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Thursday, May 15, 2025
You are here: Home / All-Time Lists / Top 50 Cleveland Browns Players In Franchise History (Updated)

Top 50 Cleveland Browns Players In Franchise History (Updated)

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Top 50 Cleveland Browns Players In Franchise History (Updated)
Erik Drost / CC BY

 

The Cleveland Browns may not have a lot of playoff appearances in the 21st century, but the organization is still known for its game-changing players.

Ever since becoming a member of the All-American Football Conference in 1946, the Browns have consistently churned out athletes who have delivered unforgettable memories.

Cleveland is responsible for some of the biggest names in NFL history regardless of the decade or the team’s record.

Here are the 50 greatest Cleveland Browns in team history.

The list includes both retired and active players.

 

50- Joel Bitonio

With the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Cleveland selected University of Nevada guard Joel Bitonio.

The selection didn’t make a lot of waves at the time, but Bitonio has quickly become one of the best offensive linemen in team history.

Since his rookie year, Bitonio has been a mainstay on the Browns’ offensive line.

In 2015 and 2016, he missed time due to injuries.

However, from 2017 through the 2023 season, Bitonio has played in every game except two.

Along the way, he was selected for the PFWA All-Rookie Team, named to six Pro Bowl teams, and chosen as an All-Pro five times.

Bitonio also helped Cleveland return to the postseason in 2020 (after nearly two decades without an appearance) and a playoff win that same year, the Browns’ first postseason victory since 1994.

 

49- Don Cockroft

Lou “the Toe” Groza (#9 on the list) had already established the standard for Cleveland kickers before Don Cockroft arrived in 1968.

Groza retired after the 1967 season and the Browns needed a new toe to kick footballs.

Cockroft turned out to be their guy and was the team’s punter and kicker for nine seasons before concentrating on just kicking duties in 1977.

During his Cleveland career, Cockroft nailed several big kicks and was named Pro Football Weekly’s Golden Toe Award winner in 1972 after making 81.5% of his field goal tries (including a long of 57 yards) and all but one of his extra-point tries.

In 1974, Cockroft was successful on a career-best 87.5% of his field goal attempts (only missing two) and connecting on all but one extra point.

Unfortunately, his solid career was somewhat marred during the Browns’ 14-12 divisional playoff loss to the Oakland Raiders in January of 1981.

During what would be called the Red Right 88 game, Cockroft missed two field goals, had an extra point attempt blocked, and a bad snap negated another field goal attempt.

The Red Right 88 play happened primarily because the Browns didn’t want to try a potential game-winning field goal because of Cockroft’s misses.

That would prove to be Cockroft’s final game in a Browns uniform.

While playing in Cleveland, he made 65.9% of his field goals and 94.5% of his extra-point attempts. Cockroft is a member of the Cleveland Browns Legends.

 

48- Doug Dieken

Modern-day Browns fans know Doug Dieken as the former radio color commentator for Browns games, a job he retired from following the 2021 season.

Before he was a well-known radio voice, Dieken was a regular on Cleveland’s offensive line as a tackle from 1971-1984.

He arrived in ‘71 as a sixth-round pick from the University of Illinois and started five games as a rookie.

The Browns put Dieken at left tackle in 1972 after former Cleveland great Dick Shafrath (#21) retired following the 1971 season.

Dieken picked up where Shafrath left off and never missed a game for the next 13 years, setting franchise records at the time with 194 consecutive starts and playing in 203 consecutive games.

The 6’5”, 250-pounder proved to be a road grader in the run game and could pass block with the best of them.

Somehow, Dieken was consistently overlooked for postseason accolades until finally getting voted to his only Pro Bowl in 1980.

In 1982, he was named the NFL’s Man of the Year for his charity work in the Cleveland area.

After he retired following the 1984 season, Dieken went upstairs to the broadcast booth in 1985 and stayed for the next three-plus decades.

During his career, Dieken was a Pro Bowler once and was selected as a Cleveland Browns Legend.

 

47- Joe DeLamielleure

Joe DeLamielleure may have only spent five years in Cleveland, but he was a memorable player nonetheless.

Before coming to Cleveland, DeLamielleure was a Buffalo Bill from 1973-1979.

He was part of a potent Bills offensive line that was nicknamed “The Electric Company” that bulldozed over the competition while running back O.J. Simpson rushed for 2,003 yards in 1973.

Simpson was the first back to break the 2,000-yard mark in a single season.

In 1980, DeLamielleure was traded to the Browns and he continued stonewalling opponents from his guard position.

That same year, Browns quarterback Brian Sipe (#24) passed for over 4,000 yards.

His yardage total gave DeLamielleure the distinction of being the first player in NFL history to block for a 2,000-yard rusher and 4,000-yard passer.

While playing in Buffalo, DeLamielleure was selected as a Pro Bowler five times and he was selected once as a Brown.

He never missed a start while in Cleveland and was an anchor of the line before leaving for one final year in Buffalo in 1985.

During his career, DeLamielleure was a six-time Pro Bowler (once with Cleveland) and eight-time All-Pro (twice with the Browns).

He has since been added to the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade Team and the Browns’ Ring of Honor.

In 2003, DeLamielleure was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

46- Bob Golic

Bob Golic was a Cleveland native who played high school football in the city before leaving to play at Notre Dame.

He was then drafted in the second round of the 1978 draft By the New England Patriots and played linebacker for the Pats.

In 1982, New England cut Golic and the Browns plucked him from the waiver wire.

Then-head coach Sam Rutigliano moved Golic from linebacker and placed the 6’2, 250-pounder at nose tackle.

As unlikely as the move seemed, Golic had been an accomplished wrestler at Notre Dame while also playing football so he was a perfect choice to grapple with bigger offensive linemen.

During the ‘82 season, he started six times and collected four sacks.

For the next six years, Golic became a consistent starter, rarely missing games due to injuries.

He was a member of the Cleveland teams that advanced to the AFC Championship after the 1986 and 1987 seasons, both excruciating losses to the Denver Broncos.

Golic then played in the 1988 season alongside rookie Michael Dean Perry (#26) and Carl Hairston.

The Browns won 10 games despite a rash of injuries at the quarterback position then fell to the Houston Oilers in the wild-card round.

A few months later, the Los Angeles Raiders claimed Golic through Plan B free agency and he played in LA through the 1992 season before retiring.

During his 14-year career, Golic did his best work while in Cleveland.

As a Brown, he went to three Pro Bowls and was named an All-Pro twice.

Golic had 14 sacks while playing in Ohio and also snagged an interception, a rarity for a nose tackle.

After leaving football, Golic got the acting bug and appeared on several television shows.

He also worked as a football analyst on television and radio and worked in football operations for the short-lived Lingerie Football League.

Golic and his family currently live in Ohio.

 

45- Eric Turner

In 1990, the Browns went from playing in the AFC title game in 1989 to a paltry 3-13 record.

Owner Art Modell cleaned house, hiring former Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick as the head coach.

The organization then drafted former UCLA safety Eric Turner with the second overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft.

Turner couldn’t have been a more perfect fit in Cleveland.

The 6’1, 215-pound safety was known for laying down some devastating tackles while playing for the Bruins in college and continued to do so with the Browns.

He started seven games as a rookie and still had two interceptions including a pick-six.

After starting 13 games in 1992, “E-Rock” didn’t miss a game in the 1993 or 1994 seasons.

In ‘93, he had five picks and a career-vest 159 combined tackles.

Then, in 1994, Turner hounded quarterbacks into a co-NFL-best (tied with the Cardinals’ Aeneas Williams) nine interceptions, including one returned for a score, and added one sack and 105 total tackles.

Following his stellar year, Turner was voted to his first Pro Bowl.

His play during the ‘94 season helped propel Cleveland to an 11-5 record and a return to the playoffs after a four-year absence.

When Art Modell broke the hearts of Browns fans by moving the franchise to Baltimore in 1996, Turner went with him.

He played as a Raven for a year and relocated to the Raiders in 1997 where he played through the 1999 season.

In early 2000, Turner was diagnosed with stomach cancer and did his best to downplay his condition.

Unfortunately, Turner passed away on May 28, 2000, at the age of 31 due to complications of cancer.

During his time in Cleveland, Turner had 524 combined tackles, two sacks, and 17 interceptions for 272 return yards and two touchdowns.

He went to the Pro Bowl twice (once as a Raven), was an All-Pro once and co-led the NFL in interceptions in 1994.

 

44- Earnest Byner

In 1984, Earnest Byner was a little-known 10th-round draft pick from East Carolina University.

He started three games in his rookie year and netted 426 yards and two touchdowns.

One year later, Byner’s career took off and he quickly became a fan favorite.

During his second pro season, the running back rushed for just over 1,000 yards and 10 combined touchdowns in 1985 while helping the Browns to an 8-8 record and a loss to Miami in the divisional round.

In 1986, Byner was limited to only 277 yards.

Meanwhile, Cleveland won 12 games and advanced to the AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos.

Broncos quarterback John Elway took his team the length of the field (“The Drive”) to tie the game and Denver won the contest in overtime.

The Browns returned to play the Broncos in 1987 after Byner ran for 432 yards and 10 total touchdowns during the regular season.

In the AFC title game, Byner had two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air.

Late in the contest, Denver had the lead but the Browns were driving.

Cleveland was perched on the Broncos’ eight-yard line and quarterback Bernie Kosar (#7) handed off to Byner, who saw a gaping hole and looked like he would score.

At the last second, Denver cornerback Jeremiah Castille stuck out his hand and poked the ball loose from Byner’s grasp.

“The Fumble” was recovered by the Broncos and the Browns went home one game short of the Super Bowl for the second year in a row.

Although he had scored twice, rushed for 67 yards and caught seven passes for 120 yards, Byner’s costly fumble haunted him for the rest of his career.

In 1988, Byner had 580 yards and seven scores on the ground and then moved on to the Washington Redskins in 1989.

As a Redskin, Byner had two consecutive 1,000 yards seasons including a career-best 1,219 yards in 1990, which led to his first Pro Bowl.

He finally experienced the thrill of a championship with Washington in 1991 when the team defeated Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVI.

