Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland , Ohio . They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference ( AFC ) in the National Football League ( NFL ) . The team began play in 1946 as a charter member of the All - America Football Conference ( AAFC ) and joined the NFL in 1950 when the leagues merged . The Browns were the AAFC ' s most successful franchise , and were one of only three teams to join the NFL following the merger . In 1995 , after nearly 50 years in Cleveland , then owner Art Modell announced his intention to move the team to Baltimore , Maryland , initiating a relocation controversy that led to legal action . The legal action resulted in a unique compromise : Modell would keep the Browns ' existing player and staff contracts , but his team officially would be a new franchise ; this team is now known as the Baltimore Ravens . The Browns name , history , and archives would remain in Cleveland , and a new Browns team began play in 1999 after a three - year period of " deactivation " . Cleveland has won a total of eight league championships . They won all four AAFC titles ( including a 15 - 0 undefeated season in 1948 ) , and after joining the NFL won four additional championships prior to the league ' s merger with the American Football League ( AFL ) in 1970 . Following the merger , the Browns were one of three NFL teams which joined the ten former AFL teams to form the new American Football Conference . Despite having the sixth - highest winning percentage of all NFL franchises , the Browns have not played in a league championship game since the merger ; however , they have competed for the AFC Championship three times . Having lost all three games , along with two NFL Championship Games of the Super Bowl era prior to the merger ( in 1968 and 1969 ) , Cleveland is one of four NFL teams that has yet to reach the Super Bowl . Furthermore , Cleveland has never hosted a Super Bowl , making it the only NFL city to have neither hosted nor sent a team to the Super Bowl . History . 1946 – 1949 : founding in the AAFC . The Cleveland Browns were founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All - America Football Conference , under businessman Arthur B " Mickey " McBride . Not long after gaining the franchise , McBride named Ohio State Buckeyes coach Paul Brown as vice president , general manager and head coach . The franchise conducted a team naming contest in 1945 . The most popular submission was " Browns " in recognition of Paul Brown , already an established and popular figure in Ohio sports . Brown at first objected to the name and the team selected from the contest entries the name " Panthers " . However , after an area businessman informed the team that he owned the rights to the name Cleveland Panthers from an earlier failed football team , Brown rescinded his objection and agreed to the use of his name . Brown parlayed his ties to the Buckeyes and the Navy ( where he had coached a base football team during World War II ) into the most extensive recruitment network that had ever been seen at the time in pro football . He used it to assemble a team that , in terms of talent , would have been more than a match for any NFL team — including quarterback Otto Graham , kicker / offensive tackle Lou Groza , wide receivers Dante Lavelli and Mac Speedie , fullback Marion Motley and nose guard Bill Willis . The Browns dominated the AAFC , winning all four of its championships . This included the 1948 season , in which they became the first unbeaten and untied team in professional football history , 24 years before the 1972 Miami Dolphins became the NFL ' s first and only team to date to have a perfect season . Cleveland ' s undefeated streak ( including two ties ) reached 29 games , and included 18 straight wins and the 1947 and 1948 AAFC championship games . During the AAFC ' s four - year run , the Browns lost only four games . They issued occasional challenges to NFL teams , only to be turned down almost out of hand each time . Thanks in large part to McBride ' s promotional efforts , the Cleveland area showed terrific support for the Browns from the moment they were created . The team saw a record - setting average attendance of 57 , 000 per game in its first season . The Browns unexpectedly had Cleveland to themselves ; the NFL ' s Cleveland Rams , who had continually lost money while in Cleveland despite winning the 1945 NFL championship , moved to the booming area of Los Angeles after the 1945 season ( the team is now located in St . Louis ) . 1950 – 1956 : joining the NFL . The AAFC dissolved after the 1949 season , and the NFL agreed to take in three of the AAFC ' s teams for the 1950 season : the San Francisco 49ers , the Baltimore Colts ( an earlier incarnation , not the team which would later move to Indianapolis ) , and the Browns . The Browns ' first NFL game was against the two - time defending champion Philadelphia Eagles . The overwhelming consensus at the time was that the Eagles would blow the Browns off the field ; there were still many who thought the Browns were merely the dominant team in a minor league . However , the Browns were determined to prove they belonged . They shredded the Eagles ' vaunted defense for 487 yards of total offense en route to a 35 – 10 blowout . Behind a potent offense that included future Hall of Famers Graham , Motley and Dante Lavelli , the Browns picked up right where they left off in the AAFC . After going 10 – 2 in the regular season , they defeated the New York Giants 8 – 3 in a playoff game and then beat Cleveland ' s previous NFL tenants , the Rams ( who were now in Los Angeles ) , 30 – 28 , in the NFL Championship Game . Since the NFL does not recognize the AAFC ' s records , this technically makes the Browns the most successful expansion team in league history . However , the 1950 Browns were not an expansion team in any sense of the term . During the next season , the Browns went 11 – 1 , facing the Rams in a rematch of the previous year ' s title game . A 73 - yard touchdown pass by Rams quarterback Norm van Brocklin to wide receiver Tom Fears in the fourth quarter gave Los Angeles the lead for good . The 24 – 17 loss was the Browns ' first in a championship game . In 1952 , Cleveland finished 8 – 4 to again advance to the NFL Championship Game , this time facing the Detroit Lions . A muffed punt , several defensive stands , and a 67 - yard touchdown run by Doak Walker combined to help the Lions win 17 – 7 , frustrating the Browns for the second consecutive year . On the upside , Ray Renfro became a star with 722 yards receiving and 322 yards rushing . The Browns then started the 1953 season winning 11 straight games , but finished with a loss to the Eagles in the final week , and then lost the 1953 Championship Game in a rematch with the Lions . The game was , however , closer than the year before . With the score tied at 10 going into the final quarter , Lou Groza kicked two field goals to put Cleveland up 16 – 10 . But Detroit quarterback Bobby Layne threw a 33 - yard touchdown pass to Jim Doran with less than two minutes left and the Lions won 17 – 16 . In 1954 , the Browns finished 9 – 3 and met up with Detroit in the Championship Game for a third consecutive year . This time , however , the Browns were relentless on both sides of the ball , intercepting Bobby Layne six times and forcing three fumbles . Otto Graham threw three touchdowns and ran for three more , en route to a 56 – 10 thrashing and the Browns ' second NFL crown . The Browns kept rolling along in 1955 . Chuck Noll had a productive season at linebacker with five interceptions , Graham passed for 15 touchdowns and ran for six more , and the team , who finished 9 – 2 – 1 , won their third NFL Championship Game in six seasons 38 – 14 over the Los Angeles Rams . In 10 years of existence , the Browns reached the title game every year ( four in the AAFC , six in the NFL ) and won seven of them . Graham retired before the 1956 season because of injuries , and the Browns floundered without him behind center . Three quarterbacks ( George Ratterman , Babe Parilli , and Tommy O ' Connell ) were used , none of them throwing more touchdowns than interceptions . The team ' s 5 – 7 record was the team ' s first losing season ever . 