns recently tabbed Rubin as a franchise core player by extending his contract four years for upwards of $20 million. Rubin said he had no idea the contract was in the works until it was nearly completed and considers himself fortunate and blessed.

He said the first thing he will do with his new money is buy his mother a new home in Pensacola, "some nice gated community."

Given his makeup, financial success is not likely to change Rubin.

"I think I've got a lot of improvement to do and will get a lot better in the future," he said. "I'm just really trying to put a whuppin on the O-linemen that come into town. I'm loving what I'm being taught this year."

There's one individual play Rubin is longing to make. The dream of any defensive player, of course, is to score a touchdown.

"And hopefully I can jump in the Dawg Pound," Rubin said.

Now that would be out of character and quite a sight to see.

Rubin jumping into the pound would be a highlight clip for the ages.

Rubin was a beast today against the Dolphins.

He should have gotten some national recognition last year...but if he doesn't get some accolades this year I'll be fuming....he's 1 of the best interior DL right now in the league..and in his age range I see only Suh being clearly better...Ngata, but he's 2 years older too

Rubin keeps getting better and better, unreal....in the 43 now, he adapts as if it's nothing and just switches from run plugging NT to a NT/3tech tweener both run stopping and pass rushing....2.5sacks in 3 games....he's a monster, how many players do you know that get even better and hustle just as much AFTER signing their 1st big multi million contract? He's my fav Bown right now....BY FAR

j/c

I'd be all for giving Rubin a lifetime contract.

Rubin and Taylor are going to be the premier DT tandem in the NFL for many years to come.

I've been high on him since we started using him in rotation. Last year, Rubin started to come into his own. This was an awesome move by our FO!

i love rubin, he's one of my favorite guys on the team.

The bottom line: you know you're good when the scheme doesn't make or break you, 3-4, 4-3, new DC, doesn't matter the guy is still a load to handle.

Those guys are playing like a pack of wild dogs at times.

The DL has been a pleasure to watch so far this year compared to what we've been use to.

most underated player in the AFC

I agree that he deserves the recognition but I'm glad to see that they rewarded him with a 3-year deal.

I'm not sure that he's not better than Ngata or even Suh.

He's got more tackles and sacks (16 tkls, 2.5 sacks) than Suh (9 tkls, 2 sacks) and Ngata (11 tckls, no sacks).

Furthermore, Nick Fairley hasn't even played for Detroit and Phil Taylor has 18 tackles and a sack.

Don't look now, but the Browns lead the AFC in sacks with 11 and 2nd in pass D (187.3 ypg). While the run D has let up some yards (128.7 ypg), they have only let up 1 rushing TD.