Cleveland Browns facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the American football team. For the fictional character, see Cleveland Brown. For the baseball team, see Cleveland Browns (baseball).

Quick facts for kids

Cleveland Browns

Current season


Logo	Wordmark

Uniforms

Basic info

Established

June 4, 1944; 81 years ago

Stadium

Huntington Bank Field
Cleveland, Ohio

Headquartered

The CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Berea, Ohio

Colors

Brown, orange, white

Mascot

Chomps, SJ, Brownie the Elf

Personnel

Owner(s)

Jimmy Haslam
Dee Haslam

President

David Jenkins

General manager

Andrew Berry

Head coach

Kevin Stefanski

Nicknames

The Brownies

Team history

Cleveland Browns (1946–1995, 1999–present)
Suspended operations (1996–1998)

Home fields

Cleveland Stadium (1946–1995)
Huntington Bank Field (1999–present)

League / conference affiliations

All-America Football Conference (1946–1949)

Western Division (1946–1948)

National Football League (1950–present)

American Conference (1950–1952)
Eastern Conference (1953–1969)
- Century Division (1967–1969)
American Football Conference (1970–1995; 1999–present)
- AFC Central (1970–1995; 1999–2001)
- AFC North (2002–present)

Championships

League championships: 8

AAFC championships (4)
1946, 1947, 1948, 1949
NFL championships (pre-1970 AFL–NFL merger) (4)
1950, 1954, 1955, 1964

Conference championships: 11

NFL American: 1950, 1951, 1952
NFL Eastern: 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969

Division championships: 12

AAFC Western: 1946, 1947, 1948
NFL Century: 1967, 1968, 1969
AFC Central: 1971, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989

Playoff appearances (30)

AAFC: 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949
NFL: 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 2002, 2020, 2023

Owner(s)

Arthur B. McBride (1944–1953)
Dave Jones (1953–1961)
Art Modell (1961–1996)
Al Lerner (1998–2002)
Randy Lerner (2002–2012)
Jimmy & Dee Haslam (2012–present)

The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team from Cleveland, Ohio. They play in the National Football League (NFL) as part of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team is named after its first coach and co-founder, Paul Brown. The Browns play their home games at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland. Their main offices and training areas are in Berea, Ohio. The team's official colors are brown, orange, and white. They are the only NFL team that does not have a logo on their helmets.

The Browns started in 1944 and began playing in 1946 in a league called the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). They were very successful, winning the AAFC championship every year for four seasons. When the AAFC closed in 1949, the Browns joined the NFL. They continued their winning ways, taking home the NFL championship in their first year (1950), and again in 1954, 1955, and 1964. For their first 10 years, the Browns played in their league's championship game every single season, winning seven of them! From 1965 to 1995, they made it to the NFL playoffs 14 times, but they did not win another championship or play in the Super Bowl.

In 1995, the team's owner, Art Modell, announced he would move the team to Baltimore. After a lot of discussion and legal action, a deal was made in 1996. Modell was allowed to start a new team in Baltimore, the Baltimore Ravens, but the Browns' name, logos, training place, and history stayed in Cleveland. The NFL said the Browns would return by 1999. In 1998, it was decided that the Browns would come back through a special draft for new teams. Even though they got new players this way, the Browns are seen as the same team that existed before.

Since returning in 1999, the Browns have faced many challenges. They had only four winning seasons (2002, 2007, 2020, and 2023) and made the playoffs three times (2002, 2020, and 2023). They won one playoff game in 2020. In 2017, they had a tough season, winning zero games and losing 16. The team has also changed head coaches often (10 full-time coaches since 1999) and had many different starting quarterbacks (40 since 1999). Their playoff drought of 17 seasons ended in 2020. The Browns are one of four NFL teams that have never played in a Super Bowl.

Team History

The Browns were named after their first head coach, Paul Brown.

