CLEVELAND -- Browns running back Peyton Hillis, in an exclusive interview with the Plain Dealer today, said an ESPN report that he told coaches he was contemplating retirement toward the end of the season and joining the CIA was "100% false'' and "it makes me sound insane.''
He said he feels someone came up with the report to try to devalue him in free agency, but he has no idea who would do such a thing.
He also explained the firing of three agents in the past year, stressing that his last agent, Kennard McGuire, wasn't able to get anything done with the Browns and that he wanted to find someone who could.
He also said he'd love to stay with the Browns and that he'd take a "hometown discount'' to do so. He also said he thinks the team wants him to test the open market beginning next week and that he'd love to hear what they have to offer.
Here are some excerpts from the 30-minute interview:
ON HIM CONTEMPLATING RETIREMENT: "That's ridiculous. I never one time mentioned anything to any coach about retirement or joining the CIA or anything like that. That's pretty much ridiculous and 100% false. I don't know what's going on or who came up with a story like that, but they should've come up with a better one to make it sound more legit.''
ON THE CIA REFERENCE: "It makes me sound insane. Why would you give up football to go to the CIA? It's ridiculouos and it hurts what people think about you. And I think it's very unfair.''
ON THIS HURTING HIS REPUTATION: "Someone is trying to downplay my name. I really don't cause a big raucous. I pretty much keep my mouth quiet and go about my business. For this to happen, it was a rough year and I expected to come out here and be prepared for free agency or whatever the case may be, and to have all of this stuff come up before free agency is just ridiculous. I've always been a player that's gone out there and done my best. I've overcome a lot of obstacles and proved a lot of people wrong throughout my time. Right now, to have this stuff kind of hanging over your head, especially when it's 100% false, it's kind of rough. You know what kind of guy you are, you know what kind of player you are.
ON PAT SHURMUR NOT HEARING RETIREMENT/CIA TALK: "That should prove it right there. Whoever came up with the story should get their facts straight. You'd think if one coach would know, the other would know and so that tells you right there it's totally false.''
ON FIRING AGENTS: "The whole deal with Jimmy Sexton, my first agent, he was a great agent. There was nothing wrong, but it was just the marketing side. With the whole Madden cover thing coming up, they were able to get ahold of my brother Kyle, which enabled me to be part of that contest. I probably wouldn't be on the Madden cover if they hadn't reached Kyle. So it was more about marketing than anything else. Then I signed up with Kelli Masters. She had a good head on her shoulders and she worked really hard for me, but we felt at the time she hadn't done too many big contracts. We felt like this is the biggest time of our lives and we've got to make sure we had the right person going in. It was nothing against her. Then we signed Kennard McGuire, and we kept him all year, but things weren't getting done between him and the Browns, and a couple of days ago we decided to let him go.''
ON AN AGENT THAT COULD DEAL WITH BROWNS: "My priority was to find an agent that could get a deal done with the Browns. I've said all along that this was where I wanted to be, and I wanted to work with someone who had a good relationship with the Browns. I've heard from a few people, but I haven't made a decision yet.''
ON STAYING WITH BROWNS: "I've always loved this city and I still do love it and I still want to play for the Cleveland Browns. I'm not sure who wants me there and who doesn't want me there. It's out of my hands at this point. They've said they might want to re-sign me. If I was this horrible person, if I wasn't tough and if I was that big of a mental case, why would they still want to sign me? No matter what happens, I think I proved again and again wherever I go I think I'll make a splash.''
ON TAKING A HOMETOWN DISCOUNT: "Yea, of course, just because I want to be a Brown. It just depends on what they want to do. When free agency gets here, I'd love to hear them out.''
ON TESTING FREE AGENCY: "At this point, it looks like I'll have to. With the agent situation, I can't sign an agent for a few days, and I heard they just franchised Phil Dawson -- and I'm happy for him. I think they want me to test the free agent market and see what I can do out there.''
ON INTEREST FROM OTHER TEAMS: "I really don't know yet. I would think there would be. I think I've proven myself to be a hard-nosed back that can get the tough yardage and I think some teams will appreciate that.''
ON IF HE WAS ASKING FOR THE MOON: "It was nowhere near what people thought it was. I wasn't asking for $7 million a year. The Browns finally offered $25 million or $26 million over four or five years, but it was only about $1.2 million a year in the first three years. Then it was backloaded with a large amount that wasn't guaranteed. It wasn't the money, it's just how it was structured.''