During the contest, Byner had 49 rushing yards, 24 receiving yards and one score in the second quarter.

Byner returned to the Browns in 1994 and played two years for Cleveland before the franchise moved to Baltimore.

After two years as a Raven, Byner retired following the 1997 season.

Byner’s many strengths as a player was that he could run, block, and catch passes out of the backfield.

During his time in Cleveland, Byner ran for 3,364 yards and 27 touchdowns and caught 276 passes for 2,630 yards and 10 scores.

Although his peers didn’t recognize him as a Brown, Byner was selected for the Pro Bowl twice as a Redskin and was an All-Pro once while playing in Washington.

After his career, Byner was named a Browns Legend.

 

43- Milt Morin

Die-hard Browns fans are well-versed in former tight end Ozzie Newsome’s (#6) brilliant career.

Before Newsome arrived in town, however, the franchise boasted Milt Morin.

The team selected Morin in the first round of the 1966 draft.

When he made the team, Art Modell called Morin into his office and asked him how much he would make as a teacher (Morin’s course of study in college).

When Morin answered that a teacher’s salary would be about $6,000 a year, Modell gave his new tight end a contract for exactly that amount.

After two mediocre seasons to begin his career, Morin started fulfilling his promise as a pro player in 1968.

As the Browns were advancing to the NFL Championship game (where Cleveland would lose to the Baltimore Colts), Morin caught 43 passes for 792 yards and five touchdowns, all career-highs.

He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl following the year.

From 1969 through the 1971 season, Morin pancaked opponents as a blocker and also caught between 37 and 40 passes each year.

His 40 receptions, 581 yards and two scores in ‘71 led to Morin’s second Pro Bowl.

He continued to play at a high level for the next three years before running out of gas in 1975.

Morin retired with 271 receptions, 4,208 yards, and 16 touchdowns.

He was a two-time Pro Bowler and was named a Cleveland Browns Legend.

 

42- Mike Pruitt

Beginning in 1973, the Browns hit an epic dry spell.

The franchise had consistently played ball in the postseason, but 1973 marked seven consecutive years of playoff-less football.

During that time, Mike Pruitt was the seventh overall pick of the Browns in the 1976 draft.

He played in the same backfield as Greg Pruitt (#30 on this list and no relation to Mike).

Listed as a fullback, Pruitt didn’t get many carries his first two years in the league.

That all changed in 1978 when he rushed for 560 yards and five scores.

Then, in four of the next five years, Pruitt rumbled for over 1,000 yards including a career-best 1,294 yards in 1979.

That brought the fullback his first Pro Bowl.

Pruitt’s rise in production coincided with Cleveland’s return to the playoffs.

In 1980, the Browns lost in the Red Right 88 game against the LA Raiders while Pruitt had 1,034 yards on the ground.

Three years later, Cleveland lost a tough game in Miami during the divisional round in 1985.

Unfortunately, Pruitt wasn’t with the organization that year and was a surprise September cut by the team.

He split time that year between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Pruitt ended his career after the 1986 season in KC.

During his time in Cleveland, the multi-purpose threat had 6,540 yards, and 47 touchdowns on the ground and collected 255 passes for 1,761 yards and five touchdowns.

He was a two-time Pro Bowler and named a Browns Legend.

After football, Pruitt owned two car dealerships and he was inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

 

41- Alex Mack

In 2009, the Browns drafted University of California, Berkeley lineman Alex Mack with the 21st overall pick.

The selection proved to be wise as Mack was an immediate starter at center for Cleveland.

Better yet, he helped anchor a line that included tackle Joe Thomas (#5).

Despite having two of the best offensive linemen in football, the Browns bewildered their fans during Mack’s time with the team.

From his rookie year through the 2013 season, he never missed a game while Cleveland couldn’t win more than five games a season during that span.

Then, before the 2014 season began, the Jacksonville Jaguars made Mack a huge contract offer.

The Browns matched the offer and he remained in Ohio.

As (bad) luck would have it, Mack suffered a broken fibula in Week 6 of 2014 and he was lost for the remainder of the year.

After returning to play in every contest in 2015, Mack was finally lured away from Cleveland in 2016.

In a signing that broke the hearts of Browns fans, Mack signed a five-year, $45 million deal to play for the Atlanta Falcons.

After five years in Atlanta, Mack played one final season with San Francisco in 2021 before calling it quits.

During his stellar career, Mack was a seven-time Pro Bowler (three with Cleveland), three-time All-Pro (once with the Browns), and named to the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team.

 

40- Webster Slaughter

Before the 1986 NFL Draft, former Cleveland great Paul Warfield (#38) asked then-general manager Ernie Accorsi to take a look at a receiver from San Diego State named Webster Slaughter.

Accorsi believed that if Warfield liked a player, then that player must be pretty good.

The GM took Slaughter with the 43rd overall pick in the draft’s second round.

Slaughter repaid Accorsi by starting all 16 games as a rookie and catching 40 passes for 577 yards and four touchdowns.

That same year, the Browns advanced to the AFC Championship game before losing to John Elway and his “Drive” down the field to tie the contest.

A year later, Slaughter caught 47 passes and a career-high seven touchdowns.

He also hauled in a four-yard touchdown reception to tie the AFC Championship game at 31-31.

Minutes later, the Browns would lose again to Denver due to Earnest Byner’s (#44) fumble.

Slaughter missed half the season in 1988 with a broken arm.

However, he suited up for Cleveland’s wild-card round date with the Houston Oilers.

That afternoon, the receiver caught two touchdown passes from third-string quarterback Mike Pagel.

However, they weren’t enough to keep the Oilers from defeating Cleveland, 24-23.

In 1989, Slaughter had his best year as a Brown when he caught 65 passes for 1,236 yards (career-high) and six scores.

Those numbers brought Slaughter his first Pro Bowl.

After 59 receptions in 1990 and 64 in 1991, Slaughter left Cleveland and became a member of the Oilers’ run-and-shoot offense.

Three years and another Pro Bowl in Houston led to stints with Kansas City, the New York Jets and San Diego before retiring after the 1998 season.

In six seasons with Cleveland, Slaughter caught 305 passes for 4,834 yards and 27 touchdowns.

He was a two-time Pro Bowler (once with the Browns) and a first-team All-Pro once.

The Browns named Slaughter one of their Legends in 2020.

 

39- Hanford Dixon

One of the most intimidating sections of fans in all of the NFL is Cleveland’s “Dawg Pound.”

Those fans have Hanford Dixon to thank for the name and the reputation.

Dixon arrived in Cleveland as the 22nd overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft.

He made a name for himself in his second season when Hanford collected four interceptions and a sack.

Dixon continued picking passes off in bunches for the next few years while playing in a secondary with good friend Frank Minnifield (#27).

Both corners began terrorizing NFL offenses beginning in 1984, just as the Browns were about to take off.

By the start of the 1985 season, Browns fans started imitating Dixon, Minnifield and their defensive teammates, who would bark at each other after big plays.

The “Dawg Pound” formed that year and has not quieted since.

Between 1986 and 1988, Dixon was voted to three consecutive Pro Bowls.

Those years coincided with the team reaching the cusp of the Super Bowl in 1986 and 1987.

Then, following a 1989 season where he started 15 games and had one interception, Dixon retired.

During his Browns career, Dixon had 26 interceptions for 225 return yards and two sacks.

NFL historians have frequently called Dixon and Minnifield one of the best cornerback tandems of all time.

 

38- Paul Warfield

Paul Warfield became a Brown at just the right time.

After getting selected with the 11th overall pick in the 1964 NFL Draft, Warfield had 52 receptions and nine touchdowns (and his first Pro Bowl) as Cleveland won 10 games and their final NFL Championship.

A broken collarbone kept the receiver out of all but one game in 1965.

He returned in 1966 and contributed 36 receptions and had 32 catches in 1967.

In 1968, Warfield torched NFL defenses for 50 receptions, a career-high 1,067 yards (the only 1,000-yard season of his career), and an NFL-leading 12 touchdowns.

He was honored with his second Pro Bowl following the year.

Warfield was a Pro Bowl selection in 1969 after collecting 42 passes and 10 scores as Cleveland lost for the second year in a row in the NFL Championship.

Before the 1970 season, Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula pulled out all the stops to acquire Warfield.

In his five years with Miami, Warfield solidified himself as one of the best receivers in football.

During that span, he led the NFL again in touchdown receptions in 1971, appeared in five consecutive Pro Bowls, and won two Super Bowls.

Warfield returned to Cleveland in 1976 following a one-season hiatus with the Memphis Southmen of the World Football League.

He played for the Browns in 1977 before hanging up his cleats for good.

During his eight years with Cleveland, Warfield had 271 catches for 5,210 yards and 52 touchdowns.

As a Brown, the receiver was a three-time Pro Bowler, a one-time All-Pro, the NFL’s receiving touchdowns leader once, and NFL Champion once.

Warfield was later chosen for the NFL’s 1970s All-Decade Team, the league’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and placed in the Browns’ Ring of Honor.

In his first year of eligibility, Warfield was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

 

37- Phil Dawson

In the NFL, kickers can have a long shelf life if they are consistent, stay healthy, and can be counted on in big situations.

That was Phil Dawson to a “T.” Dawson went undrafted in 1998 and was discarded first by the Oakland Raiders and then by the New England Patriots that same year.

Their loss was Cleveland’s gain.

In 1999, the Browns returned to the league after the original franchise left for Baltimore following the 1995 season.

The team needed a kicker and Dawson survived the final cuts.

He had a 67% field goal success rate that season but improved to 82% in 2000.

For the next decade, Dawson consistently made between 72% and 93% of his field goal attempts and his extra points attempts rarely dipped below a 95% success rate.

Along the way, the kicker was known for making good during several big plays.

During his first year as a Brown in ‘99, Dawson not only kicked the first points of the recast Browns, he also scored a touchdown against Cincinnati in Week 5 on a fake field goal attempt.

It would be the only touchdown Dawson would score in his long career.

In 2002, Cleveland made the postseason for the first time since 1994.

During the team’s 36-33 wild card loss to Pittsburgh, Dawson made two field goals and three extra points.