The Cleveland Browns were started in 1944 by Arthur B. "Mickey" McBride, a taxi company owner. He got a team in the new All-America Football Conference (AAFC). Paul Brown was the team's first coach and the team was named after him. The Browns started playing in 1946 and won all four AAFC championships before the league ended in 1949.

The team then joined the National Football League (NFL) and kept winning. From 1950 to 1955, Cleveland played in the NFL championship game every year, winning three times.

In 1953, McBride sold the team. Eight years later, Art Modell bought the team. Modell fired Paul Brown in 1963, but the team still did well with star player Jim Brown. The Browns won the championship in 1964.

When the AFL and NFL leagues joined together in 1970, Cleveland became part of the new American Football Conference (AFC). The Browns made the playoffs in 1971 and 1972. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, quarterback Brian Sipe led the team to many exciting last-minute wins, earning them the nickname "Kardiac Kids." However, they did not get past the first round of the playoffs. Later, quarterback Bernie Kosar led the team to three AFC Championship games in the late 1980s, but they lost each time.

In 1995, owner Art Modell announced he was moving the Browns to Baltimore. This made many Cleveland fans very upset. After talks and legal actions, it was agreed that Modell could move his team to Baltimore as the Baltimore Ravens. But Cleveland would keep the Browns' name, colors, and history. The Browns would return to play by 1999. Before the move, coach Bill Belichick led the team to one winning season in 1994. That year, they won a playoff game before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After three years, the Browns started playing again in 1999 with new owner Al Lerner. The team struggled in the 2000s and 2010s. Since their return in 1999, they have had only four winning seasons and three playoff appearances (2002, 2020, 2023). In 2012, the Lerner family sold the team to businessman Jimmy Haslam. Under Haslam, the team continued to struggle for several years.

In 2016 and 2017, under coach Hue Jackson, the Browns had a very tough time, winning only one game in two seasons. This included a season with zero wins and 16 losses in 2017. However, they used their top draft picks to get talented players like Myles Garrett and Baker Mayfield.

In 2020, the Browns hired Kevin Stefanski as their head coach. That year, they made the playoffs for the first time since 2002. They even won a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, their first playoff win since 1994. Their season ended with a close loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2023, the Browns returned to the playoffs with a strong 11–6 record.

Team Logos and Uniforms

What Do the Browns' Logos Look Like?

Brownie elf logo used at midfield since 2022

The Browns are the only NFL team that does not have a logo on their helmets. The plain orange helmet with a brown and white stripe is their main symbol. Over the years, the team has used other fun logos for promotions. These include the "Brownie Elf" mascot and a brown "B" inside a white football.

The Brownie Elf was put away in the 1960s because some thought it was too childish. But it came back when the team returned in 1999. Fans in the "Dawg Pound" section of the stadium also led to a brown and orange dog logo being used.

Browns "dawg logo", a secondary logo introduced in 2023

New logos and words were shown in 2015. The helmet design stayed mostly the same, but the orange color was slightly changed, and the facemask became brown. A new "dawg" logo, featuring a bull mastiff dog, was added in 2023. This dog logo was designed by a fan and includes small tributes to Cleveland and Ohio. Since 2022, a version of the Brownie elf logo has been painted at midfield at Huntington Bank Field.

How Have the Browns' Uniforms Changed?

The Browns' jerseys, pants, and socks have mostly kept their original look. However, the helmets have changed a lot over the years. The biggest uniform change happened before the 2015 season.

Jerseys:
- Brown jerseys have orange numbers and writing, with orange-white-orange stripes on the sleeves.
- White (away) jerseys have orange numbers and writing, with brown-orange-brown stripes.
- Orange jerseys have white numbers and writing, with brown-white-brown stripes.

Pants:
- Brown pants have orange-white-orange stripes and the word "BROWNS" in orange.
- White pants have brown-orange-brown stripes and "BROWNS" in brown.
- Orange pants have brown-white-brown stripes and "BROWNS" in brown.

Socks: They can be solid brown, solid white, or solid orange.

