A day after left tackle Joe Thomas called former Browns running back Peyton Hillis "toxic" to the Cleveland locker room last season, Hillis fired back from Kansas City, likening Thomas to a "crazy ex-girlfriend" who won't move on.

"It's been over a year," Hillis told Kansas City reporters. "Get over it. I guess when you get paid over $100 million by one team, it's kind of easy to point the finger at other guys and try to hate on them for trying to get another contract."

One day earlier, Thomas said that Hillis’ ongoing saga while negotiating for a new contract throughout the 2011 season led to a trying situation for the team.

“He decided that his contract was more important than coming out and playing and helping his team win, and it left us without a running back,” Thomas said. “To have Peyton going through a contract dispute and basically refusing to play, it was a big distraction.”

Hillis missed one game with strep throat on the advice of his agent, missed five games with a hamstring injury and left town midweek to get married instead of receiving treatment for his injury.

This season, Hillis signed a one-year deal with Kansas City for $2.8 million. He has rushed for 193 yards in nine games.

Thomas has been with the Browns since 2007, when he was the third overall pick in the NFL Draft. He signed a seven-year contract extension in 2011 for $84 million.

Browns coach Pat Shurmur refused to get involved in the back-and-forth Thursday, and admitted he wished his players would refrain from comments, too.

“I’d prefer my players say nothing, but I realize that that’s not the case,” Shurmur said.

Walter Payton winner: Hillis' comments about Thomas came on the same day Thomas was selected as the Browns' Walter Payton Man of the Year, an award that recognizes the player's off-field community service activities in conjunction with playing excellence. Three NFL finalists are announced later, and those players will be present at Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans for the announcement of the NFL Man of the Year.

The Browns honored Thomas for his community service that includes being an advocate for the Cleveland Foodbank, where he has served as honorary co-chair for the Taste of the Browns fundraiser each year. He made the largest individual financial contribution that Kids in Need Resource Center has received; the organization provides school supplies for 180 schools in impoverished areas. On the field, Thomas has started all 92 games since joining the Browns in 2007 and has not missed a snap. He has been to the Pro Bowl in each of his five seasons.

As the Browns’ Man of the Year, the NFL will donate to a charity designated by Thomas, Team Rubicon USA, which is a nonprofit founded by a former Wisconsin teammate who served in the U.S. Marines.

Tight end targets: If it seems like Brandon Weeden has been throwing to tight ends more in recent games, it's because he has. Last week, Weeden threw nine passes to tight ends Ben Watson (six catches for 80 yards), Jordan Cameron (two catches for 30 yards) and Alex Smith (one catch for 1 yard).

The week before, in a victory over Pittsburgh, Weeden threw five passes, combined, to Watson and Cameron.

It’s simply a matter of Weeden becoming more comfortable with athletic tight ends who can catch, Shurmur said.

“I think it’s like anything, things you haven’t done in the past, you’ve got to do time and time again to get familiar with it,” Shurmur said. “As time goes along, I think he’ll get to be a quarterback where those types of routes are some of his favorites. I think you tend to favor things that you’re having success with. I think we believe in that style of route running.”

Bounty testimony: Browns offensive coordinator Brad Childress testified this week before former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue in the NFL's latest round of appeal hearings in the New Orleans Saints bounty investigation. Childress testified as the former Minnesota Vikings head coach; he earlier had informed the NFL that after the 2010 NFC Championship Game, a former player said that the Saints had a bounty on Vikings quarterback Brett Favre.

Childress had nothing to add Thursday about his involvement in the investigation, saying his meeting with Tagliabue “wasn’t a one-on-one, so it was fine.”

Injury report: All 53 Browns participated in practice Thursday, including full participation from safety Dimitri Patterson (ankle). Safety Ray Ventrone (calf) and safety Usama Young (concussion) were upgraded to full participation, as well. Chiefs safety Eric Berry was downgraded on the Kansas City injury report with a hand injury; he did not practice.

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jvalade@plaind.com, 216-999-4654