1957 – 1965 : the Jim Brown era . The Browns responded in 1957 when they drafted fullback Jim Brown out of Syracuse University , who easily became the NFL ' s leading rusher ( and NFL Rookie of the Year ) with 942 yards in a 12 - game regular season . Once again at the top of the division at 9 – 2 – 1 , they advanced back to the Championship Game against Detroit . But the Lions dominated from start to finish , causing six turnovers and allowing the Browns ' two quarterbacks ( Tommy O ' Connell and Milt Plum ) only 95 yards passing in a 59 – 14 rout , the Lions ' last league championship to date . In 1958 Jim Brown ran for 1 , 527 yards , almost twice as much as any other running back . In his nine seasons in the league , he crossed the 1 , 000 - yard barrier seven times . The only snag in the Browns ' getting back to another championship was the New York Giants . They lost to New York on the last week of the season after a spirited fourth - quarter comeback ; then , due to their equal 9 – 3 records , faced the Giants again in a tiebreaker game with the winner going to the finals . However , the Giants limited Jim Brown to eight yards and the team committed four turnovers as they were shut out 10 – 0 . In 1959 the Browns started 6 – 2 but finished 7 – 5 , out of championship contention , despite Brown once again leading the league in rushing with 1 , 329 yards . In 1960 , Plum threw for 21 touchdowns and Brown ' s 1 , 257 yards was still best in the NFL , but the team still finished second at 8 – 3 – 1 . Art Modell assumes ownership ( 1961 ) . Art Modell purchased the team from David Jones ( who had bought the team from McBride in 1953 ) in 1961 . The beginnings of a power struggle between Paul Brown and Art Modell took its toll . Journalist D . L . Stewart recounted in Jeff Miller ' s book on the AFL , " Going Long " , " As you well can imagine , Jimmy Brown and Paul were not thick . The buzz was that Jimmy had Modell working for him , and Paul took exception to that . " The season otherwise was typical : a fifth consecutive league - leading season from Jim Brown and a half - decent performance in the standings , but again , at 8 – 5 – 1 , they were two games out of a berth in the championship . After a 7 – 6 – 1 record in 1962 , Modell fired Paul Brown and replaced him with longtime assistant Blanton Collier . Many of the Browns ' younger players , such as Jim Brown and Frank Ryan , had chafed under Brown ' s autocratic coaching style ; in contrast , Collier ran the club with a much looser grip . He installed a much more open offense and allowed Ryan to call his own plays . In Collier ' s first season , the Browns went 10 – 4 and finished a game out of the conference title , led by Jim Brown ' s record 1 , 863 yards rushing . Blanton Collier becomes head coach ( 1964 - 1970 ) . Browns win another NFL championship ( 1964 ) . In 1964 , the Browns went 10 – 3 – 1 and reached their first title game in seven years . They throttled the heavily favored Baltimore Colts 27 – 0 , with receiver Gary Collins catching three touchdown passes to earn the MVP award . ( As of 2010 , this was the most recent sports championship for the city of Cleveland . ) The Browns would go to three more NFL title games in Collier ' s eight - year tenure , including 1968 and 1969 , after Jim Brown retired . After the 1970 season , Collier retired due to increasing deafness and was replaced by offensive coordinator Nick Skorich ; that same year the Browns finished 7 – 7 . 1971 – 1984 : the " Kardiac Kids " . Skorich led the Browns to a division title in 1971 and a wild - card berth in 1972 . In the latter year , the Browns nearly defeated the Miami Dolphins , 20 - 14 . Miami went on to finish 17 - 0 that season . The Browns barely missed the playoffs in 1973 . However , the team ' s era of success came to a crashing halt as it dropped to 4 – 10 in 1974 . Neither quarterback Mike Phipps nor rookie pivot Brian Sipe was effective ; they threw 24 combined interceptions to only 10 touchdowns . The Browns allowed 344 points , most in the league . It was only the second losing season in franchise history , and it cost Skorich his job . Assistant coach Forrest Gregg took over in 1975 , but the Browns stumbled out of the gate with an 0 – 9 start that finally came to an end on November 23 in a 35 – 23 comeback victory over the Cincinnati Bengals . Three weeks later , third - year running back Greg Pruitt paced the team with 214 yards rushing in a rout over the Kansas City Chiefs , helping the team finish the season 3 – 11 . Cleveland showed marked improvement with a 9 – 5 record in 1976 as Brian Sipe firmly took control at quarterback . Sipe had been inserted into the lineup after a Phipps injury in the season - opening win against the New York Jets on September 12 . After a 1 – 3 start brought visions of another disastrous year , the Browns jolted the two - time defending Super Bowl champion Steelers with an 18 – 16 victory on October 10 . Third - string quarterback Dave Mays helped lead the team to that victory , while defensive end Joe " Turkey " Jones ' s pile - driving sack of Pittsburgh quarterback Terry Bradshaw fueled the heated rivalry between the two teams . That win was the first of eight in the next nine weeks , helping put the Browns in contention for the AFC playoffs . A loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the regular season finale cost them a share of the division title , but running back Pruitt continued his outstanding play by rushing for exactly 1 , 000 yards , his second - straight four - digit season . The Browns continued to roll in the first half of the 1977 season , but an injury to Sipe by Steelers linebacker Jack Lambert on November 13 proved to be disastrous . Cleveland won only one of their last five games to finish at 6 – 8 , a collapse that led to Forrest Gregg ' s dismissal before the final game of the season . Dick Modzelewski served as interim coach in the team ' s 20 – 19 loss to the Seattle Seahawks . On December 27 , 1977 , Sam Rutigliano was named head coach , and he aided a healthy Sipe in throwing 21 touchdowns and garnering 2 , 900 yards during the 1978 NFL season . Greg Pruitt and Mike Pruitt ( no relation ) led a rushing attack that gained almost 2 , 500 yards , but problems with the team ' s dismal pass defense resulted in the Browns finishing 8 – 8 on the year . The 1979 campaign started with four consecutive wins , three of which were in the final minute or overtime . Four more games were won by less than a touchdown . This penchant for playing close games would later earn them the nickname " Kardiac Kids " . Sipe threw 28 touchdown passes , tying him with Steve Grogan of New England for most in the league , but his 26 interceptions were the