Helmet: The helmet has been white (1946–1949), then white or orange (1950–1951), then orange with a white stripe (1952–1956), and orange with a brown-white-brown stripe since 1961.

The Browns have sometimes worn white jerseys at home, which is unusual for a team in a colder climate. In 2023, the Browns introduced new "White Out" uniforms, which are all white, including a white helmet. This is the first time since 1950 that the Browns have worn non-orange helmets. The white helmets have an orange stripe with two brown stripes, reversing the colors of their usual helmet.

Team Rivalries

The Browns have strong rivalries with the other teams in their AFC North division. They also have historical rivalries with the Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans.

AFC North Rivals

Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

This rivalry is often called the "Turnpike Rivalry" and is the Browns' biggest one. The teams have played each other twice a year since 1950, making it one of the oldest rivalries in the NFL. The Browns won many games early on, but the Steelers have been more successful since the Browns returned in 1999. The Steelers lead the overall series 79–61–1. They have met in the playoffs three times, with the Steelers winning two of those games.

Cleveland vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The "Battle of Ohio" between the Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals started because of a disagreement between Paul Brown and Art Modell. The rivalry is also fueled by the differences between the cities of Cincinnati and Cleveland. Paul Brown used the same shade of orange for both teams when he started the Bengals. Cincinnati leads the all-time series 52–48. This rivalry has been more competitive than the Browns' other division rivalries.

Cleveland vs. Baltimore Ravens

This rivalry began because the Browns moved to Baltimore. For Cleveland fans, this matchup is especially tough because the players drafted by the Ravens from 1995 to 1998 helped the Ravens win a Super Bowl in 2000. Many Browns fans feel that if the team had not moved, those players might have brought a championship to Cleveland. The Ravens lead the overall series 36–14.

Other Notable Rivalries

Cleveland vs. Detroit Lions

The Browns and Detroit Lions had a big rivalry in the 1950s. They played each other in four NFL Championship Games, with the Lions winning three. This was one of the NFL's best rivalries back then. Since 1970, they play less often because the Browns moved to the AFC. The Lions lead the all-time series 19–6.

Cleveland vs. Denver Broncos

The Browns had a short but intense rivalry with the Denver Broncos in the late 1980s. They played in three AFC Championship Games. In 1986, the Broncos won in overtime after a famous play called "The Drive." A year later, in 1987, the Broncos won again after a play known as "The Fumble" where the Browns lost the ball near the end of the game. The Broncos also won their 1989 championship game easily. The Broncos lead the overall series 25–7.

Cleveland vs. Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans

This rivalry started when the Browns and the then-Houston Oilers were in the same division from 1970 to 2002. They played each other twice a year. The Browns lead the overall series 37–32. The teams had their only playoff meeting in 1988, which the Oilers won. More recently, the Browns had a big comeback win in 2014 and a high-scoring victory in 2020.

Browns Fan Base

A study in 2006 suggested that Browns fans are among the most loyal in the NFL. This was based on how many fans attended games even during losing seasons. Browns fans filled almost all the seats at Huntington Bank Field, even when the team was not winning many games.

The Dawg Pound

Browns mascot Chomps shown in 2010 greeting U.S. National Guard members at a home game.

The most famous Browns fans are those in the "Dawg Pound" section of the stadium. This name came from the bleacher section at the old Cleveland Stadium. Today, it is still in the east end of Huntington Bank Field. Hundreds of fans wear orange and brown and dog-themed items. The name started in 1984 when members of the Browns' defense called themselves "The Dawgs." Players like Hanford Dixon would bark to get the fans excited. Because of this nickname, the Browns have used a bulldog as an alternate logo.

Browns Backers Worldwide

The largest group of Browns fans is called Browns Backers Worldwide (BBW). This group has about 305,000 members. Browns Backers clubs can be found in many cities across the United States and even at military bases around the world. There are also clubs in places like Egypt, Australia, Japan, and Antarctica. The two largest international clubs are in Niagara, Canada, and Alon Shvut, West Bank.

