"Peyton Hillis, who last week had to defend himself against critics who thought he should've played sick, had to deflect another controversy Sunday surrounding that absence.

The Browns running back, who sat out the Dolphins game with strep and flu-like symptoms, dismissed a national report that some teammates believed his unresolved contract status may have been a factor in not playing. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported it Sunday, not naming any of the players.

"That's shouldn't even be an issue," said Hillis after Sunday's 31-13 loss. "That's not an issue in my brain. I'll go out there and I'll play. But if I know I'm not 100 percent and I can hurt my team, I'm not going to risk myself." "