History of Cleveland Browns in Timeline

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

1950: First Time Since 1950 Browns Had Non-Orange Helmets

In 2023, the Cleveland Browns introduced white helmets, making it the first time since 1950 the Browns will have non-orange helmets.

1950: Annual Games Begin with Steelers

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

1954: Browns First Overall NFL Draft Picks

In 1954, the Cleveland Browns had the first overall pick in the NFL Draft.

1961: TV numbers appeared on jersey sleeves

In 1961, secondary numerals, known as "TV numbers," were introduced on the jersey sleeves of the Cleveland Browns' uniforms.

1963: No Browns Players Inducted into Hall of Fame

In 1963, the inaugural induction class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame did not include any Cleveland Browns players.

1964: Modell Schedules Steelers Games on Saturday Nights

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: The 1964 NFL Championship Show

The Cleveland Browns in-house production team won an Emmy award in 2005 for a primetime special honoring the 1964 NFL Championship team.

1965: Otto Graham Enshrined in Hall of Fame

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

1968: Minor Revisions to Sleeve Stripes

In 1968, minor revisions were made to the Cleveland Browns' jersey sleeve stripes, specifically on the brown jerseys worn early in the season, where stripes began to be silkscreened onto the sleeves.

1969: Minor Revisions to Sleeve Stripes

In 1969, the Cleveland Browns made minor revisions to the sleeve stripes on both the white and brown jerseys, where stripes were silkscreened onto the sleeves and separated to prevent color bleeding.

1970: Modell Schedules Steelers Games on Saturday Nights

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: Browns and Oilers Placed in AFC Central

In 1970, after the AFL-NFL merger, the Cleveland Browns and the Houston Oilers were placed in the AFC Central division, leading to them playing each other twice annually.

1970: Teams placed in opposite conferences

In 1970, the San Francisco 49ers and the Cleveland Browns were placed in opposite conferences, which reduced the frequency of their games and lessened their rivalry.

1970: Teams Meet Less Frequently

Since the NFL-AFL 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

In 1975, the Cleveland Browns introduced orange pants featuring a brown-white-brown stripe sequence, which became symbolic of the "Kardiac Kids" era.

1981: Hanford Dixon Joins the Browns

In 1981, Hanford Dixon began his career with the Cleveland Browns, playing cornerback for the team.

1983: End of Orange Pants Era

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

1984: Fans Adopt Dawg Pound Name

In 1984, Cleveland Browns fans adopted the name 'Dawg Pound' for the bleacher section in the east end of Cleveland Municipal Stadium, inspired by the team's defense.

1984: Exception to the five-stripe sequence

In 1984, the Cleveland Browns' basic five-stripe sequence on the jersey sleeves was altered for one season.

1984: Uniform Redesign

In 1984, the Cleveland Browns' uniform was completely redesigned, introducing new striping patterns on the white and brown jerseys and pants, along with solid-colored socks.

1984: Solid brown socks first appeared

Other than in 1984, striped socks matching the jersey stripes had been a signature design element in the team's traditional uniform.

1985: Return to Original Uniform Design

In 1985, the Cleveland Browns reverted to a uniform design similar to the original due to the unpopularity of the 1984 redesign.

1985: White Jersey Sleeve Stripe Pattern

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

1986: The Drive in AFC Championship Game

In the 1986 AFC Championship, quarterback John Elway led the Denver Broncos on The Drive to tie the game in the waning moments at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, with the Broncos winning 23–20 in overtime.

1987: The Fumble in AFC Championship Game

In the 1987 AFC Championship game, Browns' running back Earnest Byner fumbled the ball at the 2-yard line, a play that has been called The Fumble, allowing the Broncos to win 38-33.

1988: Oilers defeat Browns in Wild Card Round

In 1988, the Houston Oilers defeated the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs with a narrow score of 24–23, marking their only playoff meeting.

1989: Hanford Dixon's Last Season with the Browns

1989 marked the last season that Hanford Dixon played for the Cleveland Browns, ending his career with the team.

1989: Controversial Browns' Win over Broncos

In a 1989 regular season game, the Cleveland Browns won a controversial 16–13 victory over the Denver Broncos, decided by a Matt Bahr field goal after a referee ordered the teams to switch ends of the field due to rowdy fans.

1989: Broncos Win AFC Championship

The Denver Broncos defeated the Cleveland Browns in the 1989 AFC Championship game by a score of 37-21.

1991: Broncos Winning Streak Began

From 1991 to 2015, the Denver Broncos won 11 straight meetings against the Cleveland Browns.

1994: Playoff Game against Steelers

The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers met in the playoffs in 1994, with the Steelers winning.

1995: Uniform Remained Similar to Original Design

The Cleveland Browns' uniform design remained similar to the original design until 1995.

1995: Draft Picks for Ravens Super Bowl Team

The draft picks from 1995 to 1998 after the Browns' relocation controversy resulted in the rosters that won the Super Bowl for the Baltimore Ravens in 2000.

1996: Browns Inactive

From 1996 to 1998, the Cleveland Browns were inactive, pausing their annual games against the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans.

1998: Draft Picks for Ravens Super Bowl Team

The draft picks from 1995 to 1998 after the Browns' relocation controversy resulted in the rosters that won the Super Bowl for the Baltimore Ravens in 2000.

1999: 49ers personnel help Browns relaunch

In 1999, Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark, former San Francisco 49ers personnel, were hired by the expansion Cleveland Browns to help with the relaunch of the team.

