Brian Sipe Brian Winfield Sipe ( born August 8 , 1949 , in San Diego , California ) is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League from 1974 to 1983 and the United States Football League from 1984 to 1985 . Sipe was a college football star at San Diego State University , where he studied architecture . He also competed in the 1961 Little League World Series for El Cajon , California and prepped at Grossmont High School . Although mostly sidelined for the first several years of his NFL career , Sipe was eventually recognized as one of the better quarterbacks in the Browns ' history , winning the league ' s MVP Award in 1980 . He is now the quarterback coach for the San Diego State Aztecs football program . Playing career . National Football League . Drafted in the 13th round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns , Sipe spent the first two years of his career as a member of the team ' s reserve squad , seeing no action on the field . In 1974 , Sipe started four games after helping the Browns come back from a 12 - point deficit against the Denver Broncos on October 27 . However , after winning just one of the four contests ( a 21 - 14 victory against the New England Patriots on November 11 ) , he was replaced by Mike Phipps . The team ' s disastrous 1975 season saw Sipe enter the starting lineup after three consecutive losses in which the Browns were outscored 124 - 26 . Sipe ' s three starts reduced the margin of defeat for the squad , but still resulted in a trio of defeats , sending him back to the sidelines . The following year , he finally moved into a consistent starting role following an opening game injury to Phipps on September 12 , 1976 . As the team ' s signal caller that season , he led them to a 9 - 5 record , a six - game improvement over the previous season . During the first half of the 1977 season , he led the team to five wins in their first seven games . However , on November 13 of that year , Sipe suffered a season - ending shoulder injury at Three Rivers Stadium against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second quarter of the team ' s 35 - 31 defeat . Sipe came back the following year to throw for more than 2 , 900 yards and 21 touchdown passes , but the team ' s overall inconsistency resulted in an 8 - 8 finish . Serving as the catalyst for many thrilling moments during the 1979 and 1980 seasons , Sipe helped the team earn the nickname " Kardiac Kids . " The designation was in recognition of their tendency to produce heart - stopping comeback victories in the final minutes of many games . Over the course of these two seasons , Sipe led the Browns to eight comebacks and eleven game - winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime . 1980 MVP award winning season . In 1980 , Sipe passed for 4 , 132 yards and 30 touchdowns , helping lead the team to its first postseason berth since 1972 . Individually , his efforts earned him the Associated Press ' NFL MVP award and a selection to the NFL Pro Bowl . In an AFC divisional playoff game that 1980 season against the Raiders ( January 4 , 1981 ) the Browns could ' ve settled for a very short game winning field goal but instead decided to pass the ball . It was a logical choice ; Cleveland weather was brutally cold and windy and a field goal was not a guarantee . Likewise , Sipe ' s target was Pro Football Hall of Fame TE Ozzie Newsome . With 41 seconds left in the game , Sipe threw an interception in the end zone , bringing the Browns season to a heartbreaking end . The play call , " Red Right 88 " would be immortalized in Cleveland sports infamy . 1981 - 82 seasons . Despite throwing for 3 , 876 yards the following year , Sipe was at the controls as the team staggered to a 5 - 11 mark . In 1982 , Sipe and the Browns won just two of the team ' s first six games in the strike - marred NFL season , and Sipe was benched in favor of third - year signal caller Paul McDonald . United States Football League . Sipe regained his starting role the following year , but angered Browns management by negotiating with Donald Trump ' s USFL New Jersey Generals during the season . Sipe finished the campaign with 3 , 566 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes . Sipe did eventually sign with Trump after the season , playing for the Generals in 1984 , before concluding his career with the Jacksonville Bulls in 1985 . His shift to Jacksonville came about after Trump signed Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie to a multi - million dollar contract . Post playing career . Sipe now resides in San Diego , California , and coached high school football at Santa Fe Christian School in Solana Beach , California , where he helped the Eagles to four CIF titles and a combined record of 75 - 21 - 1 . Sipe was hired on January 18 , 2009 as quarterback coach for his Alma Mater , San Diego State . In 2010 , his Aztecs beat United States Naval Academy in the Poinsettia Bowl . Career stats . Key to Abbreviations < br > GP = Games Played < br > Att = Passes attempted < br > Com = Passes Completed < br > Pct = Completion percentage < br > Yds = Yards < br > TD = Touchdown s < br > Int = Interception s < br > Rate = Passer rating