History of Cleveland Browns in Timeline

The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio, competing in the NFL's AFC North division. Named after their original coach and co-founder, Paul Brown, the team plays home games at Huntington Bank Field. Their colors are brown, orange, and white. Uniquely, the Browns do not feature a logo on their helmets.

1946: White uniforms throwback to 1946 season

The white uniforms were a throwback to the 1946 season.

1950: First time since 1950 Browns have non-orange helmets

In 2023 marked the first time since 1950 the Cleveland Browns will have non-orange helmets with the introduction of the "White Out" uniforms.

1950: Teams played twice annually since 1950

Since 1950, the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers have played each other twice annually, making it the oldest rivalry in the AFC and the fifth-oldest rivalry in the NFL.

1961: TV numbers appear on jersey sleeves

In 1961, the Cleveland Browns introduced secondary numerals, known as "TV numbers", on the sleeves of their jerseys.

1963: No Browns in inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame class

In 1963, no Browns players were inducted in the inaugural induction class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

1964: Steelers rivalry fueled with Saturday night games

From 1964 to 1970, former Browns owner Art Modell scheduled home games against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday nights to help fuel the rivalry.

1964: Recognition of 1964 NFL Championship team

In 2005, a primetime special honoring the 1964 NFL Championship team (The 1964 Championship Show) won a Lower Great Lakes Emmy Award.

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1965: Otto Graham Enshrined

In 1965, Otto Graham became the first Browns player to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

1968: First revisions to sleeve stripes

In 1968, the Cleveland Browns made the first minor revisions to their jersey sleeve stripes, specifically on the brown jerseys worn in the early season. These stripes were silkscreened onto the sleeves to prevent color bleeding.

1969: Stripes silkscreened on white and brown jerseys

In 1969, the Cleveland Browns continued revising their jersey sleeve stripes by silkscreening them onto both the white and brown jerseys to prevent color bleeding. The stripes were also separated from each other.

1970: Steelers rivalry fueled with Saturday night games

From 1964 to 1970, former Browns owner Art Modell scheduled home games against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday nights to help fuel the rivalry.

1970: Teams placed in opposite conferences

In 1970, the Browns and 49ers were placed in opposite conferences, diminishing their rivalry.

1970: Browns and Oilers placed in AFC Central

In 1970, the Browns and then-Oilers were placed in the AFC Central after the AFL–NFL merger, leading to twice-annual games.

1970: Teams meet less frequently with Browns' move to AFC

Since the AFL–NFL merger of 1970, the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions have met much less frequently due to the Browns' move to the AFC.

1975: Introduction of orange pants with brown-white-brown stripe sequence

In 1975, the Cleveland Browns introduced orange pants with a brown-white-brown stripe sequence, which were worn until 1983 and became symbolic of the "Kardiac Kids" era.

1981: Hanford Dixon joins Browns

Hanford Dixon joined the Browns in 1981 and played his entire career for the team.

1983: End of orange pants with brown-white-brown stripe sequence

In 1983, the Cleveland Browns stopped wearing the orange pants with the brown-white-brown stripe sequence, which had been symbolic of the "Kardiac Kids" era.

1984: Dawg Pound name adopted

In 1984, Browns fans adopted the name "Dawg Pound" for the bleacher section in the east end of Cleveland Municipal Stadium, after members of the Browns defense used it to describe the team's defense.

1984: Uniform Redesign

In 1984, the Cleveland Browns completely redesigned their uniform, introducing new striping patterns on the white jerseys, brown jerseys, and pants, along with solid brown socks for brown jerseys and solid orange socks for white jerseys.

1984: Exception to the five-stripe sequence

The 1984 Cleveland Browns season was an exception to the basic five-stripe sequence on the jersey sleeves.

1984: Solid brown socks first appearance

The year 2002 marked the first time solid brown socks appeared since 1984 and were used with white, brown and orange jerseys.

1985: Return to original uniform design

In 1985, the Cleveland Browns reverted back to a uniform design similar to the original after the 1984 redesign was unpopular with fans.

1985: The white jersey has had that sleeve stripe pattern

Since the 1985 season, the Cleveland Browns white jersey has consistently maintained the same sleeve stripe pattern.

