The History of the Cleveland Browns
The Highest of Highs, and Lowest of Lows
The Cleveland Browns have been the doormat of the NFL since their return to the league in 1999. Only two winning seasons in ten years with only one playoff appearance. It wasn’t always this way on the shores of Lake Eerie, though. From 1946 to 1965 the Browns were one of the most dominant teams in the league. With great players such as Jim Brown, Marion Motley, Otto Graham, Paul Warfield and many more, the Browns won four AAFC championships between 1946 and 1949 before coming over to the NFL. Many thought the Browns would be decimated by the NFL’s more talented competition, yet the Browns defied critics and won 4 more championships in 1950, 1954, 1955, and 1964. Sadly, 1964 would be the last time the city of Cleveland would taste a major sports championship for in 1965 Jim Brown would retire after only 9 seasons in the league. Many speculated that strained relationships between him and the organization were the cause of this; while others thought he wanted to pursue a career in Hollywood. In 1961, a man by the name of Art Modell bought the Browns franchise and made a complete re-haul of the team. He fired long time coach (and the only coach in the history of the franchise), Paul Brown in 1962 and named Blanton Collier the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Collier would lead the team to two more title game appearances after the abrupt retirement of Jim Brown, but lost both games, Collier would then retire after the 1970 season, citing increasing deafness as the reason for his retirement. During the 1970’s the Browns would come to be known as “The Kardiac Kids” because of their tendency to lead 4th quarter comeback against their opponents to win the game. Led by quarterback Brian Sipe and running back duo Mike and Greg Pruitt (no relation) and coached by Sam Rutigliano the Browns made the playoffs many times during the 1970’s, but one of the most notable playoff appearances of that era would be during 1980, where the Browns finished the season with an 11-5 record after going 3-3 in the first six games and made it to the divisional round of the playoffs where they met the Oakland Raiders. The Browns “miracle” season came to an abrupt end on a play that would become known as “Red Right 88”. After the 1980 season, the Browns would not be able to re-create the success they had, going 5-11 in 1981 and then going 4-5 and losing to the Raiders in the first round of the playoffs in the strike-shortened 1982 season. After the 1983 season where Brian Sipe threw for over 3,500 yards and Mike Pruitt ran for 10 touchdowns and over 1,100 yards the Browns missed the playoffs with a 9-7 record. The 1984 season became a rebuilding year after Brian Sipe defected for the now defunct USFL and Mike Pruitt would spend most of the season injured before being traded to the Buffalo Bills. After starting the season 1-7, Same Rutigliano was fired and Marty Schottenheimer was hired as the head coach and led the Browns to a 5-11 record.
Bernie Kosar and Return to Prominence
After the 1984 season, the Browns acquired Bernie Kosar via the NFL Supplemental draft. Being a native of Ohio and growing up a fan of the Browns, Kosar was excited to play for his hometown Browns. Kosar would have to learn by trial by fire, though, after taking over for then-starter Gary Danielson mid-way through the 1985 season. Kosars’ play was adequate, yet he was assisted by two 1,000 yard rushers in Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner. The Browns finished the 1985 season 8-8 which landed them the top seed in a very weak AFC Central division. However, the Miami Dolphins would defeat the Browns in the 1986 divisional round of the playoffs. Browns fans were initially disappointed, however over the next 5 season the Browns would make the playoffs and reach the AFC Championship in three of those seasons.