worst in the league . Mike Pruitt had a Pro Bowl season with his 1 , 294 rushing yards , while the defense was still shaky , ranking near the bottom in rushing defense . The team finished 9 – 7 , behind division rivals Houston and Pittsburgh in a tough AFC Central . The 1980 season is still fondly remembered by Browns fans . After going 3 – 3 in the first six games , the Browns won three straight games with fourth - quarter comebacks , and stopped a late comeback by the Baltimore Colts to win a fourth . The Browns won two more games in that fashion by the end of the season , and even lost a game to the Minnesota Vikings on the last play when a Hail Mary pass was tipped into the waiting hands of Ahmad Rashad . Sipe passed for 4 , 000 yards and 30 touchdowns with only 14 interceptions ( enough for him to be named the NFL MVP ) , behind an offensive line that sent three members to the Pro Bowl : Doug Dieken , Tom DeLeone and Joe DeLamielleure . The " Kardiac Kids " name stuck . A fourth - quarter field goal by Don Cockroft in the final game against the Bengals helped the Browns capture the division with an 11 – 5 mark , with the Oakland Raiders their opponent in the team ' s first playoff game in eight years . However , a heartbreaking end to this dramatic season came in the closing seconds when Rutigliano called what became known as " Red Right 88 " and had Sipe pass toward the end zone , only to watch Oakland ' s Mike Davis intercept the ball . The Raiders went on to win the Super Bowl , and " Red Right 88 " has numbered among the list of Cleveland sports curses ever since . If 1980 was a dream season , then 1981 was a nightmare . Sipe threw only 17 touchdowns while being picked off 25 times . The Browns went 5 – 11 , and few of their games were particularly close . Tight end Ozzie Newsome , their only Pro Bowler , had 1 , 004 yards receiving for six touchdowns . In 1982 Sipe split quarterbacking duties with Paul McDonald , and both put up similar numbers . The Browns had little success rushing or defending against it , finishing in the bottom five teams in both yardage categories . Despite going 4 – 5 , Cleveland was able to make the playoffs due to an expanded playoff system in the strike - shortened year . They were matched up again with the Raiders in the playoffs , but were easily defeated 27 – 10 . Sipe and the Browns got some of their spark back in 1983 . Sipe had 26 touchdown passes and 3 , 566 yards , while Mike Pruitt ran for 10 scores on 1 , 184 yards . Cleveland even won two games in overtime and another in the fourth quarter . A fourth - quarter loss to the Oilers in their second - to - last game dashed their playoff hopes . At 9 – 7 the Browns finished one game behind the Steelers , and lost out on a wild - card spot due to a tiebreaker . 1984 was a rebuilding year . Brian Sipe defected to the upstart United States Football League after the 1983 season , and Paul McDonald was named the starting quarterback . Mike Pruitt missed much of the season and later ended up with the Buffalo Bills . Coach Sam Rutigliano lost his job after a 1 – 7 start as Marty Schottenheimer took over . The Browns coasted to a 5 – 11 record . 1985 – 1990 : Bernie Kosar and the Broncos rivalry . In 1985 , the Browns selected University of Miami quarterback Bernie Kosar in the Supplemental Draft . As a rookie , Kosar learned through trial by fire as he took over for Gary Danielson midway through the 1985 season . Progressing a bit more each Sunday , the young quarterback helped turn the struggling season around , as the Browns won four of the six games Kosar started . Two young rushers , Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack , played a large part in the team ' s success as well ; each ran for 1 , 000 + yards , a feat that would not be repeated until the 2008 season , when Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward of the New York Giants each broke the 1 , 000 - yard barrier . The Browns ' 8 – 8 record gave the team the top spot in a weak AFC Central , and they looked poised to shock the heavily favored Miami Dolphins in the 1986 Divisional Playoff game with a 21 – 3 lead at halftime . It took Dan Marino ' s spirited second - half comeback to win the game for Miami 24 – 21 . While the Browns faithful may have felt the initial sting of disappointment , there was tremendous upside in the loss : Schottenheimer ' s team , with Kosar at quarterback , reached the playoffs each of the next five seasons , advancing to the AFC Championship Game in three of those years . The Browns broke into the ranks of the NFL ' s elite — particularly on defense — with a 12 – 4 showing in 1986 . Behind Kosar ' s 3 , 854 yards passing and one of the league ' s stingiest defenses featuring five Pro Bowlers ( Chip Banks , Hanford Dixon , Bob Golic , Clay Matthews and Frank Minnifield ) , the Browns dominated the AFC Central with the best record in the AFC and clinched home - field advantage throughout the playoffs . In the 1986 Divisional Playoffs , the Browns needed some serious heroics ( and a bit of luck ) to overcome the New York Jets . The Jets were leading 20 – 10 with less than four minutes to play , with the Browns in a dire 3rd and 24 situation . As fate would have it , Mark Gastineau was called for roughing the passer , which gave Cleveland a first down . The drive ended with Kevin Mack running into the end zone for a touchdown . After going three - and - out the Jets went back on defense , but allowed the rejuvenated Browns to again drive the ball deep into their end of the field . With 11 seconds remaining in regulation , Mark Moseley kicked a field goal to tie the game . In the first of two ensuing overtime periods , Moseley missed his next attempt , but later redeemed himself by ending what had become the second longest game in NFL history , a 23 - 20 victory for the Browns . The 1986 AFC Championship Game saw the Denver Broncos arrive in the windswept , hostile confines of Cleveland Municipal Stadium . No one knew at the time , but the Broncos would become Cleveland ' s arch - nemesis of the Kosar era , having only lost once to the Browns in a span that still continues to this day . As with the Divisional Playoffs of the previous week , the AFC title game would also prove to be an overtime heart - stopper . But this time , it was John Elway and the Broncos who came away the victors . Pinned in on the Denver two - yard line with 5 : 11 left to play and the wind in his face , Elway embarked on his now - famous 98 - yard march downfield , which is now known by NFL historians as simply " The Drive " . With 37 seconds on the clock , Elway ' s 5 - yard touchdown pass to Mark Jackson tied the game at 20 apiece . The 79 , 973 Browns fans in attendance were silenced when Rich Karlis ' field goal attempt just made it inside the right - side upright to win the game 23 - 20 for Denver early into overtime . The Browns ' success was replicated in 1987 , with 22 touchdown passes and 3 , 000 yards for Kosar and eight Pro Bowlers ( Kosar , Mack , Dixon , Golic , Minnifield , linebacker Clay Matthews , wide receiver Gerald McNeil , and offensive line man Cody Risien ) . Cleveland won another AFC Central crown with a 10 - 5 record and easily defeated the Indianapolis Colts 38 – 21 in the divisional playoff to set up a rematch with the Broncos in the AFC Championship Game in Denver . With the score 21 – 3 in favor of the Broncos at halftime , Kosar led a third - quarter comeback with two touchdowns by Earnest Byner and another by Reggie Langhorne . Early in the fourth quarter , Webster Slaughter ' s 4 - yard touchdown catch tied the game at 31 – 31 . The Broncos regained the lead with a 20 - yard Sammy Winder touchdown with less than five minutes to go , setting the stage for another Browns comeback . . . or so they thought . Kosar drove the Browns to the Broncos ' 8 - yard line with 1 : 12 to go , and handed off to Byner . Just when it looked like he had an open route to the end zone , Broncos defensive back Jeremiah Castille stripped him of the ball . The Broncos recovered what became known as " The Fumble " . After taking an intentional safety , the Broncos had shocked the Browns again , 38 – 33 . Injuries to Kosar and two of his backups sidelined them for much of the 1988 season , but the Browns still finished 10 – 6 . A final - week comeback victory in a snowstorm at Cleveland Municipal Stadium over the Houston Oilers clinched them a wild - card playoff spot and a home game rematch against the Oilers in the first round . After Mike Pagel , in for an injured Don Strock ( the recently signed ex - Dolphins quarterback ) , threw a touchdown pass to Webster Slaughter late in the fourth quarter to pull the Browns within a point at 24 – 23 , the Browns had three chances to recover an onside kick ( due to penalties ) , but the Oilers recovered and stopped the Cleveland comeback . Schottenheimer left the Browns by mutual agreement with Modell shortly after the loss to the Oilers . Modell was tired of losing in the playoffs , and Schottenheimer was tired of what he perceived as Modell ' s interference with his coaching personnel and game strategy . The Kansas City Chiefs quickly hired Schottenheimer for the 1989 season . Bud Carson was his replacement in Cleveland , but his tenure was short — only one and a half years . The 1989 season opened with the Browns defeating the rival Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh 51 - 0 , which as of 2010 remains the most lopsided game in the rivalry as well as the all - time worst loss for the Steelers . The rest of the season was headlined by Slaughter ' s Pro Bowl - worthy 1 , 236 yards receiving , and was a success at 7 – 3 until a 10 – 10 tie with Schottenheimer ' s Chiefs in November led to a 3 - game losing streak . Two comeback wins over the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Oilers in the season ' s final two weeks kept them in the playoff race . The tie ended up being the Browns ' saving grace , with their 9 – 6 – 1 record winning them the AFC Central title and first - round bye over the Oilers and Pittsburgh Steelers at 9 – 7 . The Browns narrowly survived a scare from the Buffalo Bills in their divisional playoff game , when Scott Norwood missed an extra point that would have pulled Buffalo within three points and , later , when Jim Kelly ' s desperation pass to the end zone on the final play of the game was intercepted by Clay Matthews . Cleveland ' s 34 – 30 win set them up for another tilt with the Broncos in Denver for the AFC Championship . While their two previous matchups went down to the wire , the result of this particular game was never in doubt . The Broncos led from start to finish , and a long Elway touchdown pass to Sammy Winder put the game away in the fourth quarter . Denver easily won 37 – 21 . In 1990 things began to unravel . Kosar threw more interceptions ( 15 ) than touchdowns ( 10 ) for the first time in his career ; and the team finished last in the league in rushing offense , and near the bottom in rushing defense . Carson was fired after a 2 – 7 start , and the team finished 3 – 13 , second - worst in the league . After the season Bill Belichick , defensive coordinator of the then - Super Bowl champion New York Giants , was named head coach . 1991 – 1995 : Bill Belichick and Modell ' s move . The Browns saw only a slight improvement under Belichick in 1991 , finishing 6 – 10 . Kosar was markedly better , with a ratio of 18 touchdowns to 9 interceptions , and Leroy Hoard had a breakout season . The next season , with Kosar sitting out much of the season and Mike Tomczak in under center , Cleveland was in the thick of the AFC Central race before dropping their final three games to finish 7 – 9 . The 1993 season saw Belichick make the controversial decision of cutting Kosar while back - up Vinny Testaverde , who had been signed from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , was injured . The Browns were in first place at the time and the Browns faltered as Todd Philcox became the starter . Kosar was signed by the Dallas Cowboys and a few days later led the Cowboys to a win in place of an injured Troy Aikman . Kosar would win a ring that season as the Cowboys won the Super Bowl with a healthy Aikman . Cleveland won only two of its final nine games finishing 7 – 9 once again . Cleveland managed to right the ship in 1994 , although the quarterback situation hadn ' t quite improved . A solid defense led the league for fewest yards allowed per attempt , sending four players ( Rob Burnett , Pepper Johnson , Michael Dean Perry , and Eric Turner ) to the Pro Bowl . The Browns finished 11 – 5 , making the playoffs for the first time in four seasons . In the AFC Wild Card game against the New England Patriots , the Browns ' defense picked off Drew Bledsoe three times , with Testaverde completing two - thirds of his passes , to win 20 – 13 . Arch - rival Pittsburgh ended the Browns ' season the following week , however , with a 29 – 9 blowout in the AFC Divisional game . Modell announced on November 6 , 1995 , that he had signed a deal to relocate the Browns to Baltimore in 1996 — a move which would return the NFL to Baltimore for the first time since the Colts relocated to Indianapolis after the 1983 season . The very next day , on November 7 , 1995 , Cleveland voters overwhelmingly approved an issue that had been placed on the ballot at Modell ' s request , before he made his decision to move the franchise , which provided $ 175 million in tax dollars to refurbish the outmoded and declining Cleveland Municipal Stadium . Modell ' s plan was later scrapped and taxpayers ultimately paid close to $ 300 million to demolish the old stadium and construct a new stadium for the Browns on the site of Municipal Stadium . Browns fans reacted angrily to the news . Over 100 lawsuits were filed by fans , the city of Cleveland , and a host of others . Congress held hearings on the matter . Actor / comedian Drew Carey returned to his hometown of Cleveland on November 26 , 1995 , to host " Fan Jam " in protest of the proposed move . A protest was held in Pittsburgh during the Browns ' game there but ABC , the network broadcasting the game , declined to cover or mention the protest . It was one of the few instances that Steelers fans and Browns fans were supporting each other , as fans in Pittsburgh felt that Modell was robbing their team of their rivalry with the Browns . Virtually all of the team ' s sponsors immediately pulled their support , leaving Municipal Stadium devoid of advertising during the team ' s final weeks . The 1995 season was a disaster on the field as well . After starting 3 – 1 , the Browns lost 3 straight before the news broke about the team ' s impending move cut the legs out from under the team . They finished 5 – 11 , including a 2 – 7 record in the nine games after the announcement . When fans in the Dawg Pound became unruly during their final home game against the Cincinnati Bengals , action moving towards that end zone had to be moved to the opposite end of the field . Rows of empty seats were torn from the stadium and thrown on the field . Stalls and sinks in the restrooms were torn from the walls . Several fans set fires in the stands , especially in the " Dawg Pound " section , and assaulted security officials and police officers who tried to quell the growing fires . The Browns won their final home game . Belichick resigned early in February 1996 . 