1986: 1986 AFC Championship Game

In the 1986 AFC Championship, quarterback John Elway led "The Drive" to secure a tie in the waning moments at Cleveland Municipal Stadium; the Denver Broncos went on to win 23–20 in overtime against the Cleveland Browns.

1987: 1987 AFC Championship Game

In the 1987 AFC Championship game at Mile High Stadium, the Denver Broncos defeated the Cleveland Browns 38-33 after Browns running back Earnest Byner fumbled at the 2-yard line, a play known as "The Fumble".

1988: Oilers defeat Browns in Wild Card Round

In 1988, the Oilers defeated the Browns in their only playoff meeting during the Wild Card Round, with a score of 24–23.

1989: Hanford Dixon retires from Browns

Hanford Dixon retired from the Browns in 1989 after playing his entire career for the team.

1989: Browns controversial win against the Broncos

In a 1989 regular season game, the Cleveland Browns secured a controversial 16–13 victory against the Denver Broncos at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, decided by a Matt Bahr 48-yard field goal as time expired, following a field switch ordered by the referee due to rowdy fans.

1989: 1989 AFC Championship

In the 1989 AFC Championship at Mile High Stadium, the Denver Broncos defeated the Cleveland Browns by a score of 37–21.

1994: Playoff game

The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers met in the playoffs in 1994, with the Steelers holding a 2-1 lead in the postseason series.

1995: Uniform design remained unchanged until 1995

The Cleveland Browns' uniform design remained largely unchanged until 1995 after reverting to a look similar to the original design in 1985.

1995: Rivalry created due to relocation controversy

The rivalry between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens was created due to the Browns' relocation controversy. The draft picks from 1995 to 1998 resulted in the rosters that won the Super Bowl for the Ravens in 2000.

1996: Browns Inactive

From 1996 to 1998, the Browns were inactive as a team.

1998: Rivalry created due to relocation controversy

1999: Browns have first overall pick in NFL draft

In 1999, The Cleveland Browns had the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

1999: 49ers Personnel Help Browns Relaunch

In 1999, former 49ers president and CEO Carmen Policy and vice president/director of football operations Dwight Clark were hired by the expansion Browns in the same roles to help the Browns relaunch.

1999: Browns adopt traditional design with exceptions

In 1999, the expansion Cleveland Browns adopted the traditional uniform design with two exceptions: the TV numbers were moved to the shoulders, and the orange-brown-orange pants stripes were significantly widened.

1999: Bengals have a 28-21 edge since Browns returned to NFL

Since the Cleveland Browns returned to the NFL in 1999, the Cincinnati Bengals have a 28-21 edge in the series, but this series has been more competitive than the Browns' series with their other division rivals.

1999: Steelers dominance continues after Browns return to league

Since the Cleveland Browns returned to the league in 1999, the Pittsburgh Steelers have maintained a dominant record of 36-9-1 in their rivalry.

1999: Rivalry cools in Pittsburgh

Though the rivalry has cooled in Pittsburgh due to the Modell move as well as the Browns' poor play since 1999, the Steelers still remain the top rival for Cleveland.

2000: Browns have first overall pick in NFL draft

In 2000, The Cleveland Browns had the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

2000: Ravens win Super Bowl with former Browns' draft picks

In 2000, the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl with rosters resulting from the draft picks from 1995 to 1998.

2002: "Great Lakes Classic" Preseason game

From 2002 to 2014, the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions played an annual preseason game known as the "Great Lakes Classic".

2002: Divisional Realignment

In 2002, divisional realignment placed the Browns in the AFC North and the now-Titans in the AFC South, reducing the frequency of games between the teams.

2002: Addition of "AL" initials to honor Al Lerner

In 2002, the Cleveland Browns added the initials "AL" to their jerseys to honor team owner Al Lerner, who passed away that year.

2002: Experimentation with uniform design begins

In 2002, the Cleveland Browns began experimenting with their uniform design. An alternate orange jersey was introduced, and solid brown socks appeared for the first time since 1984, used with white, brown, and orange jerseys.

