Cleveland Browns

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The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the Northern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The Browns began play in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and joined the NFL in 1950 after the AAFC merged into the older league. The team has won 4 AAFC titles and 4 NFL Championships.

In some accounts, there may be confusion regarding the team's history due to unusual and unprecedented actions taken by the city of Cleveland and the NFL in 1996. On November 6, 1995, then-Browns owner Art Modell announced his intention to move the team to Baltimore, citing the inadequacy of Cleveland Stadium and the lack of a sufficient replacement along with his heavy debt. The decision triggered a flurry of legal activity that ended when representatives of Cleveland and the NFL reached a settlement on February 8, 1996. It stipulated that the Browns' name, colors, and history of the franchise were to remain in Cleveland. A reactivated Cleveland Browns team would then begin play in 1999 in the AFC Central Division, while the relocated club would technically and legally be a new expansion team, the Baltimore Ravens.<ref>Morgan, Jon. Deal clears NFL path to Baltimore, The Baltimore Sun, February 9, 1996.</ref>

For that reason, past records and Pro Football Hall of Fame players are attributed to the Browns and not to the Ravens. However, some incorrectly consider the Ravens and the pre-1995 Browns organization as one continuous entity since Art Modell retained the player and personnel contracts for his franchise, using terms like "The Modell organization" or "Art Modell's franchise" to denote it. <ref>Scocca, Tom. Welcome to the Big Time, Baltimore City Paper September 23, 1998.</ref> (See the Franchise History section below for full details of the move.)

Contents 1 Franchise history 1.1 Early days in the AAFC 1.2 1950-56: NFL dominance 1.3 1957-65: The Jim Brown years 1.3.1 1962 1.3.2 1963 1.3.3 1964 1.3.4 1965 1.4 1966-73: Playoff disappointments 1.5 1974-84: The Kardiac Kids 1.6 1985-90: The Bernie Kosar years 1.7 1991-95: Bill Belichick and Modell's move 1.8 1999-Present: Welcome back Browns! 2 Logo and uniforms 3 Season-by-season Records 4 Players of note 4.1 Current roster 4.2 Pro Football Hall of Famers 4.3 Retired numbers 4.4 Not to be forgotten 5 Coaches 5.1 Head coaches 5.2 Current staff 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

Franchise history

Early days in the AAFC

The Cleveland Browns were founded in 1946 under owner Arthur 'Mickey' McBride. The team was to be named the Cleveland Panthers, but a semi-pro team was using that name and threatened to sue if the AAFC club used it as well. McBride then named the team after its first head coach, Paul Brown. Brown was uncomfortable with the idea of having the team named after him, stating publicly that the team was named after boxing champion Joe Louis who was known as the "Brown Bomber."

In either event, the Browns were extremely successful in the early part of their existence, dominating the new All-America Football Conference, winning all four of its championships including with a landmark 1948 season in which they went unbeaten and untied - 24 years before the NFL's 'first' perfect team, the 1972 Miami Dolphins. Cleveland's undefeated streak (including ties) reached 29 games including 18 straight wins.

1950-56: NFL dominance

After the 1949 season the AAFC merged with the rival National Football League, with the Browns joining the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Colts as members of the older circuit.

Despite the change in leagues and what many football fans saw as a graduation to "the big league," the Browns continued their dominant position among pro football teams, appearing in the next six NFL championship games, and capturing three championships during the 1950s.

The Browns won the championship in their first season in the NFL, 1950, behind the quarterbacking of Otto Graham, the rushing of Marion Motley, the receiving of Mac Speedie, a defensive line anchored by Bill Willis and a secondary featuring Tommy James. Cleveland tore up the NFL in the regular season, going 10-2 with both losses being to the New York Giants. The Browns first regular season game was on the road against the defending NFL Champion Philadelphia Eagles as the schedule makers intended to give the Browns an immediate comeuppance. Cleveland won the game in dominant fashion, 35-10. The Browns defeated the Giants 8-3 in a tiebreaking playoff game and then came from behind in the fourth quarter beat the Los Angeles Rams 30-28 in the league championship in Cleveland.

Cleveland again tore through the NFL in the 1951 season, going 11-1 with four shutouts along the way. The NFL championship was a rematch with the Rams, in Los Angeles this time, and went back-and-forth until the fourth quarter when Norm van Brocklin threw a 73-yard touchdown to Tom Fears to put Los Angeles in the lead for good. The 24-17 loss was the first in a championship game in Browns history.

The 1952 regular season was not as successful, with only an 8-4 finish and Graham throwing 24 interceptions. Second-year player Ray Renfro became a star with 722 yards receiving and 322 yards rushing. But it was still good enough to win the division, and thus put the Browns in the NFL championship game against the Detroit Lions. A muffed punt, several defensive stands and a 67-yard touchdown run by Doak Walker all combined to help the Lions win 17-7, frustrating the Browns for the second consecutive year.

The 1953 team started the season by winning 11 straight games. They would not win any more. A loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the final week led into a rematch with the Lions in the NFL championship. The game was much closer than the year before, with the game tied at 10 going into the final quarter. Lou Groza kicked two field goals to put Cleveland up 16-10, but Detroit's Bobby Layne threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jim Doran with under two minutes left to win 17-16, and break Cleveland hearts for a third straight year.

In 1954, the Browns finished 9-3 and met up with Detroit in the finals for the third year in a row. This time, however, the Browns went on a relentless attack on both sides of the ball, intercepting Bobby Layne six times and forcing three fumbles, while Otto Graham threw three touchdowns and ran for three more, en route to a 56-10 thrashing.