1996 – 1999 : inactivity . After extensive talks between the NFL , the Browns , and officials of the two cities , Cleveland accepted a legal settlement that would keep the Browns legacy in Cleveland . In February 1996 , the NFL announced that the Browns would be ' deactivated ' for three years , and that a new stadium would be built for a new Browns team , as either an expansion team or a team moved from another city , that would begin play in 1999 . Modell would in turn be granted a new franchise , the NFL ' s 31st , for Baltimore , the Baltimore Ravens , retaining the current contracts of players and personnel . The Browns ceased play at the end of the 1995 season when Modell relocated the organization to Baltimore . The Browns franchise was then reactivated , and its roster restocked via an expansion draft before resuming play in the 1999 season . There would be a new team , but the Browns ' name , colors , history , records , awards and archives would remain in Cleveland . Coincidentally , the only other current NFL team to suspend operations without merging with another , the St . Louis Rams , had once played in Cleveland ( they suspended during the 1943 season , at the height of World War II , during their time in Cleveland ) . The move also fueled a proliferation of 12 new stadiums throughout the NFL . Using the NFL – City of Cleveland agreement ' s promise to supply a team to Cleveland by 1999 , several NFL franchises used the threat of relocation to coerce their respective cities to build new stadiums with public funds . Such franchises include the Broncos , Patriots , Eagles , Seahawks , Buccaneers , Bengals , Steelers , Lions , Cardinals , and Colts . Cleveland NFL Football LLC ( Cleveland Browns Trust ) was formed by the NFL . President of the Trust was Bill Futterer , and NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was the Trustee . The Trust represented the NFL in the stadium design and construction , managed the sale of suites and club seats , and sold Permanent Seat Licenses and season tickets . Additionally , the Trust reorganized the Browns Backers fan clubs across the United States , resumed coaches shows on television and radio throughout the state of Ohio , and conducted a dramatic one - year countdown celebration that incorporated the first live Internet broadcast in NFL history . The Trust operated its campaign under a Countdown to ' 99 theme , utilizing Hall of Famers such as Lou Groza and Jim Brown extensively , and sold nearly 53 , 000 season tickets — a team record in 1998 . It remains the only time in professional American football history that a league operated a team " in absentia " in order to preserve the history of the franchise and to build value in that franchise for the future owner . The NFL sold the Browns as an expansion team in 1998 for a North American record $ 530 million for a professional franchise , more than double any previous selling price for a pro sports team . Commissioner Tagliabue announced that the Browns would be an expansion team , rather than a relocated team , at the owners meeting in March 1998 . Officially , the National Football League , Pro Football Hall of Fame , Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens all recognize the current Browns team as a continuation of the team founded in 1946 . The Ravens " 1998 Fan and Media Guide " referred to longtime staffers as having worked for " The Modell organization " before the Ravens were created in 1996 . 1999 – 2004 : rejoining the NFL . Cleveland returned to the NFL in 1999 with high hopes and expectations , featuring deep - pocketed ownership in Al Lerner . The team ' s football operations appeared to be in solid hands in the form of president and CEO Carmen Policy and general manager Dwight Clark , both of whom had come from the San Francisco 49ers . Chris Palmer , former offensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars , was hired as head coach . The team was rebuilt from a special expansion draft and the regular NFL draft ; the latter included the number one selection , QB Tim Couch . It was to be expected that the resurrected Browns would struggle at first , as for all practical purposes they were an expansion team . However , the Browns ' first two seasons were awful even by expansion standards . 1999 started with a home game against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on " ESPN Sunday Night Football " , with Cleveland native Drew Carey participating in the opening - game coin toss . However , it would be the only highlight for the Browns that night . The Steelers got revenge on the 51 - 0 loss to the Browns ten years earlier ( though Steelers All - Pro center Dermontti Dawson was the only player remaining from either team from the 1989 game ) by beating the Browns 43 - 0 in their first game back . Though it is not the team ' s worst loss ever , it is their second worst loss since the team returned to the NFL , behind a 48 - 0 loss to Jacksonville on December 3 , 2000 . The 1999 season saw the Browns start 0 – 7 en route to a 2 – 14 finish , the worst in franchise history . 2000 was slightly better , with a 3 – 13 finish — the lone highlight being the Browns ' first home win in five years , against the Steelers on September 17 . Compounding the fans ' frustration was the Baltimore Ravens ' win over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV that season . Though the Ravens were considered a " new franchise " , the team still had players such as Matt Stover and Rob Burnett who had played for the Browns before the Modell move . Palmer was fired after the season and replaced by University of Miami coach Butch Davis . Under Davis the Browns became more competitive , finishing 7 – 9 in 2001 , three games out of the playoffs . With the team apparently close to being a contender again , Clark was forced to resign after the season , and Davis was named general manager as well as coach . In 2002 , the Browns finished 9 – 7 , and thanks to multiple tiebreakers they made the playoffs for the first time since 1994 . Facing Pittsburgh in the first round , the Browns led 33 – 21 with five minutes to go , but ultimately lost 36 – 33 . Their largest lead in the game was actually 17 points — they led 24 – 7 in the third quarter ; after that point the Steelers outscored them 29 – 9 — eerily the very score the Browns had lost by in the 1994 playoff meeting . The Browns did not sustain the momentum , finishing with double - digit losing records in 2003 and 2004 . Davis resigned in December 2004 with the team shouldering a 3 – 8 record ; Policy had resigned earlier in the year . Offensive Coordinator Terry Robiskie was named interim head coach for the remainder of the 2004 season . 