2012 Media Guide_PROOF.P - ClevelandBrowns.com

The Cleveland Browns have one of the richest traditionsin all of professional football, boasting eight league titles,including four in the NFL. In addition, 16 former Brownshave been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame inCanton, the sixth-most of any NFL franchise.THE AAFCThe Browns were founded in 1945 as a charter memberof the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), underbusinessman Arthur B. “Mickey” McBride, who would namePaul Brown as the team’s general manager and headcoach. The franchise conducted a team naming contest,and the No. 1 choice was “Browns,” highlighting PaulBrown’s popularity in the area. In addition to Brown, thatfirst team consisted of future Hall of Famers in center FrankGatski, quarterback Otto Graham, offensive tackle/kickerLou Groza, receiver Dante Lavelli, fullback Marion Motleyand lineman Bill Willis.In their first season in the AAFC (1946), the Brownsposted a 12-2 record and went on to defeat the New YorkYankees in the league’s inaugural championship game,14-9. They were as equally successful off the field, averagingmore than 57,000 fans to their home games at MunicipalStadium. The Browns would go on to claim the AAFC titlein all four years of the league’s existence, including a 15-0record in 1948.JOINING THE NFLIn 1950, the Browns were one of only three AAFC teams tomerge with the National Football League, along with the SanFrancisco 49ers and Baltimore Colts. Despite joining a moreestablished league, Cleveland continued its success as theymarched through the 1950 regular season with a 10-2 recordbefore defeating the New York Giants in the playoffs and theLos Angeles Rams in the championship game. In fact, theBrowns appeared in the NFL Championship game in each oftheir first seven years in the league (1950-56), coming awaywith three titles during that time (1950, 1954-55).Quarterback Otto Graham guided the Browns to thechampionship game in all 10 of his professional seasons,helping the team capture seven titles (four AAFC and threeNFL). Graham led the AAFC in passing all four years andled the NFL in passing twice (1953 and 1955), while totaling23,584 passing yards combined in both leagues.In 1957, the Browns selected Syracuse running back JimBrown with the sixth overall pick of the NFL Draft. Brownwould go on to lead the league in rushing that year with 942yards in just 12 games as he was named NFL Rookie ofthe Year. He helped the Browns back to the NFL title gamethat season, although they dropped a 59-14 decision to theDetroit Lions. The following year, Brown again led the leaguein rushing, with 1,527 yards and 27 touchdowns. It markedone of seven times over the next eight years in which herushed for more than 1,100 yards.TEAM HISTORYCOLLIER TAKES THE HELMAfter going consecutive seasons without making the playoffsfor the first time in franchise history (1961-62), BlantonCollier took over for Paul Brown as head coach in 1963, andguided the team to a regular season record of 10-4 as theyreturned to the postseason, led by Jim Brown’s career-high1,863 rushing yards. The following year saw the Browns puttogether a record of 10-3-1, capped by a 27-0 victory overBaltimore in the NFL Championship game. The 1964 seasonmarked the first of three NFL title game appearances for theBrowns over the next five years.Following the 1965 season, Brown unexpectedlyannounced his retirement to pursue an acting career. In hisfinal year, Brown rushed for 1,544 yards, the third straightyear and eighth time in his nine NFL seasons that he toppedthe league’s rushing chart.Following Brown’s retirement, Cleveland could not bederailed as they qualified for the postseason in three of thenext four years, including two NFL Championship gameappearances (1968-69). Future Hall of Fame running backLeroy Kelly, an eighth-round draft choice of the team in 1964,rushed for more than 1,000 yards in three of those seasons(1966-68).On September 21, 1970, the Browns became part of historyas they had the distinction of hosting the New York Jetsin the first-ever Monday Night Football game, emerging witha 31-21 victory.Collier wrapped up his coaching career following the 1970season. He registered a 76-34-2 (.688) regular seasonrecord and guided the Browns to four NFL Championshipgames.THE “KARDIAC KIDS”The decade of the 1970s started with the Browns makingtwo trips to the playoffs in the first three years. Then came astretch in which the Browns missed the postseason sevenstraight seasons (1973-79). In the final year of that span,however, the Browns, under the guidance of second-yearHead Coach Sam Rutigliano, put together a record of 9-7and affectionately earned the nickname of the “Kardiac Kids.”Of the team’s nine victories that year, seven came by sevenpoints or less. Two of those wins occurred in overtime whilethree others were decided within the final two minutes ofregulation.This excitement continued into the following season of1980. After starting the year 2-3, the Browns reeled off fivestraight wins and victories in eight of their next nine. Of thoseeight triumphs, six came by six points or less. On the finalweek of the season, Don Cockroft’s 22-yard field goal withless than two minutes to play lifted the Browns to a 27-24victory over the Bengals at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium,as Cleveland captured its first AFC Central crown since 1971and its first playoff berth since 1972.TEAM HISTORY 133