History of the Cleveland Browns Football Team
The Founding of the Browns
The Cleveland Browns were found by Robert Gries and Arthur McBride in 1945. The professional football team would evolve into one of the most successful franchises in all of sports. The Cleveland Browns won 8 league titles and 18 division trophies. In those early years the organization, Cleveland earn playoff bids 21 times. However, as the years evolved, the Browns devolved into one of the worst teams in modern day NFL history.
Early Success
The 1946 season was the first for the Browns. The team participated in the American Football Conference, who later merged with the National Football League in 1949. Paul Brown was the team's first manager lasting until 1962. The co-founder, Arthur McBride, names the team after the legendary Paul Brown. The Browns had tremendous early success as a new franchise, winning AFC championships in all four years it played in the conference. After joining the NFL, the Browns continued their winning way, capping a championship in their first year in the league.
Ownership Changes and Jim Brown
McBride sold his ownership stake in the team in 1953 to Sol Silberman and a few other partners. The team ownership fluctuated a little during the 50s and 60s, but team's winning ways continued unabated. During this period, the Cleveland Browns won two league titles. Then in the mid-60s, the team drafted legendary future Hall-of-Famer Jim Brown out of the University of Syracuse. Brown went on to become on the greatest running backs in NFL history.
Arthur B. Modell and the Decline of the Franchise
Arthur Modell purchased the majority interest in the team in 1961. The history between Cleveland fans and Modell was rocky from the start and deteriorated over the next 30 years. After two years of owning the team. he fired coach Paul Brown - the teams only coach and one who had had the most success of any coach in the league. During the 1970s, the Cleveland Brown's head coaching position was a revolving door: Blanton Collier, Nick Skorich, Forrest Gregg, and Sam Rutigliano. While the team did win, they failed to secure the championships they had under Paul Brown. In the mid-80s, Cleveland had yet another new head coach in Marty Schottenheimer.
While the team largely prosper during the regular season under Schottenheimer, it continued to fail in making or winning playoff games. After Schottenheimer, subsequent head coaches failed to even win consistently. These included Bud Carson, Jim Shofner, and Bill Belichick (who later became the wildly successful head coach at New England). All of these coaches experienced numerous losing seasons.
While the team largely prosper during the regular season under Schottenheimer, it continued to fail in making or winning playoff games. After Schottenheimer, subsequent head coaches failed to even win consistently. These included Bud Carson, Jim Shofner, and Bill Belichick (who later became the wildly successful head coach at New England). All of these coaches experienced numerous losing seasons.
Moving to Baltimore and the Modern Day Cleveland Browns
In the mid-90s, Modell moved the team to Baltimore. However, the city of Cleveland ensured it maintained the copyrights to the name "Browns". Modell sited lack of support from the city and its fans for rational in moving the team to Maryland. Cleveland went without a franchise for several years but was finally awarded a new team in 1999. Since returning to the NFL, Cleveland has not experienced a winning season let alone a playoff birth.
The history of the Cleveland Browns has devolved from a storied team in the 40s, 50s, and 60s to a modern-day embarrassment for the league and the Cleveland fans. Today, fans are still supportive but have very low expectations for a winning performance.
The history of the Cleveland Browns has devolved from a storied team in the 40s, 50s, and 60s to a modern-day embarrassment for the league and the Cleveland fans. Today, fans are still supportive but have very low expectations for a winning performance.