The 1955 campaign was also a successful one for the Browns. Chuck Noll (who ironically would later gain fame as head coach of the rival Pittsburgh Steelers) had a productive season at linebacker, with five interceptions. Graham passed for 15 touchdowns and ran for six more in his final season before retiring due to injuries. The Browns, who finished 9-2-1, once again made the championship, this time against the Los Angeles Rams. They were no less dominant than they were the previous season, again forcing six interceptions out of quarterback Norm van Brocklin, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Don Paul. Graham also passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more as the Browns won 38-14.

Without Graham behind center, the Browns floundered in 1956. Three quarterbacks (George Ratterman, Babe Parilli and Tommy O'Connell) were used through the season, none of whom threw more touchdowns than interceptions. The 5-7 record meant the Browns were shut out of the championship game for the first time in team history.

1957-65: The Jim Brown years

The Browns responded in 1957 when they drafted fullback Jim Brown, who easily became the NFL's leading rusher (and NFL Rookie of the Year) with 942 yards. Once again at the top of the division at 9-2-1, they advanced back to the championship game against their nemeses from Detroit. But the Lions dominated from start to finish, causing six turnovers and allowing the Browns' two quarterbacks (Tommy O'Connell and Milt Plum) only 95 yards passing in a 59-14 rout.

In 1958 Jim Brown ran for 1527 yards, almost twice as much as any other running back. In his nine seasons in the league, he crossed the 1000-yard barrier seven times. The only snag in their getting back to another championship was the New York Giants. They lost to New York on the last week of the season after a spirited fourth-quarter comeback, then, due to their equal 9-3 records, faced the Giants again in a tiebreaker game with the winner going to the finals. This one was never in doubt: Jim Brown was limited to 8 yards and the team committed four turnovers as they were shut out 10-0.

In 1959 the Browns started 6-2 but finished 7-5, out of championship contention, despite Brown once again leading the league in rushing with 1329 yards. In 1960, Plum threw for 21 touchdowns and Brown's 1257 yards was still best in the NFL, but the team still finished second at 8-3-1.

Art Modell, whose controversial decisions in later years led to the team's original demise, purchased the team in 1961. The season otherwise was typical: a fifth consecutive league-leading season from Jim Brown and a half-decent performance in the standings, but again, at 8-5-1, they were two games out of a berth in the championship.

1962

Milt Plum landed with the Lions in 1962, so Frank Ryan and Jim Ninowski shared quarterbacking duties. Jim Brown fell to fourth in the NFL rushing list, but the team's 7-6-1 record once again placed them third in the Eastern Division.

Sadly, the team's first-round draft pick that year, Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, was diagnosed with leukemia during the preseason. The only time he took the field at Cleveland Stadium would be when he was introduced during the August 18 doubleheader exhibition game. His loss was especially costly, since the team had been forced to trade future Hall of Famer Bobby Mitchell in order to acquire him.

1963

Paul Brown, the only coach the Browns had ever known (and the team's namesake), was fired on January 9, 1963 and replaced with Blanton Collier. Brown's dismissal was controversial not only because he had been the cornerstone of the franchise since its inception, but also due to the fact that Modell fired him in the midst of a Cleveland newspaper strike, allowing for limited local media attention.

A series of tragedies during the off-season also proved to be devastating: 1963 draft choice Tom Bloom was killed in a car accident in January; Davis lost his battle with leukemia on May 18; and defensive back Don Fleming was electrocuted on June 4 while working in Florida.

Despite these blows, the team improved in 1963, led by Jim Brown's NFL record 1,863 yards rushing, a mark that would stand for the next decade, until O.J. Simpson broke it in 1973. The team's passing attack also flourished with 25 touchdown passes from Frank Ryan, including a team-record 13 to second-year wideout Gary Collins.

The season began with six straight victories, including an impressive 35-24 decision on October 13 at Yankee Stadium over the defending Eastern Conference champion New York Giants. Two weeks later, the Giants returned the favor with an embarrassing 33-6 victory at Cleveland Stadium. After two losses in their next three games eroded the team's momentum, they bounced back with a 27-10 win over Dallas and a 24-10 victory against the Cardinals. The first game took place just two days after the John F. Kennedy assassination, and was noteworthy for both the somber atmosphere and avoidance of any reference to the city of Dallas by the Cleveland Stadium public address announcer.

Despite those wins, a 38-10 loss at Detroit on December 8 put an end to the team's postseason hopes, with the 10-4 season record a game behind the Giants. The team also dropped a 40-23 decision to the Green Bay Packers in the Playoff Bowl.

1964

The Browns reached the top again in 1964 as rookie Paul Warfield caught 52 passes for 920 yards and nine touchdowns, Ryan threw for 2,400 yards and 25 scores and Brown once agin led the league in rushing with 1,446 yards.

The team was 3-0-1 in its first four games, the tie coming in a thrilling 33-33 deadlock against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20. The first loss came at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 10, mainly due to the efforts of future Hall of Famer John Henry Johnson, who rushed for more than 200 yards. After six wins in their next seven games, the Browns missed the chance to clinch the Eastern Conference by dropping a 28-19 decision at St. Louis on December 6. However, before a national television audience six days later, the Browns convincingly captured their conference title with a 52-20 win over the New York Giants. The title earned them a spot in the NFL Championship game after a seven-year absence.

Oddsmakers made their opponents, the Baltimore Colts, seven-point favorites, but the teams left the field after one half of play locked in a scoreless duel. Lou Groza's field goal gave the Browns a 3-0 lead, with the duo of quarterback Frank Ryan and wide receiver Gary Collins completing the upset by connecting on three touchdown passes, winning 27-0. The title marks the last championship by any major Cleveland sports team, as of 2005.

