National Football League
Cleveland Browns
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Browns History:
In 1946, a new league to rival the NFL is formed and known as the All American Football Conference and for the 4 years the league was in existence, the Cleveland Browns dominated winning all 4 championships.
In 1950, the inaugural season for the Browns in the NFL, the team defied all expectations as they would blitz the league and finish the season with a 10-2 record. In the playoffs, the Browns first faced the New York Giants and defeated them in a 8-3 defensive struggle to move on to a game against the Los Angeles Rams (who had previously played in Cleveland from 1937-1945). The game was back and forth but the Browns pull off the upset and beat the Rams 30-28, winning their 5th title in 5 years as a professional franchise.
The opening game of the 1951 season saw the team lose to an old AAFC rival San Francisco 49ers but not lose again for the rest of the season. The team finished 11-1 and was poised to capture their 2nd NFL Crown. In a rematch against the LA Rams, the Rams would pull off the upset and send the team packing with a 24-17 defeat of the Browns. The following two seasons, Cleveland fans watched as the Browns compete on a high level. In 1953, the team went to its third consecutive NFL Championship game losing to the Detroit Lions 17-16. 1954 saw much of the same with the team now led by NFL MVP QB Otto Graham. The team finished 11-1 with the only loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. In their 5th straight trip to the NFL Championships, the Browns faced the Detroit Lions losing for the 3rd straight time 56-10. In the 1955 season, the Browns finish 9-2-1 and play for the NFL Championship and are matched up once again against the LA Rams. The game this time would take a turn for the good for the Browns as they beat the Rams in LA 38-14 in front of 87,695 rabid fans
The Browns fail to make the playoffs in the 1956 season for the first time in 10 years as they finished with a 4th place record of 5-7 but would gain from it as they would select Syracuse RB Jim Brown in the 1st round of the NFL Draft. Brown would go on to capture the Rookie of the Year Award as the team posted a 9-2-1 record. They made it back to the NFL Championship game but were beat down by the Detroit Lions 59-14.
Then 1958 season saw RB Jim Brown rush for 1,527 yards and have to win their final game against the New York Giants in order to move on to the NFL Championship game. The don't win and have to face the Giants yet again in the Divisional Playoff Game. New York again beats the Browns and failed to make the championship game. The following season, the Browns finish 7-5 and fail to make the playoffs.
Between 1959 and 1963 the Browns had a combined record of 40-23-3 and failed to make the playoffs. But in 1964, with RB Jim Brown having another monster season, the Brown finished a competitive 10-4 and faced the New York Giants to win the Eastern Conference title. They would advance to the NFL Championship game with a 52-20 victory over the Giants. In the Championship Game, the Browns faced the Indianapolis Colts. The Browns would have no problem dispatching the Colts as they blank them 27-0 to win their 4th NFL Title.
The 1965 season saw RB Jim Brown win the League MVP Award rushing for 1,544 yards and 17 touchdowns as the Browns amass an 11-3 record and a shot at another Championship.
The team would finally break into the AFC Championship game in 1981. They take the AFC Central Title with a 12-4 record. QB Ken Anderson wins the NFL MVP Award as well as Offensive Player of the Year. In the playoffs, the Browns first faced the Buffalo Bills in the first Playoff Game at Riverfront Stadium and won 28-21 in frigid wind chill of 59 below zero. Next up were the San Diego Chargers and the Browns easily handled them 27-7 and won the right to advance to the Super Bowl.
The Browns have made the playoffs 24 times in 60 seasons and have won their division 18 times and have won their division 18 times (1950, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 1964, 65, 67, 68, 69, 1971, 1980, 85, 86, 87 and 1989) They won the AAFC Championship 4 times (1946, 47, 48 and 1949) and the NFL Championship 4 times (1950, 1954, 1955 and 1964).
The Cleveland Browns have had 21 Hall of Famers on their rosters: Doug Atkins, 1953-1954, Jim Brown 1957-1965, Paul Brown Coach 1946-1962, Willie Davis, 1958-1959, Len Dawson, 1960-1961, Joe DeLamielleure, 1980-1984, Len Ford, 1950-1957, Frank Gatski, 1946-1956, Otto Graham, 1946-1955, Lou Groza, 1946-59, 1961-67, Gene Hickerson, 1958-1973, Henry Jordan, 1957-1958, Leroy Kelly, 1964-1973, Dante Lavelli, 1946-1956, Mike McCormick, 1954-1962, Tommy McDonald, 1968, Bobby Mitchell, 1958-1961, Marion Motley, 1946-1953, Ozzie Newsome, 1978-1990, Paul Warfield, 1964-69, 1976-77 and Bill Willis, 1946-1953.
Team Awards include 3 Coach of the Year Awards (1949 Paul Brown, 1951 Paul Brown and 1953 Paul Brown), 1 Defensive Rookie f the Year Award (1982 Chip Banks), 1 Offensive Rookie of the Year Award (1957 Jim Brown) and 5 NFL MVP Awards (1953 Otto Graham, 1955 Otto Graham, 1957 Jim Brown, 1965 Jim Brown and 1980 Brian Sipe)
The Browns have retired 5 Jerseys: #14 Otto Graham, #32 Jim Brown, # 45 Ernie Davis, #46 Don Fleming and #76 Lou Groza.
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