BEREA, Ohio — A year ago, more fans at Browns camp wore Chris Spielman's jersey than the No. 40 belonging to Peyton Hills.

Remember that Spielman never played for the Browns, the Ohio State star forced to retire because of injuries during the Browns' 1999 training camp. You still see a few orange and brown No. 54 Spielman shirts in Berea.

But everywhere you look, there's someone in No. 40, the Peyton Hillis jersey. Hillis sees it, too.

He tries to be cool, saying, "I try not to dwell on it."

But the Browns running back then smiled and said, "I love it. I'm blessed."

He talked about how the popularity can be "here today, gone tomorrow." He knows he has to keep producing. But he also knows that his bruising, relentless style of body-punishing running fits this town.

"I just love the game," he said. "I love this team."

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And he truly appreciates the fans.

From some players, these words could sound phony and contrived. From Hillis, they are sincere. Everything about Hillis seems as genuine as when he lowers his shoulder and tries to run through the chest of an opposing linebacker for a first down.

Before 2010, Hillis carried the ball a grand total of 81 times for 397 yards in two seasons with Denver. He seemed to be an afterthought in a deal where the Browns sent Brady Quinn to Denver.

Then he exploded under former coach Eric Mangini, bulling his way to 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.

Yes, fans loved that, plus the highlights of Hillis occasionally leaping over a tackler who tried to take out the running back's knees.

But it takes more than that for a guy with one good year on a 5-11 team to draw more than 1 million fan votes nationally and be selected for the Madden 2012 video game cover. He knocked off not only Michael Vick in the voting, he also won a head-to-head competition with Super Bowl winning-quarterback Aaron Rodgers of football-crazy Green Bay.

Part of it are the amazing Hillis Highlights, dragging tacklers, making one-handed catches on screen passes and even leveling a blitzing linebacker with a jaw-rattling block.

As Brown coach Pat Shurmur said, "He's a three-dimensional back . . . an impressive guy, a physical presence...but he's critical of himself."

Shurmur said Hillis rarely makes mental errors -- and when he does, he is sure not to repeat it. He cares deeply about "the details," as the coach calls the little things.

But also endearing Hillis to the fans are the stories of Hillis harnessing himself to a half-ton truck and pulling it around the streets of Conway, Ark. He did it again summer, but it goes back for years. Hillis said his high school didn't have a top-flight training program, so he made up his own.

Hillis said he often walks around holding a football, offering money to kids if they can wrestle it away from him. It's another of his self-created drills to cut down on his league-high eight fumbles (six lost) in 2010.

"I carry the ball everywhere and tell kids 'If you knock it out, I'll give you some money,' " said Hillis. "When money's involved, you start protecting things a little bit better."

Have any kids caused him to fumble this summer?

"Nope," he said.

While Joshua Cribbs has not made the cover of Madden, he knows what Browns fans love -- hard-working players who have no sense of entitlement. Just as Hillis seemed to come out of nowhere after being a seventh-round draft choice of Denver in 2008, Cribbs joined the Browns in 2005 after not being drafted out of Kent State.

Until Hillis turned Browns Stadium into his Peyton Place, Cribbs was the team's most popular player. Many fans still wear his No. 16 jersey.

Cribbs said players should "work at it" to connect with fans, something that comes naturally to Hillis. Cribbs earned such respect from the fans that they backed him when he wanted his contract reworked last summer. Usually, fans are resentful when a player wants a new deal in the middle of an old one.

But they knew Cribbs signed for $5,000 out of Kent State, that he played for the minimum salary as a rookie and never made much money by NFL standards -- despite setting kickoff return records.

"It starts with having success on the field," said Cribbs. "But there's more. This is a blue-collar town. Fans like it when you stay late and sign autographs. They appreciate when you show that you care."