2005 – 2008 : the Savage / Crennel era . Before the 2005 season began , Romeo Crennel , a one - time Browns assistant coach under Chris Palmer and , at the time , defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots , was named the Browns head coach . The team also hired Phil Savage as a new general manager . But despite the changes , the 2005 and 2006 seasons saw the Browns losing trend continue , with records of 6 – 10 and 4 – 12 . Prior to the Browns ' final game of the 2005 NFL season , ESPN reported that team president John Collins was going to fire Savage . However , the resulting uproar from fans and local media was strong , and on January 3 , 2006 Collins resigned instead . The role of team " President and CEO " was vacated until 2008 , with owner Randy Lerner filling in as de facto CEO until Michael Keenan was hired . In the 2007 season , the team saw a remarkable turnaround on the field . After opening the season with a 34 – 7 defeat by the Pittsburgh Steelers , the Browns traded starting quarterback Charlie Frye to the Seattle Seahawks , with backup Derek Anderson assuming the starting role . In his first start , Anderson led the Browns to a 51 – 45 win over the Cincinnati Bengals , tying the franchise record of five touchdown passes in a single game . The Browns finished the 2007 season a surprising 10 – 6 , barely missing the playoffs due to tie - breaker rules . Nevertheless , the record was the team ' s best since 1994 . Six players earned Pro Bowl recognition , with Anderson starting for the AFC in place of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady . Coach Crennel agreed to a two - year contract extension . The Browns entered the 2008 season with high expectations , and many pundits predicted that the team would win the division . The highlight of the season was an upset of the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants on Monday Night Football . However , inconsistent play and key injuries led to a disappointing 4 – 12 record . The Browns ended up using four starting quarterbacks during the season : Derek Anderson , Brady Quinn and Ken Dorsey were lost to injury ; the fourth , Bruce Gradkowski , was hired mid - season . Ending with six straight losses , the Browns finished with a franchise first two consecutive shutouts Savage and Crennel were subsequently fired . 2009 – present : The Mike Holmgren era . On January 5 , 2009 , the Browns hired former New York Jets coach Eric Mangini as head coach . Mangini , who started his career as a ballboy in Cleveland , worked as an assistant under former Browns coach Bill Belichick until becoming head coach of the Jets in 2006 . On January 25 , the team hired George Kokinis as the team ' s general manager . The Browns continued to struggle as they became accustomed to a completely new coaching staff . Throughout the preseason , Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson competed for the starting quarterback position . Quinn ended up winning the job , but after three games marked by team inconsistency ( and an 0 - 3 record ) , he was benched in favor of Anderson . On November 1 , the team announced the firing of GM Kokinis after only 8 regular season games ( and a 1 - 7 record ) , with his duties essentially being assumed by Mangini . Soon afterwards , Mangini decided that a quarterback switch was to be made again , and Quinn given the starting job back . After being 1 - 11 at the three - quarters point in the season ( 12 games ) , the team went on a four - game winning streak and finished with a record of 5 – 11 , highlighted by the team beating the Steelers after twelve consecutive losses against their bitter rival . On December 21 , 2009 , as Mangini ' s first season was coming to a close , former Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren was hired as team President and was given authority over the team ' s football operations . This hire was made after Browns owner Randy Lerner announced that he wished to bring in a " serious , credible leader " to steer the team in the right direction . After much public speculation by the media that Holmgren and Mangini would not be able to co - exist , Holmgren announced the retaining of Mangini and the entire coaching staff for the 2010 season . The following week , Holmgren hired former Philadelphia Eagles general manager Tom Heckert to become the new GM for the Browns . After taking control as President , Holmgren decided to release Anderson and trade away Quinn ( getting back eventual 1 , 100 + yard rusher and fan favorite RB Peyton Hillis in return ) . He signed veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme , who had led the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl in 2003 , along with veteran backup Seneca Wallace from the Seattle Seahawks . During the 2010 draft , the team of Holmgren , Heckert and Mangini focused mostly on improving the teams defensive secondary , although they also managed to acquire the University of Texas ' s Colt McCoy in the third round ; McCoy has the most recorded wins in NCAA history . Despite heading into the 2010 season with an overall sense of optimism , the Browns started off poorly . They set an NFL record when they lost their first three games after leading in the fourth quarter . They finally won their first game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4 . However , both Delhomme and Wallace injured their ankles over the first five games , forcing Colt McCoy to start in Week 6 against the Steelers even though Mike Holmgren stated that he would sit and learn the entire season . Though McCoy lost his first NFL start against the Steelers , he was able to win the following week when the Browns upset the defending Super Bowl Champions , the New Orleans Saints . With this victory , the Browns defeated the defending Super Bowl Champions three years in a row , becoming the seventh NFL team to achieve this feat . The Browns continued this positive streak by outplaying the New England Patriots for a 34 - 14 victory in their next game . However , they lost to the New York Jets in overtime the following week , despite a late 4th quarter game tying touchdown drive by McCoy . On January 3 , 2011 , after losing four games in a row to end the season , Holmgren and the Browns decided to fire head coach Eric Mangini , who posted a record of 10 - 22 in his two seasons as head coach . Eleven days later , Holmgren signed St . Louis Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur to become the new head coach . Most recently the Cleveland Browns added former Buffalo Bills head coach and Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dick Jauron as their Defensive Coordinator . Logos and uniforms . Logos . The Browns are the only team in the NFL that does not have a logo on their helmets . However , the team has had various promotional logos throughout the years , such as the " Brownie Elf " mascot or a Brown " B " in a white football . While Art Modell did away with the Brownie Elf in the mid - 1960s , believing it to be too childish , its use has been revived under the current ownership . In 1965 , NFL Creative Services designed a brown " CB " logo for the Browns ' helmet . It was never used in any games . Finally , the popularity of the Dawg Pound section at Cleveland Browns Stadium has led to a brown and orange dog being used for various Browns functions . But overall , the orange , logo - less helmet continues to remain as the primary trademark of the Cleveland Browns . Uniforms . The original designs of the jerseys , pants , and socks have remained mostly the same , but the helmets have gone through many significant revisions throughout the years . Jerseys : 1 . Home Uniforms : brown ( officially " seal brown " ) with white numerals and a white - orange - white - orange - white stripe sequence on the sleeves . 