Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are an NFLNFLThe NFL (National Football League) is a U.S. professional American football league of 32 clubs. Founded in 1920 as the APFA and renamed in 1922, it is organized into the AFC and NFC, with the season culminating in the Super Bowl.Open the full entry professional American football team that began play in the AAFC in 1946 and joined the NFL in 1950. They won four AAFC and four NFL championships. After suspending play from 1996 through 1998, the franchise resumed in 1999 with its name, colors and history retained. Its current home is Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland.
Contents13 sections
Key facts
1944–1946Formation and the first AAFC season
1946–1949Four AAFC titles
With players including Otto Graham, Marion Motley and Lou Groza, Cleveland won the championship in all four AAFC seasons. The league ceased operating after the 1949 season, and the Browns entered the NFL.[1]
1950–1955Early NFL championships
Cleveland opened its NFL schedule in 1950 by beating defending champion Philadelphia 35–10. The Browns won six consecutive Eastern Conference titles from 1950 through 1955 and NFL championships in 1950, 1954 and 1955.[1]
1957–1964Jim Brown and a fourth NFL title
Running back Jim Brown joined in 1957 and rushed for 12,312 yards over nine seasons. After Paul Brown’s departure following 1962, Blanton Collier became head coach and led Cleveland to a 27–0 championship-game win over the Baltimore Colts in 1964.[1]
1961–1989Modell ownership and division results
Art Modell purchased the team in 1961. Under the later AFC divisional structure, Cleveland won the AFC Central in 1971, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1989.[1]
1995–1999Relocation dispute, suspension and return
Modell announced in 1995 that he would move the football operation to Baltimore. Fans and city officials pressed to retain the Browns, and the resulting arrangement kept the name, colors and history in Cleveland. Play was suspended from 1996 through 1998 and resumed in 1999; the Baltimore RavensBaltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are an NFL professional American football team that began play in Baltimore in 1996. They play at M&T Bank Stadium. Named after Edgar Allan Poe’s poem “The Raven,” reflecting his connection with the city, the team won the Super Bowls concluding the 2000 and 2012 seasons.Open the full entry have a separate history beginning in 1996.[1][2][3]
2002–2020Post-return playoff appearances
Cleveland returned to the playoffs in the 2002 season but lost in the Wild Card round. Its next appearance came in the 2020 season, when the Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 48–37 before exiting in the following round.[1]
2012Haslam family acquires control
Dee and Jimmy Haslam acquired a controlling interest in the Browns in 2012. Haslam Sports Group subsequently linked the club’s operations with stadium and related development projects; a 2025 team announcement records the ownership change.[2]
January 28, 2026Todd Monken appointed
The Browns appointed Todd Monken their 19th full-time head coach, his first NFL head-coaching job. He had been Cleveland’s offensive coordinator in 2019 and spent the preceding three seasons coordinating the Baltimore Ravens’ offense.[4]
April 30, 2026Groundbreaking in Brook Park
The Browns held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Huntington Bank Field in Brook Park. The announcement targeted 2029 for the enclosed stadium and the first phase of its surrounding development. The team currently continues to play at the existing venue of the same name on Cleveland’s lakefront.[5][6]
Current home city
Related organizations, websites and public accounts
Cleveland Browns: Official website: https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/ (opens in a new window) .[7]
Cleveland Browns: X: https://twitter.com/Browns (opens in a new window) .[7]
Cleveland Browns: YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: https://www.youtube.com/Browns (opens in a new window) .[7]
Cleveland Browns: LinkedInLinkedInLinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals. It was founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman and others, launched in 2003, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2011; after Microsoft acquired it for approximately $26.2 billion in 2016, it became a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. Its revenue comes from membership subscriptions, advertising, and recruitment solutions.Open the full entry: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cleveland-browns/ (opens in a new window) .[7]
Sources
- Cleveland Browns — Team History (opens in a new window)
- Cleveland Browns and Legends Global Announce Long-Term Partnership (opens in a new window)
- Baltimore Ravens — Team History (opens in a new window)
- Todd Monken Named Browns Head Coach (opens in a new window)
- Browns Officially Break Ground on New Huntington Bank Field (opens in a new window)
- Huntington Bank Field — Stadium Information (opens in a new window)
- Cleveland Browns — Official Website (opens in a new window)