The Drive, The Fumble, and John Elway
The Browns finished the 1986 season with a 12-4 record and a first round bye in the playoffs. The Browns were elevated into the NFL’s elite ranks by great play from players such as Bernie Kosar, Earnest Byner, Ozzie Newsome, and Kevin Mack on offense and other plays such as Clay Matthews, Hanford Dixon, and Frank Minnifield on defense. During the 1986 playoffs, the Browns played a hard fought game at home against the New York Jets, eventually winning the game 23-20 after multiple overtime periods. The Browns would then advance to the first of three appearances in the AFC Championship game. The AFC Championship began with the Denver Broncos arriving to the cold, windy, and hostile Cleveland Municipal Stadium greeted to a host of boo’s with various object being thrown at Broncos player throughout the game. Like the week before, the game would be a heart-stopping overtime thriller. With the Browns ahead 20-13 with 5:11 remaining in the game, the Browns pinned the Denver Broncos at their own 2-yard line. Cleveland thought they were on their way to their first Super Bowl in the franchises history, and the first Championship game since 1968, however one man stood in their way and that man was none other than John Elway. The Broncos began the drive at their own 2-yard line and marched down the field on a Browns defense that had been one of the best during the regular season. With 39 seconds remaining in the game John Elway threw a touchdown pass to Mark Jackson to tie the game. In the ensuing overtime period the Broncos would kick a field goal to win the game 23-20. Little did Browns fans know that this would be the first of many times that John Elway would trample the hopes of the Browns making it to the Super Bowl. During the 1987 season, the Browns retained their explosive offense and stifling defense throughout the regular season and would finish the season with a 10-5 record. The Browns would defeat the Indianapolis Colts in the divisional round of the playoffs to make it to their second consecutive AFC Championship appearance. The Browns again faced off against John Elway and the Denver Broncos, this time in Denver. The Browns started off the game horribly, being down 21-3 at halftime. After halftime the Browns took the field and Bernie Kosar would lead a comeback to tie the game at 31-31. The Broncos would then regain the lead after a 20-yard touchdown my Sammy Winder with less than 5:00 remaining in the game. However, Bernie Kosar would lead the Browns down the field to the Broncos 8-yard line with 1:12 left in the game. Kosar would then hand the ball off to Earnest Byner who appeared to have a wide open lane to the endzone, when Broncos defensive back Jeremiah Castillle pried the ball from Byner for a fumble, and the Broncos would recover. After taking an intentional safety the Broncos would again defeat the Browns, 38-33.
Bill Belichick and Relocation
After another loss to the Broncos in the 1989 AFC Championship (this time the deficit was much larger, with the Browns losing 37-21) Art Modell felt it was time for a change. He went out and hired Bill Belichick to be his new head coach after the 1990 season (where Kosar would have his worst season to date, throwing 15 interceptions to only 10 touchdowns). Belichick would look to put his own stamp on the roster and the franchise by cutting the Browns franchise quarterback and fan favorite, Bernie Kosar, who would sign with the Dallas Cowboys after Kosar allegedly defied the coaches play calls and instead called his own plays. Replacing Kosar was veteran Vinny Testaverde who was signed from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier in the off season. After two consecutive 7-9 seasons in 1992 and 1993 the Browns would finish the 1994 season with an 11-5 record. However, heated rival Pittsburgh blew out the Browns in the divisional playoffs, 29-9. During the 1995 season Art Modell released a statement that he had signed a deal to move the Browns franchise to Baltimore following the 1995 season. This caused an outlash by the fans not seen since the Colts relocation from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984. After news of the impending relocation was reported, all sponsors took their ads from Cleveland Municipal stadium, leaving it devoid of any advertisements. After news of the relocation broke, the Browns only won 2 of their last 9 games to finish the season 5-11. It was decided that all of the Browns franchise records and championships would remain in Cleveland until the city was rewarded another football franchise. This did little to help ease the tension between the owner and the fans, for at the last home game fans tore out seats from the stadium and threw them onto the field and set fires in the stands. They would also assault police officers and security officials who would try to stop them.
The Browns franchise was officially re-located to Baltimore following the conclusion of the 1995 NFL Season.
The Return of the Browns Franchise
It was 1999, and football was finally back on the shores of Lake Eerie. The city of Cleveland had been granted an expansion team and they were ready to begin the first season of NFL football in Cleveland for over 3 years. The Browns held the first pick of the 1999 draft and used it to select a future franchise quarterback out of Kentucky named Tim Couch. However, Tim Couch would never turn out to be the franchise quarterback the Browns thought he would be when they drafted him. Some blame it on the fact that the team surrounding Couch was less than stellar, and that he was sack over 55 times his rookie season. Other claim it was because he was never cut out to be an NFL quarterback. Whatever the case may be, the Browns would go on to have 8 losing seasons in 10 years since returning to the league in 1999.
Browns Statistics Since Returning in 1999:
Records:
1999: 2-14
2000: 3-13
2001: 7-9
2002: 9-7
2003: 5-11
2004: 4-12
2005: 6-10
2006: 4-12
2007: 10-6
2008: 4-12
2009: 5-11
Coaches:
1999-2002: Chris Palmer
2002-2004: Butch Davis
2005-2008: Romeo Crennel
2009-Present: Eric Mangini
Draft Choices:
1999-#1-Tim Couch, QB
2000-#1-Courtney Brown, DE
2001-#3-Gerrard Warren, DT
2002-#16-William Green, RB
2003-#21-Jeff Faine, C
2004-#6-Kellen Winslow II, TE
2005-#3-Braylon Edwards, WR
2006-#13-Kamerion Wimbley, OLB/DE
2007-#3-Joe Thomas, T
2007-#22-Brady Quinn, QB
2008-None
2009-#21-Alex Mack, C
2010-???-???
09-13-2010, 09:29 PM