2002: Playoff game

The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers met in the playoffs in 2002, with the Steelers holding a 2-1 lead in the postseason series.

2003: Occasional return of orange pants

In 2003, the Cleveland Browns occasionally wore the orange pants with a brown-white-brown stripe sequence again.

2003: Stripes on white pants replaced by brown-orange-brown sequence

In 2003, the Cleveland Browns replaced the traditional orange-brown-orange stripes on the white pants with a brown-orange-brown sequence. The stripes were joined and worn with white jerseys.

2003: White striped socks appear with white jerseys

In 2003, the white striped socks appeared occasionally with the white jerseys.

2004: Variations of brown-orange-brown stripe sequence on white pants

In 2004, the Cleveland Browns continued to experiment with the white pants stripes. They wore two variations of a brown-orange-brown sequence; one was joined and worn with white jerseys, and the other was separated by white and worn with brown jerseys.

2004: Orange pants worn occasionally

In 2004, the Cleveland Browns occasionally wore the orange pants with a brown-white-brown stripe sequence again.

2004: Steelers win streak begins

Since 1970, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been particularly dominant in Pittsburgh, posting a 44–7 record when hosting the Cleveland Browns, including a 17-game winning streak from 2004–2020.

2005: Browns win Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards

In 2005, the Browns in-house production team won two Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards. One was for a primetime special "The 1964 Championship Show" and one was for a commercial spot "The Paperboy".

2005: Joined brown-orange-brown sequence used exclusively

In 2005, the Cleveland Browns used the joined brown-orange-brown stripe sequence exclusively with both the white and brown jerseys.

2005: White striped socks appear with white jerseys

In 2005, the white striped socks appeared occasionally with the white jerseys.

2006: Browns Fans Ranked Most Loyal by Bizjournal Study

In 2006, a study by Bizjournal determined that Browns fans are the most loyal in the NFL, based on loyalty during winning and losing seasons, game attendance, and challenges confronting fans.

2006: Brown pants created as an option

In 2006, the Cleveland Browns created brown pants as an option for their away uniform when they integrated the gray facemask.

2006: Return to traditional orange-brown-orange sequence

In 2006, the Cleveland Browns returned to the traditional orange-brown-orange stripe sequence on their pants.

2006: Team reverts to older uniform style

In 2006, the Cleveland Browns reverted to an older uniform style, featuring gray face masks, the original stripe pattern on the brown jersey sleeves, and the older, darker shade of brown.

2007: White striped socks appear with white jerseys

In 2007, the white striped socks appeared occasionally with the white jerseys.

August 18, 2008: Browns wear brown pants for the first time

On August 18, 2008, the Cleveland Browns wore brown pants for the first time in team history during a preseason game against the New York Giants. The pants had no stripes or markings.

August 9, 2009: Browns wear brown pants at "family" scrimmage

On August 9, 2009, the Cleveland Browns wore the brown pants again during a "family" scrimmage, pairing them with white-striped socks.

September 19, 2010: Inaugural Ring of Honor Class Unveiled

On September 19, 2010, the inaugural class of the Browns Ring of Honor was unveiled during the home opener, featuring the 16 Hall of Famers who went into the Hall of Fame as Browns.

2010: Browns return to white shirt-on-white pants

In 2010, after the fans generally disliked the brown pants, the Cleveland Browns returned to their white shirt-on-white pants combination.

2011: Browns wear white for all 16 games

In 2011, the Cleveland Browns chose to wear white at home and wound up wearing white for all 16 games, as the home team would wear their darker colored uniform when they were on the road.

October 3, 2013: Browns wear all-brown combination for the first time

On October 3, 2013, the Cleveland Browns wore brown pants with brown jerseys for a home game against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football, marking the first time the team wore an all-brown combination in team history.

2013: "AL" initials removed after Jimmy Haslam assumes ownership

In 2013, after Jimmy Haslam assumed ownership of the Cleveland Browns, the "AL" initials, which had been added to honor Al Lerner, were removed from the team's jerseys.

2014: "Great Lakes Classic" Preseason game

From 2002 to 2014, the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions played an annual preseason game known as the "Great Lakes Classic".