When former Browns owner Randy Lerner bought the English soccer team Aston Villa, the soccer club started selling Browns gear. This helped connect the two sports clubs and increased interest in the Browns in England.

Famous Browns Players

Players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame FB Jim Brown.

Hall of Fame QB Otto Graham.

Hall of Fame K/OT Lou Groza.

Hall of Fame WR Dante Lavelli.

Hall of Fame RB Leroy Kelly.

Hall of Fame FB Marion Motley.

Hall of Fame TE Ozzie Newsome.

Hall of Fame LT Joe Thomas.

The Cleveland Browns have many players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Seventeen players were chosen mainly for their time with the Browns. Nine more players or coaches who spent at least one year with the team are also in the Hall of Fame. Otto Graham was the first Browns player to be inducted in 1965. The most recent Browns player to join the Hall of Fame is Joe Thomas in 2023, who is the first player from the 21st century to be inducted.

Cleveland Browns in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Year Inducted	Number	Player Name	Years with Browns	Position
1965	60, 14	Otto Graham	1946–1955	QB
1967	—	Paul Brown	1946–1962	Head coach
1968	76, 36	Marion Motley	1946–1953	FB
1971	32	Jim Brown	1957–1965	FB
1974	46, 76	Lou Groza	1946–1959 1961–1967	OT K
1975	56, 86	Dante Lavelli	1946–1956	WR
1976	53, 80	Len Ford	1950–1957	DE
1977	30, 45, 60	Bill Willis	1946–1953	T, OG
1981	77	Willie Davis ^*	1958–1959	DE
1982	83	Doug Atkins	1953–1954	DE
1983	49	Bobby Mitchell	1958–1961	WR, RB, HB
1983	42	Paul Warfield	1964–1969 1976–1977	WR
1984	74	Mike McCormack	1954–1962	OT
1985	22, 52	Frank Gatski	1946–1956	C
1987	18	Len Dawson	1960–1961	QB
1994	44	Leroy Kelly	1964–1973	RB
1995	72	Henry Jordan	1957–1958	DT
1998	29	Tommy McDonald	1968	WR
1999	82	Ozzie Newsome	1978–1990	TE
2003	64	Joe DeLamielleure	1980–1984	OG
2007	66	Gene Hickerson	1958–1960 1962–1973	OG
2020	58, 88	Mac Speedie	1946–1952	End
2023	73	Joe Thomas	2007–2017	OT

Cleveland Browns Legends

1964 Cleveland Browns NFL Champions jersey signed by the team's players.

The Cleveland Browns have a "Legends" program to honor former players who made important contributions to the team's history. This list includes all the Hall of Famers and many other great players.