A few years later, Dawson’s 51-yard field goal attempt against Baltimore hit the left upright, then went through the uprights before connecting with the back, curved post, and back out onto the field.

At the time, the play was not reviewable under NFL rules.

However, the referees discussed the situation and ruled that the kick was good since it had passed over the crossbar initially.

The league later changed the rule so that any kick hitting any part of the uprights could be reviewed.

The rule was coined the “Phil Dawson” Rule.

In 2008, Dawson nailed a 56-yard field goal to beat the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football in Week 11.

Then, in 2012, Dawson made 29 of his 31 field goal attempts (a career-high 93.5% success rate) and all of his extra points, leading to his only Pro Bowl nod.

After the ‘12 season, the Browns allowed Dawson to leave and he was signed as a free agent by the San Francisco 49ers.

He spent four years in San Fran followed by two more seasons in Arizona before retiring after the 2018 season.

As a Brown, Dawson set a team record by connecting on 29 consecutive field goals and for the most field goals made in a single game (6).

Dawson also passed Lou Groza (#9) for the second-most made field goals in team history.

Since retiring, Dawson has been an athletic director and coach at the high school level.

 

36- Thom Darden

In the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft, the Browns selected University of Michigan defensive back, Thom Darden.

While in college, Darden was a first-team All-Big Ten member and also a first-team All-American.

After becoming a Brown, Darden was the team’s starting strong safety in his rookie year and snagged three interceptions.

Cleveland won 10 games that year and lost in the wild-card round to Miami.

That would be the last time the organization would play in the postseason until 1980.

However, Darden did his part to punish any opponent who dared to test him.

In 1974, while the Browns were only winning four games, Darden pulled in eight interceptions.

He then missed all of 1975 due to a knee injury before coming back with a vengeance in 1976.

Darden started every game that season and had seven picks.

Six more interceptions followed in 1977 along with Darden’s first career pick-six.

That same year, according to Browns players, Darden and then-coach Forrest Gregg got into a fistfight.

Most of the team did not like how Gregg coached and he was fired with one game left in the season.

In 1978, Darden played the part of a Hoover vacuum, harassing quarterbacks into 10 interceptions for 200 return yards.

Both stats led the NFL and Darden was voted to his first Pro Bowl and named an All-Pro for the second time.

During a game against Cincinnati and former coach, Gregg, in 1980, Darden laid the wood on Bengals receiver Pat McInally and knocked him unconscious.

The receiver recovered in time to make the game-winning touchdown later in the game.

Darden was later fined $1,000 for the hit.

Darden retired following the 1981 season with 45 interceptions (still the most in franchise history), 820 return yards (first in Browns’ history) and two pick-sixes.

His 10 interceptions in a single season also tops Cleveland’s leaderboard in that category.

Darden led the NFL in thefts once and was a one-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro.

After football, Darden became a sports agent and represented NFL and NBA players.

 

35- Kevin Mack

Typically, fullbacks are little more than blocking backs who open holes for tailbacks and get the occasional carry or two.

Kevin Mack was far from a typical fullback, however.

He played in the USFL in 1984 then joined the Browns in 1985.

Right off the bat, Mack and Earnest Byner (#44) became one of the most lethal running back tandems in the NFL.

In ‘85, Byner rushed for over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns and Mack joined his teammate with 1,104 yards and 10 total touchdowns of his own.

Byner and Mack became only the third pair of teammates to run for over 1,000 yards for the same team in the same season in NFL history.

Mack was so impressive that the NFL named him its AFC Rookie of the Year and also voted him to his first Pro Bowl.

The following year, Mack’s yardage decreased to 665, but his rushing touchdowns increased to a career-high 10.

Meanwhile, Cleveland won 12 games and lost to the Broncos in the AFC Championship game.

In 1987, Mack had 735 yards and five touchdowns on the ground as the team once again lost to John Elway and the Broncos.

His contributions to the Browns led to Pro Bowl #2.

After a few down seasons in 1988 and 1989, Mack hit 700 yards in both 1990 and 1991.

He also hauled in more than 40 receptions in both years.

Then, after starting only four games in 1992 and netting 33 yards, Mack retired.

During his career, “Mack Truck” had 5,123 yards and 46 touchdowns on the ground and added 197 receptions, 1,602 yards, and eight touchdowns as a receiver.

He was a two-time Pro Bowler and made the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 1985, the same year he was voted as the AFC’s Rookie of the Year.

Mack was later added to the list of Cleveland Browns Legends.

 

34- Josh Cribbs

In college, Josh Cribbs played quarterback for the Kent State Flashes.

However, his NFL future would not be played under center.

Cribbs came to Cleveland as an undrafted free agent in 2005.

Romeo Crennel, the Browns coach at the time, put the kid at kick returner and watched him shine.

As a rookie, Cribbs piled up 1,094 yards and scored a touchdown.

His return yardage set a team record.

Cribbs topped 1,400 return yards and another touchdown in 2006, then went nuts in 2007.

That year, he led the NFL with 1,809 kick return yards and also led the league with 30.7 yards per return while returning two kicks and one punt for scores.

Cribbs’ hard work paid off when he was voted to his first Pro Bowl.

The 2008 season was Cribbs’ fourth straight year topping 1,000 kick return yards and scoring a touchdown.

He continued to dazzle in 2009 when Cribbs scored no less than three touchdowns on kick returns and one as a punt returner, along with 1,542 kick return yards, the second-highest total of his career.

Those numbers brought the returner his second Pro Bowl.

Two years later, the Browns used Cribbs as a returner (974 yards) and as a receiver (career-high 41 receptions for 518 yards and four receiving touchdowns).

In 2012, he returned to fly through opponents with 1,178 kick return yards and Pro Bowl #3.

Surprisingly, Cribbs was released by the Browns after the 2012 season and he signed with the Raiders, only to be cut in the preseason.

After catching on with the New York Jets, Cribbs played with Indianapolis in 2014 and then retired.

As a Brown, Cribbs had 10,015 kick return yards and eight return touchdowns, 2,154 punt return yards and three touchdowns, 753 rushing yards and two touchdowns and caught 107 passes for 1,161 yards and seven touchdowns.

He was a three-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, and the NFL kickoff return yards leader once.

Cribbs was named to the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team and added to the Cleveland Browns Legend list.

 

33- Chip Banks

Banks came along at the perfect time for the Browns.

Beginning in the early 1980s, the NFL saw a wealth of pass-rushing talent that included Lawrence Taylor, Mark Gastineau, Richard Dent, Kevin Greene, Reggie White, and Bruce Smith, just to name a few.

Cleveland got their own version of a premier pass-rusher when the franchise drafted Chip Banks out of USC in 1982.

As a rookie, the linebacker started nine games, had 5.5 sacks (the NFL began to keep track of the stat that same year), and one interception.

Banks was named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year and voted to his first Pro Bowl.

In 1983, he had four more sacks and snagged three interceptions, returning one for a pick-six.

Those stats led to another Pro Bowl nod.

Two seasons later, Banks harassed opposing quarterbacks for a career-high 11 sacks then added 4.5 more in 1986.

He was added to the AFC Pro Bowl roster both years.

The Browns shocked their fans when the organization traded Banks to the San Diego Chargers before the 1987 season.

He played one year with the Bolts before sitting out 1988 in a contract dispute with the team.

In 1989, Banks signed with the Colts and played four years in Indy before retiring after getting nine sacks in 1992.

During his exciting career with the Browns, Banks had 27.5 sacks and five interceptions for 117 return yards and one pick-six.

He was a four-time Pro Bowler, one-time All-Pro, and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

 

32- Jerry Sherk

1970 was an off-year for the Cleveland Browns.

Before the season started, the team traded Paul Warfield (#38) to Miami for a higher draft position.

Next, the Browns drafted Purdue quarterback Mike Phipps, believing he would be their quarterback of the future.

Cleveland also took Oklahoma State defensive tackle Jerry Sherk in the second round,

Then, the Browns finished .500 in what would be head coach Blanton Collier’s last season.

Phipps didn’t quite live up to his draft spot, but Sherk sure paid off.

Right off the bat the new right defensive tackle started all 14 games and had four sacks (unofficial since the NFL didn’t begin keeping track of the stat until 1982).

In 1971 and 1972, Cleveland returned to the playoffs under new coach Nick Skorich and Sherk had 15 sacks total.

In ‘71 alone, he tackled quarterbacks 4.5 times and also hauled in two interceptions.

After his 10.5 sack season in ‘72, Sherk went to the Pro Bowl between 1973 and 1976.

He was recognized across the league as one of the dominant defensive tackles in pro football, especially after 10 sacks in ‘74 and a career-high 12 in ‘76, which led to him being named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year.

(During the 1975 Pro Bowl, Sherk got angry at St. Louis Cardinals quarterback Jim Hart and punched the QB in the eye. Hart had to leave the game to get stitches).

A knee injury limited Sherk to three sacks in 1977.

Two years later, Sherk nearly died from a staph infection sustained when bacteria from the Astroturf at Veteran’s Stadium in Philadelphia entered an open wound in his body.

Up to that point, he had played in 10 games and tied his career-high in sacks with 12.

The infection caused Sherk to miss the last six games of the 1979 season.

Complications from the infection also limited him to one game in 1980.

Sherk was then used as a situational pass rusher in 1981 and retired after the season.

During his career, Sherk is unofficially credited with 70.5 sacks and netted 12 fumble recoveries and three interceptions.

While in Cleveland, Sherk was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a one-time All-Pro and a four-time Pro Bowler.

He has since been named a Cleveland Browns Legend.

 

31- Eric Metcalf

Ask any Browns fan and they will tell you that Eric Metcalf was one of Cleveland’s best multi-purpose threats in team history.

After a memorable college career as a football and track star at the University of Texas, the Browns selected Metcalf with the 13th overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft.

Right off the bat, he established his otherworldly athleticism as a pro player despite being just 5’10 and 190 pounds.

As Cleveland went 9-6-1 in ‘89 and lost for the third time in the AFC Championship game against Denver, Metcalf scored six rushing touchdowns along with 633 rushing yards (a team record for a rookie).