2014: Phil Dawson and Colt McCoy Signed with 49ers

In 2014, long-time Browns placekicker Phil Dawson and backup quarterback Colt McCoy signed with the 49ers.

2014: Browns comeback win against Titans

In 2014, the Browns erased a 28–3 deficit to come away with a 29–28 win against the Tennessee Titans.

April 14, 2015: Browns unveil new uniform combinations

On April 14, 2015, the Cleveland Browns unveiled their new uniform combinations, featuring a slightly darker, more vibrant matte orange on the helmet, and seal brown and white, with orange numerals which featured a dropshaw. The word "CLEVELAND" appeared above the jersey numerals.

2016: Browns bring back all-brown look for Color Rush program

In 2016, the Cleveland Browns brought back the all-brown uniform look for the NFL Color Rush program, excluding the white elements.

2017: Browns have first overall pick in NFL draft

In 2017, The Cleveland Browns had the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

2018: Nathan Zegura serves suspension

In 2018, Browns commentator Nathan Zegura served an eight-game suspension for arguing with officials during a game when he was a sideline reporter.

2018: Browns break losing streak against Broncos

In 2018, Cleveland broke an 11-game losing streak against the Broncos with a narrow 17–16 victory.

2018: Joe Thomas entered into the Ring of Honor

In 2018, Joe Thomas was entered into the Browns Ring of Honor with the number 10,363, commemorating his NFL record of consecutive snaps played on offense.

2018: Browns have first overall pick in NFL draft

In 2018, The Cleveland Browns had the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

2018: All-brown uniform worn at home three times

In 2018, despite the Color Rush program being discontinued, the Cleveland Browns all-brown uniform was worn at home three times.

2019: All-brown uniform promoted to primary home uniform

For the 2019 season, the Cleveland Browns promoted the all-brown uniform to their primary home uniform and wore it for six home games, as well as any away game in which the home team wore white.

2019: Clay Matthews Jr. entered into the Ring of Honor

In 2019, four-time Pro Bowl linebacker Clay Matthews Jr. was entered into the Browns Ring of Honor.

December 2020: Browns set franchise record for points in the first half

In a December 2020 contest with playoff implications, the Browns jumped to a 38–7 halftime lead against the Tennessee Titans, setting a franchise record for points in the first half, and won with a final score of 41-35.

2020: New uniform design unveiled

In 2020, the Cleveland Browns unveiled a new uniform design that pays homage to the team's classic uniform design from years past.

2020: Playoff game

The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers met in the playoffs in 2020, with the Steelers holding a 2-1 lead in the postseason series.

2021: White uniforms first worn in 2021

The white uniforms were first worn in 2021 in celebration of the Browns' 75th anniversary season.

2022: The all-brown Color Rush uniform last worn in 2022

Before the 2025 season, the Cleveland Browns unveiled a second alternate helmet that would be worn with the all-brown Color Rush uniform, which was last worn in 2022.

2023: Denver leads the overall series against Cleveland

As of the 2023 season, Denver leads the overall series against Cleveland with a record of 25–7.

2023: Ravens lead overall series

As of the 2023 season, the Baltimore Ravens lead the overall series against the Cleveland Browns with a record of 36-14.

2023: Browns have had five first overall picks as of 2023

As of the 2023 season, the Browns have had the first overall pick in the NFL draft on five occasions.

2023: Browns lead all-time series against 49ers

As of the 2023 season, the Browns lead the all-time series against the 49ers with a record of 20–10.

2023: Joe Thomas inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame

In 2023, Joe Thomas became the most recent Browns player to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and is the first member inducted that played in the 21st century.

2023: New "White Out" uniforms introduced

In 2023, the Cleveland Browns introduced new "White Out" uniforms, featuring a white helmet, to be worn during select home games. This marks the first time since 1950 that the Browns will have non-orange helmets.

2025: Browns have won 9 of the last 11 meetings.

As of the end of the 2025 season, the Browns have won 9 of the last 11 meetings against the Cincinnati Bengals.

2025: Unveiling of second alternate helmet

Before the 2025 season, the Cleveland Browns unveiled a second alternate helmet, featuring a matte brown finish with a brown stripe flanked by two orange stripes.