Cleveland Browns Legends
Year Inducted	Number	Player Name	Position	Years with Browns
2001	19	Bernie Kosar	QB	1985–1993
	92	Michael Dean Perry	DE	1989–1994
	34	Greg Pruitt	RB	1973–1981
	26	Ray Renfro	WR	1952–1963
2002	57	Clay Matthews	LB	1978–1993
2002	17	Brian Sipe	QB	1974–1983
2003	29	Hanford Dixon	CB	1981–1989
	74/79	Bob Gain	DT	1952–1964
	77/80	Dick Schafrath	OT	1959–1971
2004	86	Gary Collins	WR	1962–1971
	42/82	Tommy James	P	1948–1955
	40/86	Dub Jones	WR	1948–1955
	43	Mike Pruitt	RB	1976–1984
2005	31	Frank Minnifield	CB	1984–1992
	13	Frank Ryan	QB	1962–1968
	72	Jerry Sherk	DT	1970–1981
	64/84	Jim Ray Smith	OT	1956–1962
2006	20/21/44	Earnest Byner	RB	1984–1988 1994–1995
	73	Doug Dieken	OT	1971–1984
	82	Jim Houston	LB	1960–1972
	34	Walt Michaels	LB	1952–1961
2007	12	Don Cockroft	K	1968–1980
	59/84	Horace Gillom	P	1947–1956
	80	Bill Glass	DE	1962–1968
	34	Kevin Mack	RB	1985–1993
2008	71	Walter Johnson	DT	1965–1976
	24/80	Warren Lahr	DB	1949–1959
	21	Eric Metcalf	RB/KR	1989–1994
	84/86	Paul Wiggin	DE	1957–1967
2010	63	Cody Risien	OT	1979–1989
2010	60	John Wooten	OG	1959–1967
2011	50	Vince Costello	LB	1957–1966
2011	54	Tom DeLeone	C	1974–1984
2012	22	Clarence Scott	S	1971–1983
2012	48	Ernie Green	RB	1962–1968
2013	35	Galen Fiss	LB	1956–1966
2013	34/64	Abe Gibron	G	1950–1956
2014	68	Robert Jackson	G	1975–1985
2014	89	Milt Morin	TE	1966–1975
2015	70	Don Colo	DT	1953–1958
2015	79	Bob Golic	NT	1982–1988
2016	52	Dick Ambrose	LB	1975–1983
2016	27	Thom Darden	FS	1972–1981
2017	30	Bernie Parrish	DB	1959–1966
2017	74	Tony Adamle	LB/FB	1947–1951, 1954
2018	40	Erich Barnes	DB	1965–1971
2018	51	Eddie Johnson	LB	1981–1990
2020	16	Josh Cribbs	WR/KR	2005–2012
2020	84	Webster Slaughter	WR	1986–1991
2021	52/58	D'Qwell Jackson	LB	2006–2013
2021	16	Bill Nelsen	QB	1968–1972
2022	82/88	Pete Brewster	TE	1952–1958
2022	73	Joe Thomas	OT	2007–2017

Ring of Honor

In 2010, the Browns started a "Ring of Honor" to celebrate great players from the past. Their names are shown around the upper deck of Huntington Bank Field. The first group included 16 Hall of Famers who played for the Browns. In 2018, Joe Thomas was added, with the number 10,363 to mark his NFL record for playing the most consecutive offensive snaps. In 2019, four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Clay Matthews Jr. also joined the Ring of Honor.

A banner showing the first sixteen members of the Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor, unveiled in September 2010.

Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor
Year Inducted	Number	Name	Position	Years with Browns
2010	32	Jim Brown	FB	1957–1965
	—	Paul Brown	Head coach	1946–1962
	64	Joe DeLamielleure	OG	1980–1984
	53, 80	Len Ford	DE	1950–1957
	22, 52	Frank Gatski	C	1946–1956
	60, 14	Otto Graham	QB	1946–1955
	46, 76	Lou Groza	OT K	1946–1959 1961–1967
	66	Gene Hickerson	OG	1958–1960 1962–1973
	44	Leroy Kelly	RB	1964–1973
	56, 86	Dante Lavelli	WR	1946–1956
	74	Mike McCormack	OT	1954–1962
	49	Bobby Mitchell	WR, RB, HB	1958–1961
	76, 36	Marion Motley	FB	1946–1953
	82	Ozzie Newsome	TE	1978–1990
	42	Paul Warfield	WR	1964–1969 1976–1977
	30, 45, 60	Bill Willis	T, OG	1946–1953
2018	73	Joe Thomas	OT	2007–2017
2019	57	Clay Matthews	LB	1978–1993
2021	58, 88	Mac Speedie	WR	1946–1952
Source:

Statues and Murals

Several Browns players and staff have statues or murals in their honor:

At Huntington Bank Field: Statues of Jim Brown (since 2016) and Otto Graham (since 2019).
In Berea, Ohio: A statue of former owner Al Lerner is in front of the team's headquarters (since 2003). A statue of Lou Groza is in front of a youth football field named after him (since 2016).
Murals in Cleveland: Murals feature Jim Brown and Myles Garrett.