He also caught 54 passes for 397 yards and four more touchdowns and returned 31 kicks for 718 more yards.

Then, in 1990, while Cleveland bottomed out with only three wins, Metcalf was nearly unstoppable.

First, he had a combined 700 rushing and receiving yards along with two total touchdowns.

Then, Metcalf led the NFL with 52 kick returns for 1,052 yards and two returns for touchdowns including one for 101 yards.

For the next few seasons, Metcalf was primarily a receiving threat from the backfield while also adding more punt return duties.

In 1992, he led the NFL with 44 punt returns while returning one to the house.

Despite his gaudy numbers, Metcalf was surprisingly left off any post-season award lists during his first four years in the league.

That changed in 1993 when he was chosen for his first Pro Bowl and his first All-Pro selection after 1,150 combined yards and three combined rushing and receiving yards.

Additionally, Metcalf had 782 combined punt and kick return yards and led the NFL with two punt returns for scores including one for 91.

NFL defenders continued to find Metcalf elusive in 1994 when he once again returned two punts for touchdowns and had five more scores combined rushing and receiving.

Those numbers were awarded with a second Pro Bowl.

Sadly for Browns fans, Metcalf was traded to Atlanta before 1995 and he played his final season with Green Bay in 2002.

While playing for the Browns, Metcalf was responsible for 2,229 rushing yards and 11 rushing scores, 297 receptions for 2,732 yards and 15 touchdowns, 1,341 punt return yards and five scores, and 2,806 kick return yards and two touchdowns.

He was a two-time Pro Bowler, and one-time All-Pro, and led the NFL in kick return yards while playing in Cleveland.

Metcalf has since been added to the Browns’ Legends list.

 

30- Greg Pruitt

NFL running backs are asked to take a pounding every game and not allow the constant battering to keep them off the field.

For that reason, Greg Pruitt was not selected by the Browns until the second round despite his fantastic numbers at Oklahoma.

The runner-up in the 1972 Heisman voting entered the 1973 draft at just 177 pounds.

Cleveland and other NFL teams worried that Pruitt’s lack of heft would get him killed in the pros.

He would prove otherwise.

As a rookie, Pruitt made the Pro Bowl on the strength of his 479 combined rushing and receiving yards and five combined touchdowns, despite not starting a single contest.

Then, in 1974, Pruitt again made the Pro Bowl roster with 814 combined yards and four combined scores.

He also added return duties and netted 955 kick and punt return yards and one kick return for a touchdown.

In 1975, Pruitt started every game and had his first 1,000-yard season, finishing with 1,067 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns on the ground.

He also had 44 receptions for 299 yards and a score.

Pruitt was a Pro Bowler again in 1976 and 1977 after rushing for 1,000 and 1,086 yards respectively.

Before the ‘76 season, Pruitt was joined in the backfield by Mike Pruitt (#42, no relation) and the duo formed a powerful one-two punch.

After rushing for 960 yards in 1978, Pruitt struggled to get starts between 1979 and 1981.

In 1982, he was traded to the LA Raiders and would win a Super Bowl with LA.

Pruitt then retired following the 1984 season.

As a Brown, Pruitt had 5,496 rushing yards, 25 rushing touchdowns, 323 receptions for 3,022 yards and 17 scores, and added 659 punt return yards and 1,523 kick return yards and one score.

He was a four-time Pro Bowler while with Cleveland and was later selected as a Cleveland Browns Legend.

 

29- Milt Plum

In the 1957 NFL Draft, the Browns made headlines when the team selected Syracuse running back Jim Brown (#1) with the sixth overall pick.

Then, in the second round, Cleveland took Milt Plum with the 17th overall selection.

At the time, there was very little fanfare for the quarterback from Penn State.

Browns fans were still mourning the retirement of Otto Graham (#3) who retired following the 1955 season.

Thankfully, Plum rose to the challenge quickly.

In just his second season Plum started 11 games and passed for over 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns.

He then led the NFL in completion percentage from 1959 through 1962.

In 1960, the signal-caller also led the league with a passer rating of 110.4 on 2,297 yards, 21 touchdowns and only five interceptions.

Plum’s passer rating would remain an NFL record until Joe Montana supplanted him in 1989.

That same year, Plum was voted to his first Pro Bowl and also selected as an All-Pro.

A second Pro Bowl awaited after Plum passed for a career-high 2,416 yards in 1961.

Then, as Browns fans geared up for 1962, Cleveland did the unthinkable and traded Plum to Detroit.

Six years with the Lions begat a year each with the Rams and the New York Giants before Plum retired in early 1970.

While playing in Ohio, Plum passed for 8,914 yards, 66 touchdowns and 39 picks and rushed for 204 yards and eight scores.

He was an All-Pro once, a Pro Bowler twice NFL passer rating leader once and the league’s completion percentage leader three times while playing in a loaded backfield with Brown and Bobby Mitchell (#25).

 

28- Jim Ray Smith

In football, athletes at the skill positions such as quarterback and running back need good offensive linemen.

In the early days of franchise history, the Browns had some of the best O-linemen in the game.

Jim Ray Smith was actually drafted by Cleveland in 1954 while he was still playing college football at Baylor, something inconceivable in today’s NFL.

He joined the team in 1956 and Coach Paul Brown initially tried Smith at defensive end.

At 6’3, and 240 pounds, Smith was one of the fastest men on the roster at the time.

That’s why it shocked many of his teammates when Brown decided to move Smith to guard before the ‘56 season began.

It took a bit for him to learn the nuances of the position (Smith started only six games in his first two years) but his hard work and determination paid off.

By 1958, Smith was a full-time starter and quickly became one of the best guards in pro football.

While leading the way for Jim Brown (#1) and Bobby Mitchell (#25), Smith hammered anyone who got in his way.

From 1958 through the 1962 season, he went to the Pro Bowl and was also picked as an All-Pro each year.

Remarkably, Smith retired following 1961 to devote his life to a flourishing real estate business, but the Browns coaxed him back.

He picked up where he left off with an All-Pro season in ‘62.

Smith retired again after the ‘62 season but returned to the NFL to play for the Cowboys in 1963 and 1964 before finally retiring for good.

As a Brown, Smith was a five-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler and was selected as a Cleveland Browns Legend in 2005.

 

27- Frank Minnifield

NFL cornerbacks tend to get overlooked if they don’t meet certain size specifications by coaches and personnel managers.

Frank Minnifield was a great college player at Louisville but he was only 5’9 and 180 pounds.

After every NFL team took a hard pass on him in the 1982 draft, Minnifield took his talents to the USFL where he played for the Chicago Blitz and the Arizona Wranglers.

Minnifield made such a good impression that Cleveland signed him as a free agent in 1984.

He was partnered in the secondary with Hanford Dixon (#39) and the duo helped found the Dawg Pound while also shaking receivers to their core.

The Browns had a renaissance as an organization in the mid-to-late 80s and Minnifield was one of the reasons why the team was so good.

He picked off two passes in his first two seasons then snagged three in 1986, leading to a Pro Bowl nod.

Minnifield grabbed four interceptions in 1987 and 1988, leading to more Pro Bowls.

Receivers were noticeably frustrated when they couldn’t get loose of Minnifield while he played aggressive bump and run coverage.

Those same receivers also knew the little guy could pack a mean punch if they caught the ball in his vicinity.

In 1989, Minnifield went to the Pro Bowl again after a three-pick season.

From 1990 through 1992, he had trouble staying on the field for every game while fighting through injuries.

Minnifield then retired after the ‘92 season.

During his career in Cleveland, Minnifield had 20 interceptions for 124 return yards.

He was a PFWA All-Rookie Team selection in 1984, was a four-time Pro Bowler, a one-time All-Pro, and was selected to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team.

Minnifield has since been named a Browns Legend.

 

26- Michael Dean Perry

The 1985 Chicago Bears were notorious for having a roster filled with characters.

One of those characters was rookie William “The Refridgerator” Perry.

Perry was a huge defensive tackle who also moonlighted as a running back, scoring a touchdown in Super Bowl XX.

In 1988, the Browns drafted Perry’s brother, Michael Dean.

The new pick immediately had a high bar as Cleveland fans wanted to know if Michael Dean could play like his brother.

To be sure, the younger Perry wasn’t quite as big as his older brother (285 pounds compared to the “Refridgerator’s” 335-ish pounds).

However, that didn’t mean that Michael Dean couldn’t hold his own.

He started just two games in his rookie year and made his mark by returning a fumble for a touchdown and getting voted to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.

Then, in just his second season as a pro, Perry started all 16 games and had seven sacks, and made 97 tackles while Cleveland advanced to the AFC title game against Denver.

Perry’s play that season led to the NFL naming him its Defensive Player of the Year.

He performed even better in 1990 with career highs in combined tackles (107) and sacks (11.5) and was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl.

Perry had 8.5 sacks in both 1991 and 1992 followed by 10 total sacks in 1993 and 1994.

He was voted to the Pro Bowl each of those years except for the ‘92 season.

Following 1994, Perry left Ohio and became a member of the Broncos.

He played in the Mile High City for two seasons (adding another Pro Bowl in 1996) before ending his career after playing for the Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs in 1997.

During his time in Cleveland, Perry had 480 combined tackles, 51.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, seven fumble returns and one returned for a touchdown.

He was a six-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro, and later named a Cleveland Brown Legend.

 

25- Bobby Mitchell

As crazy as it might sound, at one point in time, the Browns had both Jim Brown (#1) and Bobby Mitchell in their backfield.

Jim Brown was already the most feared runner in the NFL when Mitchell arrived in 1958.

With Mitchell, however, opponents couldn’t take a break.

Not only was he a threat as a runner, punt returner, and kick returner, but Mitchell could also catch passes out of the backfield, lots of passes.

In just his second year, Mitchell rushed for 351 yards and added 743 more yards as a receiver.

Then, in 1960, the multi-purpose threat had over 1,000 combined yards and 11 combined touchdowns and was selected for his first Pro Bowl.

Before the 1962 NFL season, then-Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall traded the rights to Ernie Davis to Cleveland in exchange for Mitchell.

In Washington, Mitchell was used primarily as a receiver.