1965

The 1965 team finished 11-3 after Brown rushed for 1,544 yards, caught 34 passes and scored 21 touchdowns, once again leading the league in rushing yardage. Those numbers resulted in Brown winning the Most Valuable Player award from the league.

The team's passing attack was hindered in the preseason with a major injury to wide receiver Paul Warfield, who missed much of the campaign as a result. However, after shaking off an early-season 49-13 loss to St. Louis, the Browns won nine of their next 10 games, clinching the Eastern Conference with a 24-16 win over the Washington Redskins on December 5.

Cleveland once again made the NFL Championship game, this time against the Vince Lombardi-led Green Bay Packers. In the days leading up to the contest, the Browns seemed in prime position to win another title as Packer quarterback Bart Starr and running back Jim Taylor's health made them questionable for the game.

When an early-morning snowstorm on the day of the game turned the field into a muddy mess, the Packers' reliance on their powerful running game proved to be a major factor in the game. Early on, Starr and Green Bay wideout Carroll Dale connected for the first score, aided by Browns defender Walter Beach slipping on the muddy field. Despite the slow start, Cleveland only trailed 13-12 at halftime, but only had the ball for 16 plays after intermission as the Packers pulled away with a Paul Hornung touchdown to win 23-12.

1966-73: Playoff disappointments

As training camp was beginning in July 1966, Jim Brown shocked the Browns, their fans and the NFL by announcing his retirement. Brown, who had been filming the movie The Dirty Dozen in London, was irritated by Browns' owner Art Modell's threats of fines for not reporting for training camp and simply retired. Leroy Kelly became the Browns' new rushing threat for the 1966 season, ably filling Brown's shoes with the first of his three consecutive 1000-yard seasons. Frank Ryan's 29 touchdowns also led the league. Entering the final month of the regular season, the Browns had remained in contention, but a costly 26-14 loss in a Thanksgiving Day game at Dallas put a major dent in their postseason hopes. Blanton Collier's squad placed one game behind the Cowboys with a 9-5 mark and missed the league championship game for the first time in three years.

The 1967 Browns began the season with two losses, defeats that were quickly forgotten with nine wins in the next 11 contests to help the team finish at 9-5 for the second consecutive year. Unlike the previous season, the NFL's new realignment made that record good enough for first place in the short-lived Century Division, and a spot in the new Eastern Conference championship against the Cowboys. Unfortunately, the game between the two squads was over quickly as Don Meredith passed for two touchdowns, Dave Baynham ran for three and Bob Hayes generally made the Browns' life miserable on special teams as the Cowboys annihilated the Browns 52-14.

Following another slow start in 1968 Ryan was out at quarterback, in favor of Bill Nelsen, who had been acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason. In their October 20 game against the undefeated Baltimore Colts, the heavy underdog Browns stunned their opponents with a 30-20 win, sparking an eight-game winning streak. Nelsen's main target was fifth-year receiver Paul Warfield, who had the best season of his career, with 1067 yards and 12 touchdowns. The team finished the regular season with a 10-4 mark, good enough for another first-place finish and a rematch with Dallas in the Eastern Conference final. After four consecutive losses to their Texas opponents, the Browns ended their frustration by not allowing the Cowboys an offensive touchdown until the final minute. Leroy Kelly's two long runs for scores paced the offense, with the turning point in a 31-20 victory coming on Dale Lindsey's return of a Don Meredith interception for a touchdown early in the second half. Cleveland advanced to the NFL Championship against the Baltimore Colts. Don Cockroft had an early field goal blocked, and the Browns would not have another chance to score again. Tom Matte ran for three touchdowns as the Colts shut out the Browns 34-0 to advance to Super Bowl III.

The 1969 season produced similar results. Nelsen threw 2700 yards and 23 touchdowns (both career highs), and Warfield and Gary Collins both had at least ten touchdown catches. The team finished 10-3-1, again best in the Century Division, and once again played the Cowboys in the conference final. Nelsen threw for 219 yards and Walt Sumner returned an interception 88 yards for a touchdown as the Browns took their second straight Eastern championship by the score of 38-14. But the NFL Championship Game was another disappointment for the Browns. Joe Kapp of the Minnesota Vikings scored on the team's first possession and another rout began. The Vikings went up 20-0 by halftime and ended up winning 27-7.

The 1970 AFL-NFL merger would see the Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Colts move to the new American Football Conference aligned with the 10 teams of the American Football League. While the realignment would greatly benefit the Steelers, the placement of the Browns into the AFC's Central Division would not be as good. The trade of Paul Warfield to the Miami Dolphins for a draft choice used on Purdue All American Mike Phipps did not help the Browns either. After defeating the New York Jets in the first-ever broadcast of Monday Night Football, the Browns stumbled through the season finishing 7-7.

Coach Blanton Collier was replaced with Nick Skorich before the 1971 season. The Browns improved to 9-5, and a first-place finish in the AFC Central. This placed them in the divisional playoff against the Baltimore Colts; but much like their matchup three years earlier, the game went ugly early. Backup Colts running back Don Nottingham scored two first-half touchdowns, and it was all Baltimore would need. The Browns season ended in another 20-3 disappointment.

Mike Phipps was promoted to starting quarterback over Nelsen before the 1972 season. After a sluggish start, the Browns went on an 8-1 tear. That surge was highlighted by late comeback victories against the San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers and a playoff-clinching victory at Cincinnati. A 10-4 mark earned them the AFC wild card berth and put them in a divisional playoff against the undefeated Miami Dolphins. The Browns took a lead in the fourth-quarter on a Fair Hooker touchdown catch, but Jim Kiick preserved the Dolphins' perfect season with a late touchdown run for the 20-14 decision.

