ONE
The Cleveland Browns were founded in 1945 by businessman Arthur B. "Mickey" McBride and coach Paul Brown, joining the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). Led by star quarterback and future Hall of Famer Otto Graham, the Browns dominated the AAFC - winning all four league championships from 1946 to 1949 before the league merged with the NFL in 1950.
Otto Graham, Quarterback 1946-1955
TWO
In the NFL’s inaugural season in 1950, the Browns continued their show of dominance - defeating the Los Angeles Rams to become the NFL’s first champions. Already considered a powerhouse, Cleveland took things to another level in the 1950s and 1960s - with future Hall of Fame running back and three-time NFL MVP Jim Brown joining Otto Graham and Paul Brown in 1957. After a further three NFL Championships in 1954, 1955, and 1964, Cleveland had solidified their status as one of the most successful franchises in the league.
Jim Brown, Running Back 1957-1965
THREE
After their 1964 Championship victory, silverware slowly became a distant memory for the Cleveland Browns. Through the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, Leroy Kelly and quarterback Brian Sipe performed well but failed to add to the Browns’ trophy cabinet. Skip forward to the 1980 season, and the team were nicknamed the ‘Kardiac Kids’ due to their continuous heart-pounding finishes. A prime example of this came during the playoffs, where the Browns found themselves down by two against the Oakland Raiders. Despite being in field goal range, the play “Red Right 88” was called. Quarterback Brian Sipe dropped a pass into the end zone, only to be intercepted by Raiders safety Mike Davis. That disaster that was “Red Right 88” would become synonymous with the Browns.
FOUR
The late 1980s and early 1990s were known for strong defense, regular season success and postseason problems for the Cleveland Browns - with head coach Marty Schottenheimer and QB Bernie Kosar becoming key figures during this period of time. In the late 80s Cleveland repeatedly suffered AFC Championship Game heartbreak - and all at the hands of the Denver Broncos.
Bernie Kosar, Quarterback 1985-1993
FIVE
After a horrendous 3-13 season in 1990, New York Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick was hired as head coach. Despite having Belichick at the helm, the Browns went on to record three-straight losing seasons. In 1993, quarterback Bernie Kosar was cut midway through the season - prompting a drastic improvement in 1994 thanks to new signal-caller Vinny Testaverde. Behind Testaverde, Cleveland finished the season with an 11-5 record and victory in the AFC Wildcard game. However, their season came to an end thanks to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional round of the playoffs.
Cleveland Browns logo
SIX
In a highly-controversial sequence of events, Browns owner Modell claimed financial hardships in 1995 and the franchise’s subsequent move to Baltimore - all before Cleveland was able to propose an offer to keep the Browns. Determined to keep the team in Cleveland, fans and city officials united to block the move. The NFL quickly responded - guaranteeing the return of pro football to Cleveland by no later than 1999. Additionally, Art Modell agreed to relinquish the "Browns" name, colours and team history to new owner Al Lerner, who was awarded the new Cleveland Browns by offering the then-highest price ever paid for a sports franchise at $530 million.
SEVEN
The joy that came with saving pro football in Cleveland was relatively short lived, as the team went on to see 11 new head coaches and 29 different starting QBs over the next two decades - relegating the franchise to the laughing stock of the league. In 2016, if not for a Christmas Eve win over the San Diego Chargers, the Browns would have finished the season without a win. Despite using the first-overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft to select star Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett, the Browns did finish winless in 2017 - becoming just the second team in NFL history to finish 0-16 since the Detroit Lions in 2008, and the first franchise to have two consecutive seasons with 15 or more losses.
Myles Garrett, Defensive End 2017-Present
EIGHT
Kevin Stefanski was hired as head coach in 2020 and quickly built a team littered with talent including; Myles Garrett, Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham Jr. and Nick Chubb. With this highly-powered roster, Stefanski was able to lead the team to 11 victories for the first time since 1994 and a playoff appearance for the first time since 2002. In the Wild Card round of the 2020 NFL playoffs, the Browns faced the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cleveland were outstanding and gained a 28-0 lead by the end of the first quarter - hanging on for a 48-37 win. In the Divisional round, however, the Browns fell to the reigning Super Bowl champions, as the Kansas City Chiefs claimed a 22-17 victory.
Odell Beckham Jr., Wide Receiver 2019-2021
NINE
With two Coach of the Year awards now under his belt, Kevin Stefanski has proved himself the right man to lead the Browns to glory. A prime example of this came in the 2023 season, when Stefanski led the Browns to another 11-win season and a subsequent playoff berth despite multiple quarterback injuries and a historically difficult division.
Kevin Stefanski, Head Coach 2020-Present
BEFORE YOU GO
As a result of their dismal performances the Cleveland Browns’ stadium was given the nickname “The Factory of Sadness”.
With a reputation as one of the NFL’s most storied franchises, the team has boasted numerous high-profile fans over the years. Arguably the most notable - the ‘King of Rock and Roll’, Elvis Presley.
As of 2023, the Cleveland Browns are the league’s 19th most valuable franchise at $4.62 billion, according to Forbes.