The move proved to work like a charm as Micthell led the NFL in receptions (72), receiving yards (1,384) and yards per game (98.9) while also scoring a career-high 11 touchdowns through the air.

He continued to set the league on fire in 1963 when Mitchell led the NFL in yards (1,436, also a career-high), longest touchdown reception (99 yards), and yards per game (102.6, also a career-high).

That season also marked the fourth consecutive year where Mitchell had a kick return for a touchdown.

In 1964, Mitchell had an NFL-best 10 touchdown receptions.

He continued to catch at least 58 passes or more each season from 1965 through 1967.

After only 14 receptions and zero touchdowns in 1968, Mitchell retired.

During his time in Cleveland, Mitchell had 128 catches, 1,462 yards, and 16 touchdowns receiving while adding 2,297 yards and 16 more touchdowns on the ground.

He also had six total punt and kick returns for scores while in Ohio.

Mitchell went to one Pro Bowl and was named an All-Pro twice as a Brown.

His career with the Redskins is where Mitchell made a name for himself by netting three more Pro Bowls, three first-team All-Pro nods, and leading the NFL in receptions once and receiving scores twice.

Mitchell was later placed in the Browns’ Ring of Honor and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

After a long career in the Redskins’ front office, Mitchell passed away on April 5, 2020, at the age of 84.

 

24- Brian Sipe

By the early 1970s, Cleveland’s dominance in the NFL was starting to fade.

The franchise appeared in the 1969 NFL Championship game but lost to Dallas.

Three years later, the Browns lost in the 1972 divisional round for the second year in a row.

Before the ‘72 season began, Cleveland drafted San Diego State quarterback Brian Sipe in the 13th round.

The team then promptly placed Sipe on the practice squad where he remained for two seasons.

In 1974, Sipe emerged from his place at the far end of the bench and was inserted as the starting quarterback for five games.

He had two more starts in 1975 while Cleveland suffered through its two worst seasons in team history.

Then, in 1976, Sipe beat out Mike Phipps and started 12 times, helping the Browns improve to nine wins.

Beginning in 1978, Sipe became Cleveland’s starter full-time and also won over the hearts of Browns fans.

The ‘78 team went 8-8 but could have won a few more games if things had gone their way.

In 1979, that’s exactly what happened.

Sipe led the “Kardiac Kids” to a number of last-second victories that helped Cleveland reach nine wins again.

That year, the quarterback led the NFL with 28 touchdown throws and also led the league with 26 interceptions.

The magic continued in 1980 when the Browns went 11-5 and earned a playoff spot for the first time since 1972.

Sipe had personal bests that season with 4,132 yards and 30 touchdowns and led the NFL with a 2.5 interception percentage and a 91.4 passer rating.

Those stats led him to be selected as the NFL’s MVP, the UPI’s AFC Offensive Player of the Year, and to his first Pro Bowl.

In the divisional game against the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland was driving for the winning score when Oakland’s Mike Davis intercepted Sipe’s pass toward Ozzie Newsome (#6).

The play has since become infamous as “Red Right 88.”

In 1981, Sipe passed for over 3,000 yards but Cleveland only won five games.

That year was followed by a strike-shortened season in 1982 and Sipe getting benched for Paul McDonald.

He rebounded in 1983 with 3,566 yards and 26 touchdowns as the Browns just missed the postseason.

Sipe left Cleveland after the ‘83 season and played two years in the USFL.

He retired following the 1985 season after playing for the USFL’s Jacksonville Bulls.

During his Browns career, Sipe passed for 23,713 yards, 154 touchdowns, 149 interceptions and added 762 yards and 11 scores on the ground.

He was a one-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, NFL’s passing touchdowns leader once, NFL MVP, and AFC Offensive Player of the Year.

Sipe was later selected as a Cleveland Browns Legend.

 

23- Gene Hickerson

The Browns have had a number of memorable offensive linemen in franchise history.

However, it can be argued that no other lineman had quite the celebrity pull that Gene Hickerson had.

While growing up in Tennessee, Hickerson met a young Elvis Presley.

Not only did the “King of Rock and Roll” enjoy music, but he also loved football.

When Hickerson joined the Browns as a seventh-round draft pick in 1957, his old buddy, Elvis, became a Browns fan.

Paul Brown installed Hickerson as a guard and he paved the way for such running back greats as Jim Brown (#1), Bobby Mitchell (#25), and Leroy Kelly (#11).

Hickerson was a member of the 1964 Cleveland team that won a world title yet also experienced three losses in NFL Championship games.

He retired as a six-time Pro Bowler, seven-time All-Pro, one-time NFL champ and later added to the NFL’s 1960s All-Decade Team and the Browns’ Ring of Honor.

In 2007, Hickerson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

He was suffering from severe health problems at the time and was in a wheelchair.

Hickerson was wheeled onto the stage by Brown, Mitchell and Kelly.

On October 20, 2008, Hickerson died at the age of 73.

 

22- Horace Gillom

Normally, punters don’t get a lot of publicity.

However, Horace “Big Horse” Gillom was no ordinary punter.

He knew Paul Brown well after playing for the coach at Massillon, Ohio, Washington High School.

Gillom and Brown reconnected for a year at Ohio State University before Gillom left school due to bad grades and joined the military.

During World War II, Gillom fought in the European Theatre and was present at the Battle of the Bulge.

When the war ended, Gillom was briefly at the University of Nevada before joining Brown once again in 1947 as a member of the Cleveland Browns.

Gillom was the third Black player to join the squad after Marion Motley (#4) and Bill Willis (#13).

During his time in the pros, Gillom played defensive end and receiver and punted for Cleveland.

It was his punting, however, that got Gillom noticed.

His leg was so powerful that he frequently pinned opponents deep in their own side of the field.

Returners usually had to fair catch his punt because Gillom booted the pigskin high in the air.

After the 1950 season, Cleveland and the New York Giants played for the right to appear in the NFL Championship.

That day, Gillom’s punts frequently led to poor field position for the G-Men and the Browns won, 8-3.

By the time he played his final game as a pro in 1956, Gillom owned the second-best career punting average (43.1 yards per punt) in NFL history at the time.

He was a three-time AAFC champion, three-time NFL champion, a one-time Pro Bowler, and selected as a Cleveland Browns Legend.

On October 28, 1985, Gillom died of a heart attack.

He was 64 years old.

 

21- Dick Schafrath

In the early days of the NFL, pro football players would sometimes play on both sides of the line.

Those Iron Men would have to be well-conditioned to withstand the rigors of the game by being on the field nearly the entire game.

That didn’t bother Dick Schafrath.

He left Ohio State early to suit up for the Browns as the team’s 23rd pick in the second round of the 1959 draft.

When Scafrath got on the scales for the first time, he weighed in at 220 pounds.

That was far too light ot be an effective lineman at the NFL level.

In order to put on the weight necessary to start for the Browns, Schafrath did what was unthinkable at the time, he started lifting weights.

The practice is standard in today’s NFL, but in those days, lifting weights was frowned upon.

Coaches believed that the extra pounds and muscle would inhibit effective movement, a no-no for any pro athlete.

Schafrath ignored that notion and lifted until his arms gave out.

He then sought out eating competitions that would make Joey Chestnut jealous.

There wasn’t a contest throughout Ohio that Schafrath wouldn’t enter for the chance to put on pounds.

Eventually, he increased his weight to 270 and played tackle, guard and some defensive end.

Coach Paul Brown installed Schafrath at the left tackle position in order to protect the blind side of Milt Plum (#29) and Frank Ryan (#19) and open running lanes for the Browns running backs.

Beginning in 1960, Schafrath almost never missed a game for the rest of his career.

In 1963, he was so good at his job that his teammates named Schafrath the team MVP.

By the time he retired following the 1971 season, Schfrath had helped Cleveland win an NFL Championship and played three more NFL title games.

He was a seven-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro, and named as a Cleveland Browns Legend.

After retiring, Schafrath got into coaching and then into politics.

He served in the Ohio Senate until retiring from public life in 2000.

 

20- Dub Jones

In the early years of the Browns franchise the team had such great playmakers that Dub Jones was often overlooked.

Jones was drafted by the AAFC’s Miami Seahawks in 1946 and spent part of that season in Miami before moving on to the Brooklyn Dodgers football club later in the year.

He remained with the Dodgers in 1947 before getting traded to the Browns before 1948.

By then, Cleveland had already won two AAFC Championships and Otto Graham (#3), Marion Motley (#4), Mac Speedie (#10), and Dante Lavelli (#12) were household names.

At first, Jones played in the secondary but didn’t do well.

Coach Paul Brown then switched him to halfback in ‘48.

Jones played sparingly but was part of the organization’s third title in a row.

In 1949, he got more playing time as a back and receiver and scored five combined times as Cleveland won its fourth consecutive AAFC championship.

In 1950, the AAFC folded and the Browns joined the NFL.

Jones started every game that year and often moved in motion pre-snap to confuse the defense.

That is common in today’s game, but in Jones’s time, a man in motion was rare.

He had 11 total touchdowns and helped Cleveland win another title against the LA Rams despite LA being favored.

In 1951 and 1952, Jones was voted to the Pro Bowl after netting over 1,000 combined yards and 12 total touchdowns in ‘51 and 921 combined yards and six combined scores in ‘52.

During a contest against Chicago in ‘51, Jones tied a league record by scoring six touchdowns in a single game.

After a down year in 1953, Jones retired and returned to Louisiana to run his lumber business.

Coach Brown asked him to come back in 1954 and Jones returned in time to help the team win another title against Detroit.

The receiver returned again in 1955 and won another championship against the Rams.

By then, Jones didn’t see the ball often and retired for good following the ‘55 season.

During his Browns career, Jones carried the ball 454 times for 1,910 yards and 20 touchdowns and caught 171 passes for 2,874 yards and another 20 scores.

Jones also threw a touchdown pass in 1952 and had 239 kick return yards.

He was a five-time world champion (three in the AAFC, two in the NFL), an All-Pro once, and a Pro Bowler twice.

He is also a member of the Cleveland Browns Legends.

After his playing days, Jones coached the Browns receivers for a few years and then ran his business in Louisiana.