In 1973, Phipps threw 20 interceptions to just nine touchdowns, and no rusher had more than 600 yards. After winning four of their first six games, the Browns slumped before bouncing back with a trio of victories, the last one a dramatic last-minute victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 25. The following week, a fourth quarter rally salvaged a 20-20 tie against the Kansas City Chiefs, but a playoff berth evaporated the following week with a 34-17 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. Cleveland ended the year at 7-5-2, good for third place in the division. Defensive lineman Jerry Sherk, made the first of four consecutive trips to the NFL Pro Bowl.

1974-84: The Kardiac Kids

The Browns' era of success came to a crashing halt as the team dropped to 4-10 in 1974. Neither Phipps nor rookie QB Brian Sipe were effective, throwing 24 combined interceptions to only 10 touchdowns. The Browns allowed 344 points, most in the league. It was the first losing season in franchise history and head coach Nick Skorich saw his tenure with the team end as a result of the collapse.

Assistant coach and former Green Bay Packer offensive lineman Forrest Gregg took over in 1975, but the bad fortunes of the team remained with an 0-9 start that finally came to an end on November 23 in a 35-23 comeback victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Three weeks later, third-year running back Greg Pruitt paced the team with 214 yards rushing in a rout over the Kansas City Chiefs, helping the team finish the season 3-11.

Cleveland showed marked improvement with a 9-5 mark in 1976 as Brian Sipe firmly took control at quarterback. Sipe had been inserted into the lineup after a Mike Phipps injury in the season-opening win against the New York Jets on September 12. After a 1-3 start brought visions of another disastrous year, the Browns jolted the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers with an 18-16 victory on October 10. Third-string quarterback Dave Mays helped lead the team to that victory, while defensive end Joe Jones' pile-driving sack of quarterback Terry Bradshaw fueled the heated rivalry between the two teams. That win was the first of eight in the next nine weeks, helping put the Browns in contention for the AFC playoffs. A loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the regular season finale cost them a share of the division title, but running back Greg Pruitt continued his outstanding play by rushing for exactly 1000 yards, his second-straight four-digit season.

The Browns continued to roll in the first half of the 1977 NFL season, but an injury to Brian Sipe by Pittsburgh's Jack Lambert on November 13 proved to be disastrous. Cleveland won only one of their last five games to finish at 6-8, a collapse that led to Forrest Gregg's dismissal before the final game of the season. Dick Modzelewski served as interim coach in the team's 20-19 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

On December 27, 1977,Sam Rutigliano was named head coach, and aided a healthy Sipe in throwing 21 touchdowns and garnering 2900 yards during the 1978 NFL season. Greg Pruitt and Mike Pruitt led a rushing attack that gained almost 2500 yards, but problems with the team's dismal pass defense resulted in the Browns finishing 8-8 on the year.

The 1979 campaign started with four consecutive wins, three of which were in the final minute or overtime. Four more games were won by less than a touchdown. This penchant for playing close games would later earn them the nickname "Kardiac Kids". Sipe threw 28 touchdown passes, tying him with Steve Grogan of New England for most in the league, but his 26 interceptions also led the league. Mike Pruitt had a Pro Bowl season with his 1294 rushing yards, while the defense was still shaky, ranking near the bottom in rushing defense. The team finished 9-7, behind division rivals Houston and Pittsburgh in a tough AFC Central.

The 1980 season is still fondly remembered by Browns fans. After splitting the first six games by going 3-3, the Browns won three straight games with fourth-quarter comebacks, and stopped a late comeback by the Baltimore Colts to win a fourth. The Browns won two more games in that fashion by the end of the season, and even lost a game to the Minnesota Vikings on the last play when a Hail Mary pass was tipped into the waiting hands of Ahmad Rashad. Sipe passed for 4000 yards and 30 touchdowns (enough for him to be named the NFL MVP), behind an offensive line that sent three members to the Pro Bowl: Doug Dieken, Tom DeLeone and Joe DeLamielleure. The "Kardiac Kids" name stuck. A fourth-quarter field goal by Don Cockroft in the final game against the Cincinnati Bengals helped the Browns capture the division with an 11-5 mark, with the Oakland Raiders their opponent in the team's first playoff game in eight years. However, a heartbreaking end of this dramatic season came in the closing seconds when Sipe called what became known as "Red Right 88" and passed toward the end zone, only to watch Oakland's Mike Davis intercept the ball. The Raiders went on to win the Super Bowl, and "Red Right 88" has been cursed by Cleveland sports fans ever since.

If 1980 was a dream season, then 1981 was a nightmare. Sipe threw only 17 touchdowns, while being picked off 25 times. The Browns went 5-11, and few of their games were particularly close. Tight end Ozzie Newsome, their only Pro Bowler, had 1002 yards receiving for six touchdowns.

In 1982 Brian Sipe split quarterbacking duties with Paul McDonald, and both put up similar numbers. The Browns had little success rushing or defending against it, finishing in the bottom five teams in both yardage categories. Despite going 4-5, Cleveland was able to make the playoffs due to an expanded playoff system in the strike-shortened year. They were matched up with the Raiders in the playoffs, but were easily defeated 27-10.

Sipe and the Browns got some of their spark back in 1983. Sipe had 26 touchdown passes and 3566 yards, while Mike Pruitt ran for 10 scores on 1184 yards. Cleveland even won two games in overtime and another in the fourth quarter. A fourth-quarter loss to the Houston Oilers in their second-to-last game dashed their playoff hopes. At 9-7 the Browns finished one game behind the Steelers, and lost out on a wild-card spot due to a tiebreaker.

