But once Modell left and the shock wore off, Cleveland fought back and convinced the NFL to bring a team back in 1999. The league also agreed to keep the new team's nickname, colors and history the same. To showcase the Browns' return, the league switched this year's Hall of Fame Game from Saturday to Monday night so a national TV audience could see the new Browns' debut. Now the tradition and history can go on for another century. Clad in brown and orange, some wearing jerseys with names like Kosar, Brown and Kelly stitched on their backs, Browns fans arrived early to tailgate in parking lots and on tree-lined side streets before walking to Fawcett Stadium, which was packed with a record 25,156 fans.
Nothing matters now, our Browns are back.
Even the Cowboys were happy to see the old orange helmets again. The Browns had just 11 months to assemble a coaching staff and team, and before the game Cleveland president Carmen Policy, who won five Super Bowls in San Francisco, said he couldn't remember being as nervous. I'd like to come out of tonight with the impression that we're not an expansion team on the field. At times, the Browns looked like any first-year franchise. They committed three straight penalties on a drive in the first quarter, and were guilty of other silly infractions.