2 . Away Uniforms : white with brown numerals and a brown - orange - brown - orange - brown stripe sequence on the sleeves . The three white or brown stripes are approximately twice the width of the two orange stripes . ( The original 1946 jerseys featured block - shadow numerals . ) 3 . A third orange jersey was used for night games in the 1954 season , as well as from 2002 - 2005 when the NFL encouraged teams to create a third jersey . Pants : 1 . White - white with an orange - brown - orange stripe sequence on the sides ( the stripes are of equal width ) . 2 . Brown - solid brown ( no stripes ) . Orange pants with a wider brown - white - brown stripe sequence were worn from 1975 – 1983 and become symbolic of the " Kardiac Kids " era . The orange pants were worn again occasionally in 2003 and 2004 . Socks : Brown or white with matching stripe pattern to jerseys ( 1946 – 1983 ; 1985 – 1995 ; 1999 – 2002 mid - season ) ; solid brown with brown jerseys and solid orange with white jerseys ( 1984 ) ; solid brown when worn with white pants ( 2002 mid - season – 2008 ) ; white striped socks with brown pants ( 2009 ) Exceptions : White striped socks appeared occasionally with the white jerseys in 2003 – 2005 and again in 2007 . Brown striped socks appeared with 1957 - style throwback uniforms in 2006 - 2008 . Helmet : Solid white ( 1946 – 1949 ) ; solid white for day games and solid orange for night games ( 1950 – 1951 ) ; orange with a single white stripe ( 1952 – 1956 ) ; orange with a single white stripe and brown numerals on the sides ( 1957 – 1959 ) ; orange with a brown - white - brown stripe sequence and brown numerals on the sides ( 1960 ) ; orange with a brown - white - brown stripe sequence ( 1961 – 1995 and 1999 – present ) . Over the years , the Browns have had on - again / off - again periods of wearing white for their home games , particularly in the 1970s and 1980s , as well as in the early 2000s after the team returned to the league . Until recently , when more NFL teams have started to wear white at home at least once a season , the Browns were the only non - subtropical team north of the Mason - Dixon line to wear white at home on a regular basis . Numerals first appeared on the jersey sleeves in 1961 . Over the years , there have been minor revisions to the sleeve stripes , the first occurring in 1968 ( brown jerseys worn in early season ) and 1969 ( white and brown jerseys ) when stripes began to be silk screened onto the sleeves and separated from each other to prevent color bleeding . However , the basic five - stripe sequence has remained intact ( with the exception of the 1984 season ) . A recent revision was the addition of the initials " AL " to honor team owner Al Lerner who died in 2002 . Orange pants with a brown - white - brown stripe sequence were worn from 1975 – 1983 and become symbolic of the " Kardiac Kids " era . The orange pants were worn again occasionally in 2003 and 2004 . Other than the helmet , the uniform was completely redesigned for the 1984 season . New striping patterns appeared on the white jerseys , brown jerseys and pants . Solid brown socks were worn with brown jerseys and solid orange socks were worn with white jerseys . Brown numerals on the white jerseys were outlined in orange . White numerals on the brown jerseys were double outlined in brown and orange . ( Orange numerals double outlined in brown and white appeared briefly on the brown jerseys in one pre - season game . ) However , this particular uniform set was not popular with the fans , and in 1985 the uniform was returned to a look similar to the original design . It remained that way until 1995 . In 1999 , the expansion Browns adopted the traditional design with two exceptions : 1 . ) Jersey - sleeve numbers were moved to the shoulders , and 2 . ) The orange - brown - orange pants stripes were significantly widened . Experimentation with the uniform design began in 2002 . An alternate orange jersey was introduced that season as the NFL encouraged teams to adopt a third jersey , and a major design change was made when solid brown socks appeared for the first time since 1984 and were used with white , brown and orange jerseys . Other than 1984 , striped socks ( matching the jersey stripes ) had been a signature design element in the team ' s traditional uniform . The white striped socks would appeared occasionally with the white jerseys in 2003 – 2005 and 2007 . Experimentation continued in 2003 and 2004 when the traditional orange - brown - orange stripes on the white pants were replaced by two variations of a brown - orange - brown sequence , one in which the stripes were joined ( worn with white jerseys ) and the other in which they were separated by white ( worn with brown jerseys ) . The joined sequence was used exclusively with both jerseys in 2005 . In 2006 , the traditional orange - brown - orange sequence returned . Additionally in 2006 , the team reverted to an older uniform style , featuring gray face masks ; the original stripe pattern on the brown jersey sleeves ( The white jersey has had that sleeve stripe pattern on a consistent basis since the 1985 season . ) and the older , darker shade of brown . The Browns wore brown pants for the first time in team history on August 18 , 2008 , preseason game against the New York Giants . The pants contain no stripes or markings . The team had the brown pants created as an option for their away uniform when they integrated the gray facemask in 2006 . They were not worn again until the Browns " family " scrimmage on August 9 , 2009 with white - striped socks . The Browns have continued to wear the brown pants throughout the 2009 season . Browns quarterback Brady Quinn supported the team ' s move to wearing the brown pants full time , claiming that the striped pattern on the white pants " prohibit [ ed ] mobility " . However , the fans generally did not like the brown pants , and after being used for only one season , the team returned to their white shirt - on - white pants in 2010 . Coach Eric Mangini told The Plain Dealer ( newspaper ) the Browns won ' t use the brown pants anymore . " It wasn ' t very well - received , " Mangini said . " I hope we can get to the point where we can wear fruit on our heads and people wouldn ' t notice . " Rivals . The Cleveland Browns has rivalries with all three of its AFC North opponents . In addition , the team has had historical rivalries with the Baltimore Colts , Denver Broncos , and Detroit Lions . The team ' s biggest rival in the AAFC was the San Francisco 49ers , though this has cooled and in some cases turned into a friendly relationship , as many 49ers personnel helped the Browns relaunch in 1999 as well as current team President Mike Holmgren having started his NFL career in San Francisco . In addition , 49ers owners John York & Denise DeBartolo York reside in the Youngstown , Ohio suburb of Canfield , Ohio , 76 miles southeast of Cleveland . Pittsburgh Steelers . Often called the " Turnpike Rivalry " , the Browns ' main rival has long been the Pittsburgh Steelers . Though the Browns dominated this rivalry early in the series ( winning the first eight matchups ) , the Steelers currently have the all - time edge 61 - 56 , making it the oldest rivalry in the AFC and also the most even . Former Browns owner Art Modell scheduled home games against the Steelers on Saturday night from 1964 - 1970 to help fuel the rivalry . The rivalry has been fueled by the proximity of the two teams , number of championships both teams have won , players and personnel having played and / or coached for both sides , and personal