Jones’s son, Bert, was a quarterback who played a decade in the NFL, mostly with the Baltimore Colts.

 

19- Frank Ryan

The Browns have had a lot of talented playmakers on the offensive side of the ball.

However, even good talent is hampered if those players don’t have a competent teammate under center.

Frank Ryan was more than competent.

He was initially an LA Ram when that organization selected him in the fifth round of the 1958 draft.

After four years with LA, where he started all of 11 times, Ryan was traded to Cleveland to make way for Roman Gabriel.

His first year in Ohio in 1962 was nothing to write home about, but that changed in 1963.

That season, Ryan helped Cleveland win 10 games while completing 52% of his passes for 2,026 yards, 25 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

His touchdown percentage of 9.8 led the NFL.

In 1964, Ryan was blessed with the receiving talents of Paul Warfield (#38) and Gary Collins (#15) and became the league’s touchdown percentage leader again with 7.5 while also leading the NFL in touchdown passes with 25.

Those numbers led to his first Pro Bowl.

After a second Pro Bowl in 1965, Ryan went to a third after a stellar 1966 campaign.

Although the team missed the playoffs, Ryan passed for 2,974 yards, a career-high, and an NFL-best 29 touchdowns, all while dealing with a very painful shoulder injury sustained the year before.

Ryan passed for over 2,000 yards again in 1968 despite more nagging injuries.

Then, in 1968, Bill Nelsen was anointed the Browns’ new starter and Ryan passed for just 639 yards and seven touchdowns.

Following the season, he was released and picked up by Washington where he retired after the 1970 season.

During his seven years in Cleveland, Ryan had 13,361 passes yards, 134 touchdowns, and 88 interceptions.

He also rushed for 1,032 yards and four more touchdowns.

Ryan was an NFL champion, a three-time Pro Bowler, two-time NFL passing touchdowns leader and later added to the Cleveland Browns Legends list.

 

18- Mike McCormack

Mike McCormack couldn’t have timed his arrival in Cleveland any better.

First, he was the 34th overall selection of the New York Yanks in 1951, then was called to serve in the Korean War soon after.

He returned to pro football in 1952 with the Dallas Texans (who had formerly been the Yanks), but the franchise foled after that season.

McCormack then found himself in Cleveland in 1954 and played on the defensive line where he pulled in a rare interception for his position.

During the ‘54 NFL Championship game, McCormack busted through the offensive line of the Detroit Lions and stole the ball from quarterback Bobby Layne.

That led to a Browns touchdown which eventually led to a resounding 56-10 victory.

Cleveland and McCormack repeated as NFL champs in 1955 after thumping the Rams, 38-14, in the title game.

That was the first season that Coach Paul Brown played McCormack as an offensive tackle.

For the rest of his career, the 6’4, 246-pounder was known as one of the best offensive tackles in all of pro football.

NFL historians and his peers at the time still marvel at McCormack’s almost flawless run and pass-blocking techniques that stymied even the most feared defenders of the time.

McCormack retired after the 1962 season still at the top of his game.

As a Brown, he started 106 games and was a two-time NFL champ.

McCormack was also a six-time Pro Bowler, nine-time All-Pro, and was later added to the Browns’ Ring of Honor.

In 1984, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

After retiring as a player, McCormack remained in pro football as a coach and administrator before retiring in 1997.

McCormack passed away from a heart attack on November 15, 2013, at the age of 83.

 

17- Len Ford

Len Ford played football at a time when athletes were asked to play on both sides of the ball.

After a short stint in the Navy in World War II, Ford attended the University of Michigan where he was an offensive and defensive end.

He was an All-American and national champ with the Wolverines and ready to make his mark as a pro.

Unfortunately, the NFL had an issue at the time with allowing Black athletes to play in the league.

Therefore, he wasn’t selected by any club in the 1948 draft.

Instead, Ford signed with the LA Dons of the All-American Football Conference who drafted him in the third round.

He played two seasons with the Dons before the AAFC folded.

Ford was then picked by Cleveland in the 1950 dispersal draft filled with former AAFC players whose teams were not absorbed into the NFL.

When he reported to the Browns, Ford was moved full-time to defensive end.

At 6’4, 245 pounds with quick feet, he thrived at the position.

That season, Cleveland played its first year in the NFL yet continued to dominate.

Dismissed as a great team in the weaker AAFC, the Browns proved otherwise and won the 1950 championship.

The league didn’t keep track of sacks at the time, but Ford was a deadly pass rusher.

He was lauded for his effort during the ‘50 title game and continued to make big plays for the next several years.

A natural leader and smart ball player, Ford was adept at corralling ball carriers and recovering fumbles while inspiring his teammates.

The Browns won two more world championships while Ford was holding down the fort and lost four other NFL Championship games during that time.

Cleveland traded him to Green Bay before the 1958 season and Ford retired a year later.

During his Browns career, Ford was part of three NFL titles, was voted to the Pro Bowl four times, and was a four-time All-Pro.

His 20 career fumble recoveries were an NFL record at the time.

He was later named to the NFL’s 1950s All-Decade Team and placed in the Browns’ Ring of Honor.

In 1972, Ford passed away suddenly from a heart attack at the age of 46.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame later that year.

 

16- Bob Gain

It’s a fact that Coach Paul Brown had a knack for pulling good players out of his hat, no matter where they grew up or played in college.

Bob Gain was one such player.

During his time at the University of Kentucky, Gain played on the offensive and defensive line for the Wildcats.

Without a doubt, the 6’3, 215-pounder could hold his own against bigger and faster opponents.

Not only was Gain an All-American, but he also received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy and the Outland Trophy for the best interior lineman in college football.

After graduating, he played a year for Ottawa in the Canadian Football League in 1951 before Brown snapped him up in 1952.

After two lackluster seasons, Gain became a fantastic defensive tackle for Cleveland.

He was a great disrupter of the run game and provided a good pass rush.

In 12 years with the Browns (he didn’t play in 1953 to serve in the Korean War), Gain was selected to five Pro Bowls, named an All-Pro seven times, and was a member of three NFL Championships.

He was later added to the Browns Legends list.

 

15- Gary Collins

Most Browns fans remember Gary Collins as a solid receiver who played in Cleveland for a decade.

However, only the most die-hard fans of the franchise remember that Collins also punted for the Browns.

When he was drafted out of Maryland with the fourth overall pick in the 1962 draft, Cleveland made Collins their punter.

During his rookie year, Collins had a 42.8 yards per punt average on 45 total punts.

When he wasn’t booting the pigskin, Collins also caught passes in a limited role, snagging 11 passes and two touchdowns in 1962.

One year later, Collins was thrust into the role of starting receiver and also handled his punting duties.

While averaging 40.0 yards per punt, Collins caught 43 passes and co-led the NFL with 13 touchdowns.

His touchdown total set a new Browns single-season record.

In 1964, Collins only had 35 total catches, but he hauled in three alone during the Browns’ 27-0 whipping of the favored Baltimore Colts, leading to his MVP award for the contest.

In 1965, Collins was voted to his first Pro Bowl on the strength of 50 receptions, 884 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He had a great year despite the fact that teammate Paul Warfield (#38) was the team’s primary receiver.

Collins earned another Pro Bowl nod in 1966 with a career-high 56 receptions for 946 yards (also a career-best) and 12 scores.

The receiver/punter was severely limited by injuries in 1968, otherwise, he was a touchdown machine.

In 1969, Collins rebounded to snag 11 scores on 54 receptions.

He then had seven more touchdowns combined in 1970 and 1971 before retiring following the ‘71 season.

During his career, Collins had a 41.0-yard punting average and caught 331 passes for 5,299 yards, and 70 touchdowns.

At the time, he was only the sixth player in NFL history to have 70 career receiving touchdowns.

Remarkably, Collins still leads Cleveland all-time in that category.

He was an NFL Champion and NFL title game MVP, a three-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler, NFL receiving touchdowns co-leader once.

After retiring, Collins was named to the league’s 1960s All-Decade Team and added to the list of Cleveland Browns Legends.

 

14- Frank Gatski

Offensive linemen are usually not the most well-known athletes on a football team.

They do their jobs in relative obscurity and don’t seek the limelight as some of their offensive teammates might.

Frank Gatski was no different.

He attended college in the 1940s before leaving school to fight in World War II.

When he left the service, Gatski played a final year at Auburn University and then went to work in the coal mines of West Virginia.

By chance, a college buddy told Gatski about the new AAFC and told him he should try out with the new Cleveland Browns team.

Gatski hitchhiked his way to Bowling Green and impressed coach Paul Brown.

“Gunner,” as Gatski was nicknamed, made the squad and settled in at center and played linebacker.

Having faced combat and worked a difficult job in the mines, Gatski had no trouble taking the daily blistering leveled at him and others by Coach Brown.

Although he was just 6’3 and 233 pounds, Gatski played like an enraged bull.

He punished oncoming pass rushers and kept Otto Graham (#3) safe and cleared gaping holes for Marion Motley (#4).

During his rookie year, Gatski picked off a pass from his linebacker spot and returned it for a score.

He intercepted two more passes in 1947.

Despite his ability on defense, Gatski was known more for his blocking acumen at center.

He anchored the Browns’ offensive line for over a decade, helping the team win four AAFC titles and four NFL Championships.

Gatski left Cleveland after the 1956 season and played a final year for the Detroit Lions in 1957 before retiring.

During his career with the Browns, Gatski was voted to one Pro Bowl and was named an All-Pro four times.

Years later, the former center was added to the Browns’ Ring of Honor and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

Gatski passed away at the age of 84 on November 22, 2005.

 

13- Bill Willis

In 1945, Bill Willis was a recent college grad who was the new head coach at Kentucky State, a Black college.

Following the season, Willis still had his heart set on playing pro football and, acting on a tip, went to Bowling Green, Ohio.

The newly formed Cleveland Browns were holding their training camp there and Willis tried out for the squad.

Head coach Paul Brown loved the speed Willis showed and signed him to a contract.

With his signing, Willis became the first Black player on the team and was joined days later by Marion Motley (#4), the second Black player on Cleveland’s roster.

Willis and Motely, along with the LA Rams’ Woody Strode and Kenny Washington, were the first four players to re-integrate the NFL in 1946.