Streets Named After Browns Figures

The street near Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland was renamed "Alfred Lerner Way" in 2002.
The street in Berea, Ohio, where the Browns' headquarters are located, is named "Lou Groza Boulevard."

Coaches of Note

The Browns have had 22 head coaches in their history.

Current Coaching Staff

Cleveland Browns staff

Front Office

Owners – Jimmy Haslam, Dee Haslam, Whitney Haslam-Johnson, J.W. Johnson
Chief strategy officer – Paul DePodesta
Executive vice president/COO – David Jenkins
Executive vice president of football operations/general manager – Andrew Berry
Assistant general manager/vice president of football operations – Catherine Raîche
Assistant general manager/vice president of player personnel – Glenn Cook
Vice president of football administration – Chris Cooper
Vice president of research and strategy – Andrew Healy
Vice president of player personnel process and development – Ken Kovash
Director of football administration – Taylor Young
Director of player personnel – Dan Saganey
Director of pro scouting – Adam Al-Khayyal
Assistant director of pro scouting – Sam DeLuca
Director of college scouting – Max Paulus
Senior personnel/coaching executive – Bob Quinn
Senior executive advisor to the GM – Jimmy Raye III
Director of football operations – Tyler Hamblin
Director of research and strategy – Dave Giuliani
Director of scouting research – Mike Cetta
Director of football information systems – Brad DeAngelis
Special advisor – Jim Brown

Head coaches

Head coach – Kevin Stefanski

Offensive coaches

Offensive coordinator – Alex Van Pelt
Quarterbacks – Drew Petzing
Run game coordinator/running backs – Stump Mitchell
Pass game coordinator/wide receivers – Chad O'Shea
Tight ends – T. C. McCartney
Offensive line – Bill Callahan
Assistant offensive line – Scott Peters
Senior offensive assistant – Kevin Rogers
Offensive assistant – Jonathan Decoster
Offensive quality control – Ashton Grant
Bill Willis diversity coaching fellow – Israel Woolfork

Defensive coaches

Defensive coordinator – Joe Woods
Run game coordinator – Ben Bloom
Defensive line – Chris Kiffin
Assistant defensive line – Jordan Thomas
Linebackers – Jason Tarver
Pass game coordinator/defensive backs – Jeff Howard
Assistant defensive backs – Brandon Lynch
Defensive assistant – Zach Dunn
Defensive quality control – Jeff Anderson

Special teams coaches

Special teams coordinator – Mike Priefer
Assistant special teams – Stephen Bravo-Brown

Support staff

Chief of staff/assistant wide receivers – Callie Brownson

Strength and conditioning

Director of high performance – Shaun Huls
Director of strength and conditioning – Larry Jackson
Assistant strength and conditioning/sports science – Josh Christovich
Assistant strength and conditioning – Monty Gibson
Assistant strength and conditioning – Dale Jones
Assistant strength and conditioning – Evan Marcus
Director of performance nutrition – Katy Meassick

→ Coaching staff
→ Management
→ More NFL staffs

Browns Media Coverage

Radio Broadcasts

WKNR (850 AM), WKRK-FM (92.3 FM), and WNCX (98.5 FM) are the main radio stations for the Cleveland Browns Radio Network. The broadcast team includes play-by-play announcer Andrew Siciliano, commentator Nathan Zegura, and sideline analyst Je'Rod Cherry. There are also Spanish language broadcasts on a separate network, with WJMO 1300 AM as the main station.

TV Broadcasts

Cleveland's ABC affiliate WEWS-TV 5 is the TV home for the Browns. They show team programs all year and all preseason games that are not on national TV. The TV broadcast team includes Chris Rose (play-by-play), Nathan Zegura (analyst), and Aditi Kinkhabwala (sidelines).

Awards for Browns Productions

The Browns' own production team won two Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards in 2005. One was for a special TV show honoring the 1964 NFL Championship team, and the other was for a commercial.