1999: Browns First Overall NFL Draft Picks

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

1999: Expansion Browns Adopt Traditional Design

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

1999: Bengals Edge Since Browns Return

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

1999: Steelers Dominate Since Browns Return

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

1999: Rivalry Cooled After Modell Move

Though the rivalry between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers 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 First Overall NFL Draft Picks

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

2000: Ravens win Super Bowl

The draft picks from 1995 to 1998 after the Browns' relocation controversy resulted in the rosters that won the Super Bowl for the Baltimore Ravens in 2000.

2002: "Great Lakes Classic" Preseason Game Began

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, a divisional realignment placed the Cleveland Browns in the AFC North and the Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans) in the AFC South, decreasing the frequency of their games.

2002: Introduction of Alternate Orange Jersey

In 2002, the Cleveland Browns introduced an alternate orange jersey and solid brown socks for the first time since 1984, as the NFL encouraged teams to adopt a third jersey.

2002: Addition of "AL" Initials

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

2002: Playoff Game against Steelers

The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers met in the playoffs in 2002, with the Steelers winning.

2003: Pants Stripe Variations

In 2003, the Cleveland Browns experimented with pants stripe variations, replacing the traditional orange-brown-orange stripes on the white pants with two brown-orange-brown sequences.

2003: White Striped Socks Reappeared

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

2003: Orange Pants Reappearance

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

2004: Pants Stripe Variations

In 2004, the Cleveland Browns experimented with pants stripe variations, replacing the traditional orange-brown-orange stripes on the white pants with two brown-orange-brown sequences.

2004: Orange Pants Reappearance

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

2004: Steelers Dominance in Pittsburgh

Since 1970, the Steelers have been particularly dominant in Pittsburgh against the Browns, including winning streaks of 16 games (1970–85) and 17 games (2004–20).

2005: Browns Win Emmy Awards

In 2005, the Cleveland Browns in-house production team won two Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards, one for 'The 1964 Championship Show' and another for 'The Paperboy' commercial.

2005: White Striped Socks Reappeared

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

2005: Joined Stripe Sequence Used Exclusively

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

2006: Browns Fans Ranked Most Loyal in NFL

In 2006, a study by Bizjournal determined that Cleveland Browns fans are the most loyal in the NFL, based on factors like attendance and support during losing seasons.

2006: Brown Pants Creation

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

2006: Return to Traditional Pants Stripe Sequence

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

2006: Reversion 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 a darker shade of brown.

2007: White Striped Socks Reappeared

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

August 18, 2008: Brown Pants Debut

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.

August 9, 2009: Brown Pants Appearance at Scrimmage

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

September 19, 2010: Browns Ring of Honor Inaugural Class Unveiled

On September 19, 2010, the Cleveland Browns unveiled the inaugural class of their Ring of Honor, featuring 16 Hall of Famers who entered the Hall of Fame as Browns.

2010: Brown Pants Discontinued

In 2010, the Cleveland Browns discontinued the use of brown pants due to negative fan reception, returning to the white shirt-on-white pants combination.

2011: Browns Wear White for All Games

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

October 3, 2013: All-Brown Combination Debut

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

2013: Removal of "AL" Initials

In 2013, upon Jimmy Haslam assuming ownership of the Cleveland Browns, the initials "AL," which had been added to honor former owner Al Lerner, were removed from the team's uniforms.

2014: "Great Lakes Classic" Preseason Game Ended

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, Phil Dawson, a long-time Browns placekicker, and Colt McCoy, a backup quarterback, signed with the San Francisco 49ers.

2014: Browns Erase 28-3 Deficit

In 2014, the Cleveland Browns erased a 28–3 deficit to win against the Tennessee Titans with a score of 29–28.

April 14, 2015: New Uniforms Unveiled

On April 14, 2015, the Cleveland Browns unveiled their new uniform combinations, featuring a slightly darker, more vibrant matte orange, seal brown and white, and orange numerals with a dropshadow.

2015: Broncos Winning Streak Ended

From 1991 to 2015, the Denver Broncos won 11 straight meetings against the Cleveland Browns before Cleveland broke that streak with a narrow 17–16 win in 2018.

2016: All-Brown Look for NFL Color Rush

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

2017: Browns First Overall NFL Draft Picks

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

2018: Nathan Zegura Suspended

In 2018, Browns commentator Nathan Zegura, who was a sideline reporter at the time, served an eight-game suspension for arguing with officials during a game.

2018: Browns Break Broncos Winning Streak

In 2018, Cleveland broke the Denver Broncos' 11-game winning streak with a narrow 17–16 win.

2018: Joe Thomas Entered into Ring of Honor

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

2018: All-Brown Uniform Worn Three Times

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

2018: Browns First Overall NFL Draft Picks

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

2019: All-Brown Uniform Promoted

For the 2019 season, the Cleveland Browns promoted the all-brown uniform to their primary home uniform, wearing it for six home games and away games where the home team wore white.

2019: Clay Matthews Jr. Entered into Ring of Honor

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

December 2020: Browns Set Franchise Record for Points in First Half

In December 2020, the Cleveland Browns set a franchise record for points in the first half with 38 points in a game against the Tennessee Titans, ultimately winning 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 designs from years past.

2020: Playoff Game against Steelers

The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers met in the playoffs in 2020, with the Steelers winning.

2023: Ravens Lead the Series

As of the 2023 season, the Baltimore Ravens lead the overall series against the Cleveland Browns 36–14.

2023: Browns First Overall NFL Draft Picks

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

2023: Joe Thomas Inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame

In 2023, Joe Thomas, the first Cleveland Browns player of the 21st century, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

2023: Introduction of "White Out" Uniforms

In 2023, the Cleveland Browns introduced new "White Out" uniforms, an all-white uniform, featuring a white helmet, that will be worn during select home games.