1984 was a rebuilding year. Brian Sipe defected to the upstart USFL after the 1983 season, and Paul McDonald was named the starting quarterback. Mike Pruitt missed much of the season and later ended up on the Buffalo Bills. Coach Sam Rutigliano lost his job after a 1-7 start as Marty Schottenheimer took over. The Browns coasted to a 5-11 record.

1985-90: The Bernie Kosar years

In 1985, the Browns selected University of Miami quarterback Bernie Kosar in the Supplemental Draft. Under Schottenheimer and with Kosar at quarterback, the Browns enjoyed noteworthy success, reaching the playoffs each of the next five seasons, advancing to the AFC championship game three of those years.

Kosar took over midway through the 1985 season from Gary Danielson and turned the struggling season around, winning four of his six regular season starts. Two young rushers, Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack, ran for 1000 yards. Their 8-8 record won them the top spot in a weak AFC Central, and nearly shocked the Miami Dolphins in the divisional playoff before Dan Marino led a spirited second-half comeback to win 24-21.

The Browns broke through into the ranks of the NFL elite with a 12-4 showing in 1986, behind Kosar's 3854 yards passing and a defense with four Pro Bowlers (Chip Banks, Hanford Dixon, Bob Golic and Frank Minnifield). With the best record in the AFC, the Browns clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. They needed it. In the divisional playoff, the New York Jets were leading 20-10 with less than four minutes to play and the Browns driving when Mark Gastineau was called for roughing the passer on a 3rd-and-24 play. The penalty gave Cleveland a first down and the drive ended with a Kevin Mack touchdown run. The Jets went three-and-out, and the Browns again drove the length of the field. A Mark Moseley field goal tied it with 11 seconds left, and the game went to overtime. Moseley missed another field goal in the extra frame, and the game then went to double overtime. His second chance was good and the Browns won 23-20, in the second-longest game in NFL history.

The AFC Championship game was against the Denver Broncos, a team that would prove to be Cleveland's nemesis in this era. Like the week before, it was a heart-stopper that went to overtime. But this time, it was John Elway and the Broncos who came away the victors. Elway led a 98-yard touchdown drive (now often referred to as simply "The Drive") in the final five minutes, ended with a 5-yard pass to Mark Jackson that tied the game at 20-20. Rich Karlis won the game for Denver with a field goal early in overtime.

The Browns success was replicated in 1987, with 22 touchdown passes and 3000 yards for Kosar, and eight Pro Bowlers: Kosar, Mack, Dixon, Golic, Minnifield, linebacker Clay Matthews, wide receiver Gerald McNeil and offensive lineman Cody Risien. At 10-5, the Browns won the AFC Central again. Cleveland easily defeated the Indianapolis Colts 38-21 in the divisional playoff and travelled to Denver for a rematch with the Broncos in the AFC Championship. With the score 21-3 in favor of the Broncos at halftime, Kosar led a third-quarter comeback with two touchdowns by Earnest Byner and another by Reggie Langhorne. Early in the fourth quarter, Webster Slaughter's 4-yard touchdown catch tied it at 31-31. The Broncos regained the lead with a 20-yard Sammy Winder touchdown with under five minutes to go, setting the stage for another Browns comeback...or so they thought. Kosar drove the Browns to the Broncos' 8 yard line with 1:12 to go, and handed off to Byner. When it looked like he had an open route to the end zone, he was stripped of the ball by Jeremiah Castille. The Broncos recovered what became known as "The Fumble". After taking a safety, the Broncos shocked the Browns again, 38-33.

Injuries to Kosar and two of his backups sidelined them for much of the 1988 season, but the Browns still finished 10-6. A final-week comeback victory in a snowstorm at Cleveland Stadium over the Houston Oilers clinched them a wild-card playoff spot, and a home game rematch against the Oilers in the first round. After Mike Pagel, in for Kosar, threw a touchdown pass to Webster Slaughter late in the fourth quarter to pull the Browns within a point at 24-23, the Browns had three chances to recover an onside kick (due to penalties), but the Oilers recovered and stopped the Cleveland comeback.

Coach Marty Schottenheimer left the Browns by mutual agreement with Modell shortly after the loss to the Oilers. Modell was tired of losing in the playoffs and Schottenheimer was tired of what he perceived as Modell's interference with his coaching personnel and game strategy. Schottenheimer was quickly hired by the Kansas City Chiefs for the 1989 season. Bud Carson was his replacement in Cleveland, but his tenure was short - only one and a half years. The 1989 season, headlined by Slaughter's Pro Bowl-worthy 1236 yards receiving, was a success at 7-3 until a 10-10 tie with Schottenheimer's Chiefs in November led to a 3-game losing streak. Two comeback wins over the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Oilers in the season's final two weeks kept them in the playoff race. The tie ended up being the Browns' saving grace, with their 9-6-1 record winning them the AFC Central title and first-round bye over the Oilers and Pittsburgh Steelers at 9-7. The Browns narrowly survived a scare from the Buffalo Bills in their divisional playoff game, when Scott Norwood missed an extra point that would have pulled Buffalo within 3 points and, later, when Jim Kelly's desperation pass to the end zone on the final play of the game was intercepted.

Cleveland's 34-30 win set them up for a rematch with the Broncos in Denver for the AFC Championship. While their two previous matchups went down to the wire, this one was never in doubt. The Broncos led from start to finish, and a long Elway touchdown pass to Sammy Winder put the game way in the fourth quarter. Denver easily won 37-21.

In 1990 things began to unravel. Kosar threw more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (10) for the first time in his career; and the team finished last in the league in rushing offense, and near the bottom in rushing defense. Carson was fired after a 2-7 start, and the team finished 3-13, second-worst in the league. After the season Bill Belichick, defensive coordinator of the then-Super Bowl champion New York Giants, was named head coach, setting off a chain of events that some fans believe led to the demise of the original franchise.