bitterness . Though the rivalry has cooled in Pittsburgh due to the Modell move ( as well as the Browns having a 4 - 20 record against the Steelers since returning to the league in 1999 ) , the Steelers remain the top rival for Cleveland . Cincinnati Bengals . Originally conceived due to the personal animosity between Paul Brown and Art Modell , the " Battle of Ohio " between the Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals have been fueled by the sociocultural differences between Cincinnati and Cleveland , a shared history between the two teams , and even similar team colors , since Brown used the exact shade of orange for the Bengals that he used for the Browns . ( Though this has changed since then , as the Bengals now use a brighter shade of orange . ) Modell , in fact , moved the Browns to the AFC after the AFL – NFL merger in order to have a rivalry with the Bengals . The rivalry has also produced two of the eight highest - scoring games in NFL history . Cincinnati has the all - time edge 38 - 36 . Baltimore Ravens . Created as a result of the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy , the rivalry between the Browns and the Ravens is more directed at Art Modell than the team itself , and is simply considered a divisional game in Baltimore . The Ravens still have many personnel that were in Cleveland at the time of the move , and won Super Bowl XXXV only five years after the move to the dismay of Browns fans . Unlike the other two rivalries , this one is more lopsided : Baltimore leads it 16 - 7 . Fans . Perhaps the most visible Browns fans are those that can be found in the Dawg Pound . Originally the name for the bleacher section located in the open ( east ) end of old Cleveland Municipal Stadium , the current incarnation of is likewise located in the east end of Cleveland Browns Stadium and still features hundreds of orange and brown clad fans sporting various canine - related paraphernalia . The fans adopted that name in 1984 after members of the Browns defense used it to describe the team ' s defense . Retired cornerback Hanford Dixon , who played his entire career for the Browns ( 1981 – 1989 ) , is credited with naming the Cleveland Browns defense ' The Dawgs ' in the mid - 80 ' s . Dixon and fellow teammates Frank Minnifield , and Eddie Johnson would bark at each other and to the fans in the bleachers at the Cleveland Stadium to fire them up . It was from Dixon ' s naming that the " Dawg Pound " subsequently took its title . The fans adopted that name in the years after . The most prominent organization of Browns fans is the " Browns Backers Worldwide " ( BBW ) . The organization has approximately 93 , 295 members and is considered the largest sports - fan organization in the USA . Browns Backers clubs can be found in every major city in the United States , and in a number of military bases throughout the world , with the largest club being in Phoenix , Arizona . In addition , the organization has a sizable foreign presence in places as far away as Egypt , Australia , Japan , and Sri Lanka . According to The Official Fan Club of the Cleveland Browns , the two largest international fan clubs are in Alon Shvut , Israel and Niagara , Canada , with Alon Shvut having 129 members and Niagara having 310 . A 2006 study conducted by " Bizjournal " determined that Browns fans are the most loyal fans in the NFL . The study , while not scientific , was largely based on fan loyalty during winning and losing seasons , attendance at games , and challenges confronting fans ( such as inclement weather or long - term poor performance of their team ) . The study noted that Browns fans filled 99 . 8 % of the seats at Cleveland Browns Stadium during the last seven seasons , despite a combined record of 36 wins and 76 losses over that span . Following Browns owner Randy Lerner ' s acquisition of English football club Aston Villa , official Villa outlets have started selling Cleveland Browns goods such as jerseys and NFL balls . This has raised interest in England and strengthened the link between the two sporting clubs . Aston Villa supporters have set up an organization known as the Aston ( Villa ) Browns Backers of Birmingham . Players of note . Players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame . The Cleveland Browns have the fourth largest number of players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame with a total of sixteen enshrined players elected based on their performance with the Browns , and five more players elected who spent at least one year with the Browns franchise . No Browns players were inducted in the inaugural induction class of 1963 . Otto Graham was the first Brown to be enshrined as a member of the class of 1965 , and the most recent Brown to be included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is Gene Hickerson , who was a member of the class of 2007 . Cleveland Browns Legends . The Legends program honors former Browns who made noteworthy contributions to the history of the franchise . In addition to all the Hall of Famers listed above , the Legends list includes : < br > Robert Jordan was drafted in to the hall of fame but lost his spot when he was given a fine for fighting . Browns Ring of Honor . Beginning in 2010 , the Browns established a Ring of Honor , honoring the greats from the past by having their names displayed around the upper deck of Cleveland Browns Stadium . The inaugural class in the Browns Ring of Honor was unveiled during the home opener on September 19 , 2010 , and featured the sixteen Hall of Famers listed above who went in to the Hall of Fame as Browns . Radio and TV . Since 2001 , the Browns ' flagship radio stations are WMMS FM 100 . 7 and WTAM AM 1100 . Jim Donovan - - sports director of WKYC channel 3 ( NBC ) - - is the play - by - play announcer , former Browns offensive tackle Doug Dieken is the color analyst , with Clevelandbrowns . com and SportsTime Ohio personality Jamir Howerton serving as sideline reporter . WTAM morning co - host / sports director Mike Snyder , and former Browns quarterback Mike Pagel host the pregame , halftime , and postgame shows . During the preseason and early September games , WTAM will broadcast the Cleveland Indians games while WMMS will broadcast Browns games when both teams play at the same time . Preseason telecasts air on WKYC , with Jim Donovan and Bernie Kosar in the booth , and WKYC weekend sports anchor Dave Chudowski as sideline reporter . When Donovan does TV , Mike Snyder moves to radio play - by - play , and WTAM evening host Bob Frantz handles pregame / halftime / postgame duties . SportsTime Ohio is the official cable home of the team , and airs numerous weekly Browns related programs . When a game is broadcast on either ESPN or NFL Network , a local over - the - air station will simulcast the game ( as per NFL policy ) . WJW - TV channel 8 ( Fox ) has been airing the bulk of these games in recent years , though Browns TV partner WKYC has occasionally picked up the games as well . Pop culture . Cleveland native Arsenio Hall ' s television program , " The Arsenio Hall Show " , was known for the audience ' s shouting " Woof , woof , woof ! " while pumping their fists — a chant that was used by fans of the Cleveland Browns football team . He would refer to a section of the live audience as his " dawg pound . " Cleveland Brown is the name of a character originally featured on the Fox TV show " Family Guy " , and the central character of the spin - off series " The Cleveland Show " .