With the Browns, Kissell had a reputation as a mean and exceptionally strong defender playing beside defensive end Len Ford and linebacker Bill Willis under head coach Paul Brown. He was "a little bit rowdy", teammate John Sandusky later recalled, and once hit a blocking sled in practice so hard that he broke it. Cleveland finished the 1951 season with an 11–1 record and again reached the championship game, but lost this time to the Rams. Sportswriters named Kissell a second-team All-Pro after the season.