1991-95: Bill Belichick and Modell's move

The Browns saw minimal improvement under Belichick in 1991, finishing 6-10 behind an improved performance by Kosar (18 touchdowns, 9 interceptions) and a breakout season for second-year running back Leroy Hoard.

In 1992, with Kosar sitting out much of the season and Mike Tomczak in under center, Cleveland was in the thick of the AFC Central race before dropping their final three games to finish 7-9.

The Browns were split by turmoil in 1993, when Belichick made the controversial decision of benching Bernie Kosar in favor of Vinny Testaverde, who had been signed from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The immensely popular Kosar was later released by the team, prompting a heated reaction from fans, mostly aimed at Belichick. After Kosar's release, Cleveland won only two of its final nine games and finished with the same 7-9 record that they did in 1992.

Cleveland righted the ship in 1994, despite fans still calling for Belichick's head. Testaverde finished with a subpar year in which he threw 18 interceptions to 16 touchdowns, but the defense led the league in yards allowed per attempt and sent four players to the Pro Bowl (Rob Burnett, Pepper Johnson, Michael Dean Perry and Eric Turner). The Browns finished 11-5 and made the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. In the wild card round against the New England Patriots, the Browns' defense picked off Drew Bledsoe three times, with Testaverde completing two-thirds of his passes, to win 20-13. The arch-rival Pittsburgh Steelers ended the Browns' season in the divisional playoff with a 29-9 blowout.

Image:Modell move.jpg Team owner Art Modell announced on November 6, 1995, that he had signed a deal to relocate the Browns to Baltimore, Maryland for 1996. The very next day, on November 7, 1995, voters overwhelmingly approved an issue that was placed on the ballot at Art Modell's request, before he made his secret deal, providing $175 million in tax dollars to rebuild Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Art Modell's plan was later scrapped and additional money was added to demolish the old stadium and construct a new stadium for the Browns.

The announcement was met with unprecedented resistance from Browns fans, with over 100 lawsuits filed by fans, the city of Cleveland, and a host of others, most of which were later settled in their favor. Congress held hearings on the matter. Actor/comedian Drew Carey returned to his hometown of Cleveland on November 26, 1995, to host "Fan Jam" in protest of the proposed move. Virtually all of the team's sponsors immediately pulled their support, leaving Cleveland Municipal Stadium devoid of advertising during the team's final weeks.

The 1995 season was a disaster on the field, too. After starting 3-1, the rumors and eventual announcement cast a pall on the team, who finished 5-11. When fans in the Dawg Pound became a little rowdy during their final home game against the Cincinnati Bengals, action moving towards that end zone had to be moved to the opposite end of the field. The Browns won, the only game the team won after the news of Modell's move got out. Grown men sat and wept after the final down was played.

Led by Mayor Mike White, Cleveland accepted a legal settlement that would keep the Browns legacy in Cleveland. In February 1996, the National Football League announced that the team would be 'deactivated' for three years, and that a new stadium would be built for a new Cleveland Browns team that would begin play in 1999. Modell would in turn be granted a new franchise for Baltimore, the Baltimore Ravens, retaining the current contracts of players and personnel. The Browns' name, colors, history, records, awards and archives would remain in Cleveland.

1999-Present: Welcome back Browns!

In early 1998 the National Football League began its search for an owner for the reborn Browns, finding one later in the year in Al Lerner, a former limited partner of the original Browns and a friend of Art Modell who assisted in Modell's move to Baltimore. During the period from 1996-1998 other franchises, such as Tampa Bay, threatened their home cities with the possibility of moving to Cleveland in order to put pressure on their respective cities to get more governmental funding for their own stadiums, despite the fact that Cleveland would not accept such an arrangement. Lerner would usher in the team's rebirth in 1999, but would die in October 2002 - four years to the day he was awarded the new Browns franchise. In death he would turn over the team to a trust controlled by his son, Randy.

The team returned with high hopes and expectations, featuring solid ownership, solid general management in the form of former San Francisco 49ers president Carmen Policy, and head coach Chris Palmer. To date though, the franchise has not lived up to its lofty early expectations, with Palmer being dismissed after the 2000 season and Policy leaving the team in 2003 after having "talked the talk" but not "walking the walk". Palmer was succeeded by former University of Miami coach Butch Davis. Despite a 2002 AFC Wild Card qualification, the team saw a dismal record during the next two seasons leading to Butch Davis' resignation in December 2004. Offensive Coordinator Terry Robiskie, was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

As Super Bowl XXXIX approached, there was much speculation over who would become the new head coach. On January 6, 2005, it was announced that Phil Savage signed on as general manager. Savage was previously an administrative member for the Baltimore Ravens and the Browns before 1995. After the New England Patriots victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at the Super Bowl, Patriots' defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel signed on as the 11th head coach for the Browns. Robiskie was kept on as part of Crennel's staff.

With the Browns acquiring Trent Dilfer from the Seattle Seahawks and Reuben Droughns from the Denver Broncos, the Browns began 2005 on the wrong foot, losing 27-13 at home to their in-state rival, the Cincinnati Bengals. They would go on the road and pick up their first win of the year against the Green Bay Packers (26-24). After losing to the Indianapolis Colts (13-6), they used their Bye Week to regroup and pick up a comeback victory against the Chicago Bears (20-10). However, the Browns couldn't keep the momentum going from their win and dropped four of their next five games. A promising 22-0 shutout of the Miami Dolphins proved to be a mirage when the team lost its next three straight games. In the team's final five games, rookie Charlie Frye served as the team's starting quarterback, winning two of those contests. However, the two victories produced limited offense, while one humiliating 41-0 loss came at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 24. The Browns ended their 2005 campaign at 6-10, tied with the Baltimore Ravens for last place in the AFC North, though they technically finished in fourth place in the AFC North based on a worse division record than the Ravens (1-5 to Baltimore's 2-4).