Coach Brown played Willis as an offensive guard on offense and a “middle guard” on defense, which was basically a middle linebacker.

He was talented enough to stop the run and drop into coverage to deflect passes.

Although Cleveland had a packed roster of memorable athletes, Willis was a leader of the Browns’ rough-and-tumble defense.

Every season in his short eight-year career, Cleveland played in a league championship game.

The Browns won four AAFC titles from 1946-1949, took home the NFL Championship in 1950, then lost in the NFL title game in 1951, 1952, and 1953.

When the ‘53 season concluded, Willis retired.

During his career, he was an eight-time All-Pro (including AAFC honors) and a three-time Pro Bowler.

Willis was later selected for the NFL’s 1940s All-Decade Team, placed in the Browns’ Ring of Honor, and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977.

After leaving at the top of his game, Willis remained in Ohio and worked with young people.

He passed away at the age of 86 on November 27, 2007.

 

12- Dante Lavelli

Bestowed with the nicknames “Mr. Clutch” and “Gluefingers,” Dante Lavelli was the perfect receiver for Paul Browns’ early Cleveland teams.

Coach Brown first got to know Lavelli at Ohio State when the receiver played for Brown in 1942.

Lavelli was drafted after that year and fought in World War II.

After the war, Lavelli nearly joined the Detroit Tigers baseball team before Brown swooped in and offered him a contract to play for the Cleveland Browns.

The sheer number of athletic marvels trying out for the new team made making the squad difficult.

However, Lavelli made the roster and became a perfect bookend receiver with Mac Speedie (#10).

Right off the bat, Lavelli co-led the AAFC in his rookie year with 40 catches and added 843 yards, eight touchdowns, 21.1 yards per catch, and 60.2 yards per game (all but his touchdown mark led the league).

In 1947, he had 49 receptions, second in the AAFC to Speedie.

It wasn’t until 1951 that Lavelli had 40+ grabs again.

His 43 catches and six scores brought the receiver his first NFL Pro Bowl invite.

In 1953 and 1954, Lavelli topped 40 receptions again and was selected to the Pro Bowl both years.

He retired following the 1956 season.

Lavelli was an admired receiver during his time in the NFL.

Not only could he create magic with his spectacular catches, but he also helped create the NFL’s Player Association in 1956.

During his career, Lavelli was a four-time AAFC champion, three-time NFL champ, five-time All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowler, AAFC receptions co-leader once and AAFC receiving yards leader once.

He was later selected to the NFL’s 1940s All-Decade Team and placed in the Browns’ Ring of Honor.

Lavelli was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975.

After leaving the NFL as a player, Lavelli spent the rest of his life as a coach and business owner.

He passed away at the age of 85 on January 20, 2009.

 

11- Leroy Kelly

In 1964, the Browns drafted Leroy Kelly in the eighth round out of Morgan State.

During his rookie year, Kelly backed up Jim Brown (#1) and was the team’s primary kick and punt returner.

He racked up over 700 return yards and a punt return score while Cleveland won the 1964 NFL Championship.

Kelly continued to be a potent return man in 1965, returning two punts to the house.

Following the season, Brown suddenly retired, leaving fans to wonder how the team would fare without him.

Not to worry, Kelly took the ball and ran with it.

In his first season as a full-time starter in 1966, Kelly slashed his way to 1,141 yards and led the NFL with 15 rushing scores.

One year later, he dashed for an NFL-best 1,205 yards and a league-leading 11 rushing touchdowns.

To top it all off, he crashed through opponents in 1968 for 1,239 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns.

Both were career-bests and both stats also led the league.

Although he never again reached the 1,000-yard mark, Kelly rumbled for 800 or more yards three more times.

He retired after the 1973 season with 7,274 career yards, 74 rushing scores, 190 receptions for 2,281 yards and 13 receiving touchdowns, and 990 punt return yards and three touchdowns along with 1,784 kick return yards.

Kelly was an NFL champ once, a five-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowler, led the NFL twice in rushing yards and three times in rushing touchdowns and led the league in scoring in 1968.

He was selected for the NFL’s 1960s All-Decade Team and placed in the Browns’ Ring of Honor.

In 1994, Kelly was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

 

10- Mac Speedie

Mac Speedie found his way to the Browns after a stint in the military during World War II.

He played football for the Marine Corps and played against Paul Brown’s Great Lakes Naval Station.

When Brown was named the first head coach in Cleveland Browns history, he offered Speedie a $7,000 contract to join the club.

The signing couldn’t have been more perfect.

Along with quarterback Otto Graham (#3), running back Marion Motley (#4) and fellow receiver Dante Lavelli (#12), Speedie displayed his speedy wheels for seven years in Cleveland.

While winning four All-American Football Conference (AAFC) titles with the Browns between 1946 and 1949, Speedie lead the league in receptions from 1947 through the ‘49 season.

He also led the AAFC in reception yards in ‘47 and ‘49. During a time when football was primarily a ground-based game, Speedie caught 60+ passes in three times and 58 in 1948.

Speedie and Cleveland won the NFL world title in their first year in the NFL when they beat the LA Rams in 1950.

After a falling out with Coach Brown following the 1952 season, Speedie went north to Canada to play in the Western Interprovincial Football Union (later known as the CFL).

He played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and BC Lions before retiring as a player in 1955.

During his career in Cleveland, Spedie was a four-time AAFC champion, one-time NFL champion, five-time All-Pro, two-time Pro Bowler, three-time AAFC receptions leader, and two-time AAFC receiving yards leader.

He was later named to the NFL’s 1940s All-Decade Team and placed in the Browns Ring of Honor.

Speedie spent two years as the receivers coach for the Houston Oilers after retiring as a player before becoming the Denver Broncos head coach from 1964-1966.

He passed away on March 5, 1993, at 73.

27 years later, Speedie was finally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the 2020 class.

 

9- Lou “The Toe” Groza

Lou Groza attended Ohio State University for one year and then dropped out to enlist in the Army in 1943.

He served as a surgical technician in the Pacific theater and witnessed the horrors of war.

While still overseas, Paul Brown sent Groza some footballs and a contract to come play for his new AAFC, the Cleveland Browns, when the war ended.

Brown wanted Groza badly enough that he gave Groza a $500 per month stipend until the conflict ended and he could join the team.

When Groza arrived in Cleveland in 1946 he began a career that spanned over two decades.

During that time, Groza played offensive tackle and placekicker for the Browns.

Groza became “the Toe” for his ability to boot football from long distances.

He frequently nailed field goals from over 50 yards (a rare feat in those days) and led the NFL in field goals made in 1950, 1952 and 1953.

After the Browns won the AAFC Championship every year between 1946 and 1949, the AAFC folded and the team was absorbed into the NFL in 1950.

In the team’s first year in its new league, Cleveland reached the NFL Championship against the LA Rams.

Not many people believed the Browns could defeat the mighty Rams, but it was Groza’s 16-yard kick through the uprights that gave Cleveland a 30-28 win and a fifth straight world title.

Groza continued setting records and kicking footballs through the 1967 season.

When he retired after the year, Groza had become the gold standard for all future NFL kickers.

During his career, “The Toe” won four AAFC titles, four NFL world titles, was a six-time All-Pro, nine-time Pro Bowler, NFL scoring leader once, AAFC scoring leader once, and the Sporting News named him the NFL’s MVP after the 1954 season.

He has since been named to the NFL’s 1950s All-Decade Team, the NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, placed in the Browns’ Ring of Honor, had his #76 retired by Cleveland, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974.

After leaving football, Groza got into the insurance business and was a Browns ambassador for several years.

Groza died on November 29, 2000, of a heart attack.

He was 76 years old.

 

8- Clay Matthews Jr.

Every year, NFL teams hope to draft players who will play at a high level and also be durable enough to last.

The Cleveland Browns found such an athlete in Clay Matthews Jr.

The former USC linebacker was drafted in the first round of the 1978 NFL Draft alongside Ozzie Newsome (#6).

The Browns knew that Matthews’s father had also played in the NFL in the 1950s and that his brother, Bruce, would soon be another Matthews high draft pick (selected by the Houston Oilers in 1979).

There was no way the organization knew that Matthews would prove to be a consistent presence in the league for the next two decades.

Beginning in his rookie year, Matthews rarely missed a game (except for most of the 1982 season when he broke his fibula).

In 1978, he led the NFL with 34 combined tackles and repeated the feat in 1979 (103), 1981 (128), and 1984 (126).

Matthews was finally recognized by his peers in 1985 with his first Pro Bowl nod and then went to three consecutive all-star games from 1987-1989.

The linebacker led the Browns through the glorious mid-80s teams through the early not-so-glorious 1990s teams.

Before the 1994 season, Matthews said goodbye to Cleveland and signed a contract with the Atlanta Falcons.

Although he was advancing in age, Matthews started 15 games with the Falcons in 1994 and all 16 contests in 1995.

That season, he became the oldest NFL player to record a sack at the age of 40.

One year later after only getting the starting nod once, Matthews retired following the conclusion of the 1996 season.

During his 16 years with the Browns, Matthews collected 1,430 combined tackles, 75 sacks, 13 fumble recoveries including one returned for a score, and 14 interceptions that included one for a pick-six.

In his career, Matthews was a four-time Pro Bowler, an All-Pro once, NFL leader in combined tackles four times, and NFL leader in forced fumbles (four in 1983).

He has since been added to the Browns’ Ring of Honor and selected as a Browns’ Legend.

Since retiring, Matthews has been a high school football coach and also opened a car dealership in Ohio.

Matthews’s sons, Clay III and Casey, helped continue the Matthews’s professional football legacy by getting selected in the 2009 and 2011 NFL Drafts, respectively.

 

7- Bernie Kosar

Bernie Kosar was an Ohio kid through and through.

He was born in Youngstown and developed into a good quarterback at Boardman High School where he was selected as a Parade Magazine All-American.

In 1982, he became a starter as a freshman at the University of Miami and racked up accolades through three seasons with the Hurricanes.

After the 1984 college football season, Kosar announced he was giving up his final two years of eligibility by entering the 1985 NFL Draft.

