The Browns started slowly and finished fast in 2009, something WR-S Mike Furrey attributes to the gradual process of everyone getting onto the same page in demanding head coach Eric Mangini's first season with the club.

Furrey, honored as one of three finalists for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award at Super Bowl XLIV, believes the lessons learned last season will pay dividends for the Browns, who won their final four games after starting 1-11.

"If you look at our season, it took us 10-11 weeks to build character and to buy into a system of old-school football," Furrey said. "The new generation is stubborn to the new-school football and more relaxed. When you're talking old-school football, it takes awhile for guys to adjust to that. It builds a lot of character in our locker room, and we showed that the last four weeks of the season.

"With that being built already and Coach Mangini coming back, which is a positive, you're going to see a core of guys that are already banning together and have gone through things in the past and have built a team. Hopefully, that will transition into the offseason — bring more guys in and keep building on what we built on at the end of the season."

The Payton award recognizes a player's meritorious community-service work. Each finalist was originally nominated by his teammates.

Furrey, 32, made starts at wide receiver and safety this season and possesses the versatility Mangini craves in his players. He's slated to be an unrestricted free agent, and he indicated he would like to re-sign with Cleveland.

Furrey, who played previously in St. Louis and Detroit, has long been active in charitable work, and he has his own charitable foundation dedicated to working with the underprivileged. He has worked closely with more than a dozen local charitable organizations since signing with Cleveland in May 2009.

Furrey and his wife, Koren, have relished the opportunity to expand their charitable reach in Cleveland and have become very fond of the area. 

"We've fallen hard," he said. 

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