Just prior to the Browns' final game of the 2005 NFL season, the team's front office became embroiled in a major controversy that threatened to once again send the team into rebuilding mode. Team president John Collins' attempt to fire general manager Phil Savage caused such an uproar that it was Collins who resigned on January 3, 2006.

On March 11, 2006, the Browns signed free-agent wide receiver Joe Jurevicius from the Seattle Seahawks, offensive lineman LeCharles Bentley from the New Orleans Saints and offensive lineman Kevin Shaffer from the Atlanta Falcons. The team hopes the addition of Jurevicius can provide veteran support in the receiving corps, and the addition of Bentley and Shaffer can help establish a stronger offensive line to protect quarterbacks Trent Dilfer and Charlie Frye. One day later, on March 12, the Browns signed punter Dave Zastudil from the Baltimore Ravens. On March 15, 2006, the Browns signed free agent LB Willie McGinest from the New England Patriots, hoping that his league-leading sacks would provide core defense for the franchise, plus it reunited him with current Browns coach Romeo Crennel.

Logo and uniforms

Image:Cleveland Browns helmet rightface.png Image:Browns 1950 Logo.GIF Image:Cleveland Browns B logo.png The Browns are the only team in the NFL that does not have a logo on their helmets. Even though the team has had various logos throughout the years, such as the "Brownie Elf" mascot and the Brown "B" in a white football, the club's orange "logo-less" helmet has become its primary trademark. The only time that the Browns ever had a logo on their helmets was during one preseason game in 1965; it was a brown "CB".

Since debuting in 1946, the Browns' uniforms have essentially remained the same. However, the team originally wore white helmets before switching to orange in 1952. From 1957 to 1961, the player's numbers were on the sides of their helmets.

The uniforms design consists of white pants, orange trim, and either brown (officially "Seal Brown") or white jerseys. Over the years, there have been minor changes to the sleeve stripes, the most recent being the addition of the initials "AL" to honor the 2002 death of Al Lerner, who helped resurrect the team in 1999. The team wore orange pants from 1975 to 1983.

An alternate orange jersey was introduced in 2002.

In 2006, the team will revert back to an older uniform style, featuring gray face masks; the original stripe pattern on the jersey sleeves; and the older, darker shade of brown. The team will wear only white pants and will discontinue the alternate orange jerseys. <ref>Grossi, Tony. Rivals remain sold on Frye as starter, The Plain Dealer, April 2, 2006.</ref> Template:-

Season-by-season Records

Template:Start NFL SBS |- | colspan="6" align="center" | Cleveland Browns (AAFC) |- |1946 || 12 || 2 || 0 || 1st AAFC West || Won AAFC Championship |- |1947 || 12 || 1 || 1 || 1st AAFC West || Won AAFC Championship |- |1948 || 14 || 0 || 0 || 1st AAFC West || Won AAFC Championship |- |1949 || 9 || 1 || 2 || 1st AAFC West || Won AAFC Championship (49ers) |- | colspan="6" align="center" | Merged into NFL |- |1950 || 10 || 2 || 0 || 1st NFL AFC || Won American Conference Playoff (Giants)
Won NFL Championship (Rams) |- |1951 || 11 || 1 || 0 || 1st NFL AFC || Lost NFL Championship (Rams) |- |1952 || 8 || 4 || 0 || 1st NFL AFC || Lost NFL Championship (Lions) |- |1953 || 11 || 1 || 0 || 1st NFL East || Lost NFL Championship (Lions) |- |1954 || 9 || 3 || 0 || 1st NFL East || Won NFL Championship (Lions) |- |1955 || 9 || 2 || 1 || 1st NFL East || Won NFL Championship (Rams) |- |1956 || 5 || 7 || 0 || T-4th NFL East || -- |- |1957 || 9 || 2 || 1 || 1st NFL East || Lost NFL Championship (Lions) |- |1958 || 9 || 3 || 0 || 2nd NFL East || Lost Eastern Conference Playoff (Giants) |- |1959 || 7 || 5 || 0 || T-2nd NFL East || -- |- |1960 || 8 || 3 || 1 || 2nd NFL East || -- |- |1961 || 8 || 5 || 1 || 3rd NFL East || -- |- |1962 || 7 || 6 || 1 || 3rd NFL East || -- |- |1963 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 2nd NFL East || -- |- |1964 || 10 || 3 || 1 || 1st NFL East || Won NFL Championship (Colts) |- |1965 || 11 || 3 || 0 || 1st NFL East || Lost NFL Championship (Packers) |- |1966 || 9 || 5 || 0 || T-2nd NFL East || -- |- |1967 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 1st NFL Century || Lost Conference Playoff Game (Cowboys) |- |1968 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 1st NFL Century || Won Conference Playoff Game (Cowboys)
Lost NFL Championship Game (Colts) |- |1969 || 10 || 3 || 1 || 1st NFL Century || Won Conference Playoff Game (Cowboys)
Lost NFL Championship Game (Vikings) |- |1970 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 2nd AFC Central || -- |- |1971 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 1st AFC Central || Lost Divisional Playoffs (Colts) |- |1972 || 10 || 4 || 0 || 2nd AFC Central || Lost Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins) |- |1973 || 7 || 5 || 2 || 3rd AFC Central || -- |- |1974 || 4 || 10 || 0 || 4th AFC Central || -- |- |1975 || 3 || 11 || 0 || 4th AFC Central || -- |- |1976 || 9 || 5 || 0 || 3rd AFC Central || -- |- |1977 || 6 || 8 || 0 || 4th AFC Central || -- |- |1978 || 8 || 8 || 0 || 3rd AFC Central || -- |- |1979 || 9 || 7 || 0 || 3rd AFC Central || -- |- |1980 || 11 || 5 || 0 || 1st AFC Central || Lost Divisional Playoffs (Raiders) |- |1981 || 5 || 11 || 0 || 4th AFC Central || -- |- |1982 || 4 || 5 || 0 || 8th AFC Conf. || Lost First Round (Raiders) |- |1983 || 9 || 7 || 0 || 2nd AFC Central || -- |- |1984 || 5 || 11 || 0 || 3rd AFC Central || -- |- |1985 || 8 || 8 || 0 || 1st AFC Central || Lost Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins) |- |1986 || 12 || 4 || 0 || 1st AFC Central || Won Divisional Playoffs (Jets)
Lost Conference Championship (Broncos) |- |1987 || 10 || 5 || 0 || 1st AFC Central || Won Divisional Playoffs (Colts)
Lost Conference Championship (Broncos) |- |1988 || 10 || 6 || 0 || 2nd AFC Central || Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Oilers) |- |1989 || 9 || 6 || 1 || 1st AFC Central || Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills)
Lost Conference Championship (Broncos) |- |1990 || 3 || 13 || 0 || 4th AFC Central || -- |- |1991 || 6 || 10 || 0 || 3rd AFC Central || -- |- |1992 || 7 || 9 || 0 || 3rd AFC Central || -- |- |1993 || 7 || 9 || 0 || 3rd AFC Central || -- |- |1994 || 11 || 5 || 0 || 2nd AFC Central || Won Wild Card Playoffs (Patriots)
Lost Divisional Playoffs (Steelers) |- |1995 || 5 || 11 || 0 || 4th AFC Central || - |- |1996 || colspan="5" rowspan="3" valign="middle" align="center" | Did Not Play |- |1997 |- |1998 |- |1999 || 2 || 14 || 0 || 6th AFC Central || -- |- |2000 || 3 || 13 || 0 || 6th AFC Central || -- |- |2001 || 7 || 9 || 0 || 3rd AFC Central || -- |- |2002 || 9 || 7 || 0 || 2nd AFC North || Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Steelers) |- |2003 || 5 || 11 || 0 || 4th AFC North || -- |- |2004 || 4 || 12 || 0 || 4th AFC North || -- |- |2005 || 6 || 10 || 0 || 4th AFC North || -- |- !Totals || 473 || 364 || 13 |colspan="2"| (including AAFC & NFL playoffs) Template:End box