As an underclassman, NFL rules at the time stipulated that he was not permitted to enter the draft.

However, Kosar and his agent gamed the system by his graduating during the summer of ‘85 and entering the NFL Supplemental Draft.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings and Houston Oilers wanted to take Kosar, but the Browns stealthily traded a slew of future draft picks to the Buffalo Bills so they could take their home-state hero.

The clandestine trade created a monumental backlash but then-Commissioner Pete Rozelle finally ruled in Cleveland’s favor.

The fact that Kosar wanted to play for the Browns only made the fans love him even more.

He started 10 games as a rookie and then became the face of the franchise in 1986.

That season, the Browns faced the Denver Broncos in the AFC title game before losing in overtime.

In 1987, Kosar tried to get the team into the Super Bowl but again fell to Denver in the AFC Championship.

A third trip to the title game also resulted in a loss to the Broncos in 1989.

After that loss, the Browns fell on hard times beginning in 1990.

Although he was bruised, battered, and banged up, Kosar continued to line up under center.

In 1993, third-year head coach Bill Belichick controversially released Kosar after a loss to Denver in Week 10.

Of course, the quarterback landed on his feet and signed with the Dallas Cowboys, who would win Super Bowl XXVIII that same year.

Kosar retired after the 1996 season following three years with the Miami Dolphins.

During his career in Cleveland, Kosar had 21,904 passing yards, 116 touchdowns, 81 interceptions, 216 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.

Since retiring, Kosar has had ups and downs in the business world and has also struggled with health issues related to the concussions he suffered during his playing career.

In 2022, Kosar and former teammate, Hanford Dixon (#39), started a podcast called “The Bernie Kosar Show.”

 

6- Ozzie Newsome

The Cleveland Browns spent most of their first three-plus decades dominating the competition.

By the late 1970s, however, the franchise had fallen on hard times.

From 1973-1979, Cleveland missed the postseason each year.

Fortunately, the Browns’ fortunes began to change in 1978.

That year, new coach Sam Rutigliano drafted Clay Matthews (#8) and Ozzie Newsome in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Newsome proved to be a quick study of the pro game.

As a rookie, he partnered with quarterback Brian Sipe (#24) for 38 catches and two touchdowns.

A year later, the duo connected 55 times and the tight end found the end zone nine times, a career-high.

In 1980, the “Kardiac Kids” stole the show and the organization finally returned to the playoffs after an 11-5 season.

Newsome caught 51 balls that year then was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 1981 after snagging 69 passes.

Just two seasons later, Newsome was established as one of the game’s best tight ends after bagging back-to-back years of 89 receptions in 1983 and 1984.

Beginning in 1985, the team started a renaissance of sorts by qualifying for the postseason every year through the 1989 season.

Three of those seasons saw the team advance to the AFC Championship game before losing.

Newsome proved to be a steady influence during that time and was responsible for several big moments.

When he stepped down as a player following the 1990 season, Newsome had career totals of 662 receptions for 7,980 yards and 47 touchdowns.

He also had 135 rushing scores and two touchdowns.

During his career, Newsome was selected to three Pro Bowls and picked as an All-Pro six times.

He was later selected as a member of the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade Team, placed in the Browns’ Ring of Honor, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Following his playing career, Newsome proved to be just as talented at scouting and analyzing talent as he had been as a player.

In nearly three decades as a scout, player personnel director, and general manager with the Browns and Baltimore Ravens, Newsome was responsible for assembling outstanding rosters.

He has been credited for building the Ravens into a top-notch organization and won two Super Bowls with the team as an executive.

 

5- Joe Thomas

With the third overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Browns selected Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas.

In college, Thomas had become one of the best tackles in the nation, winning the 2006 Outland Trophy,  and he promised to be an anchor for Cleveland’s offensive line.

Sure enough, he delivered.

As a rookie that year, Thomas started every game and was named to the PFWA’s All-Rookie Team and picked for his first Pro Bowl.

That year the Browns seemed to finally take a step forward as well, winning 10 games yet just missing the playoffs.

The team’s record turned out to be a blip on the radar.

For the next decade, the franchise never won more than seven games.

However, Thomas continued to be a reliable presence in the locker room and on the offensive line.

Through the 2016 season, he started every game and was considered one of the best tackles in pro football.

In 2017, Thomas played his 10,000th snap, the first player to reach that mark in NFL history.

Unfortunately, he also proved to be mortal.

During a Week 7 contest against Tennessee, Thomas tore his left triceps muscle and was lost for the year.

That ended his streak of 10,363 consecutive snaps.

He could have continued playing after healing from the injury but decided to retire in early 2018.

During his career, Thomas was an eight-time All-Pro and a 10-time Pro Bowler.

He was selected to the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team and placed in the Browns’ Ring of Honor and became a member of the Cleveland Browns Legends.

In 2023, Thomas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a first-year inductee.

The honor also made Thomas the first Browns inductee since the team re-joined the NFL in 1999.

Since his retirement, Thomas has been an analyst for the NFL Network.

He will also be the offensive line coach for the Munich (Germany) Ravens of the European League of Football.

 

4- Marion Motley

Marion Motley joined Otto Graham (#3) as one of the original Browns in 1946.

He and teammate Bill Willis (#13) became the first Black players in the NFL after athletes of color were prohibited from playing pro football for the previous 20 years.

The 6-foot-1, 232-pound Motley was a battering ram at fullback and linebacker for Cleveland.

His rushing totals improved each of his first three years and Motley led the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) in 1948 with 964 yards and 68.9 yards rushing per game.

In eight seasons with Cleveland, Motley accounted for 4,712 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 85 receptions for 1,107 yards and seven scores.

As a Brown, Motley won four AAFC championships and one NFL title.

He was also a four-time All-Pro, one-time Pro Bowler, NFL and AAFC rushing yards leader and AAFC rushing touchdowns co-leader.

Motley was later added to the NFL’s 1940s All-Decade Team and the league’s 75th and 100th Anniversary Teams.

The Browns have also placed Motley in their Ring of Honor.

In 1968, Motley was the second Black player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

On June 27, 1999, Motley passed away at the age of 79.

 

3- Otto Graham

Otto Graham was one of the original Browns and his play at quarterback is still the standard for the franchise today.

After he joined Paul Brown’s team following a stint in the Navy, Graham took over under center and continued playing for the next decade.

During his career, Graham passed for over 2,000 yards in seven of ten seasons.

Along the way, he racked up a ridiculous amount of accolades and awards.

Those included leading the Browns to four straight All-American Football Conference championships, three NFL championships, three NFL MVP awards, two AAFC MVPs, ten All-Pro and All-AAFC nods, five Pro Bowls, and leading the NFL and AAFC in several season categories including passing yards, passing touchdowns, passer rating, and completion percentage.

Graham was later selected for a host of honors including the NFL’s 75th and 100th Anniversary Teams, the NFL’s 1950s All-Decade Team, the Browns’ Ring of Honor, and his number 14 retired by Cleveland.

Graham ended his career after the 1955 season with a 57-13-1 career record.

In 1965, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

After his time in the NFL, Graham spent the next few decades as a coach for the Coast Guard and the Washington Redskins and was also an executive with Washington.

Graham passed away on December 17, 2003, at the age of 82.

 

2- Myles Garrett

Garrett has only played in seven NFL seasons but he is already one of the best Browns players of all time.

As a pass-rushing terror at Texas A&M, Garrett recorded 32.5 sacks while taking home All-American and All-SEC honors for multiple years as well as the Bill Willis Trophy (named after former Brown Bill Willis).

Then, with the first overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Browns selected Garrett.

He would then see the team suffer through three losing seasons before finally returning to the playoffs in 2020 after a 17-year absence.

Losing didn’t slow Garrett down, however.

During that same period, he established himself as one of the best young defensive ends in the business by bagging 30.5 total sacks.

Garrett was also picked as a second-team All-Pro and first-time Pro Bowler after the 2018 season.

From 2020 through the 2023 season, Garrett only intensified his quest to be the best D-end to play the sport.

In 2021 and 2022, he had back-to-back 16 sack seasons and tallied 58 total from ‘20-’23.

After the ‘23 season, he was voted the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year for his 42 tackles, 14 sacks, three passes defended, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

In Cleveland’s history, only Michael Dean Perry has been selected for the award.

Now entering his eighth NFL season, Garrett has one DPOY Award and is a five-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler.

Browns fans can only hope that Garrett adds “Super Bowl Champion” to his already impressive resume before his playing career ends.

 

1- Jim Brown

NFL Rookie of the Year, three-time NFL MVP, one-time NFL champion, nine-time All-Pro, nine-time Pro Bowler, eight-time NFL rushing yards leader, five-time NFL rushing touchdowns leader, NFL scoring champ once, member of the NFL’s 1960s All-Decade Team, member of the NFL’s 50th, 75th, and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams, member of the Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor, and number 32 retired by the franchise.

That is Jim Brown in a nutshell.

Without a doubt, Brown is the biggest name in team history and one regarded by numerous NFL legends as arguably the best ever to carry the ball.

At Syracuse University, Brown was no one-trick pony.

In addition to starring for the Orangemen, Brown played basketball, and track, and was a lacrosse legend.

Brown was so good on the Lax field that he is currently in the Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

As if his sports accomplishments in college weren’t impressive enough, Brown also found the time to join the U.S. Army Reserves and served four years while rising to the rank of captain.

In 1957, legendary coach Paul Brown selected Brown with the sixth overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft.

He then spent the next nine years in Cleveland where Brown helped the team advance to three NFL title games, winning one in 1964.

Just when it looked like Brown would continue running for several more years, he unexpectedly retired after the 1965 season in a dispute with team owner Art Modell.

Brown was never far from the public eye in retirement.

In addition to his notable Civil Rights work, he appeared in numerous films over four decades including The Dirty Dozen, Ice Station Zebra, The Running Man, Mars Attacks!, and Any Given Sunday.

Brown passed away on May 18, 2023, at the age of 87.

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Ben Donahue
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Ben Donahue
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Over 25 years of experience in sports including coach, athletic director, game day operations, media relations, football operations, and scout. Ben currently [...]

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