Players of note

Current roster

Template:Cleveland Browns roster

Pro Football Hall of Famers

Image:DSCN4569 clevelandbrownsstadiumramp e2.jpg

• Jim Brown
• Paul Brown
• Joe DeLamielleure
• Len Ford
• Frank Gatski
• Otto Graham
• Lou Groza
• Leroy Kelly
• Dante Lavelli
• Mike McCormack
• Bobby Mitchell
• Marion Motley
• Ozzie Newsome
• Paul Warfield
• Bill Willis

Retired numbers

• 14 Otto Graham
• 32 Jim Brown
• 45 Ernie Davis
• 46 Don Fleming
• 76 Lou Groza

Not to be forgotten

Tony Adamle Chip Banks Courtney Brown Earnest Byner Don Cockroft Gary Collins Hanford Dixon Chris Gardocki Bob Golic Robert Griffith Gene Hickerson

Calvin Hill Leroy Hoard Kelly Holcomb Jim Houston Walter Johnson Bernie Kosar Reggie Langhorne Dave Logan Kevin Mack Clay Matthews Eric Metcalf Frank Minnifield

Bill Nelson Michael Dean Perry Milt Plum Greg Pruitt Mike Pruitt George Ratterman Frank Ryan Brian Sipe Webster Slaughter Vinny Testaverde Eric Turner

Coaches

Head coaches

• Paul Brown 1946-1962
• Blanton Collier 1963-1970
• Nick Skorich 1971-1974
• Forrest Gregg 1975-1977
• Dick Modzelewski 1977 (Interim)
• Sam Rutigliano 1978-1984
• Marty Schottenheimer 1984-1988
• Bud Carson 1989-1990
• Jim Shofner 1990 (Interim)
• Bill Belichick 1991-1995
• Chris Palmer 1999-2000
• Butch Davis 2001-2004
• Terry Robiskie 2004 (Interim)
• Romeo Crennel 2005 - present

Current staff

• General Manager - Phil Savage
• Head Coach - Romeo Crennel
• Offensive Coordinator - Maurice Carthon
• Defensive Coordinator - Todd Grantham
• Special Teams Coach - Jerry Rosburg
• Quarterbacks Coach - Rip Scherer
• Running Backs Coach - Dave Atkins
• Wide Receivers Coach - Terry Robiskie
• Tight Ends Coach - Ben Coates
• Offensive Line Coach - Jeff Davidson
• Offensive Quality Control - Marwan Maalouf
• Defensive Line Coach - Randy Melvin
• Linebackers Coach - Mike Haluchak
• Defensive Backs Coach - Mel Tucker
• Defensive Assistant - Bob Trott
• Defensive Quality Control - Cory Undlin
• Strength and Conditioning - John Lott

See also

• Dawg Pound

References

<references />

External links

• Cleveland Browns official web site
• Dawgs By Nature (Unofficial Browns Blog)
• The Orange and Brown Report (The OBR)
• Sports E-Cyclopedia.com

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