Cleveland Browns seasons

The following is a list of seasons completed by the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). This list documents season-by-season records, including post-season records, and league awards for individual players or coaches.

The Cleveland Browns were charter members of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) when the league was founded in 1946. From 1946 to 1949, the Browns won each of the league's four championships. The NFL does not recognize the Browns' AAFC championships; however, the Pro Football Hall of Fame "does" recognize the team's championships, which is reflected in this list. When the AAFC folded in 1949, the Browns were absorbed into the NFL in 1950. The Browns went on to win three NFL championships, nearly dominating the NFL in the 1950s, and won one more NFL championship in 1964. The team has yet to appear in a Super Bowl, however. Overall, the team has eight championships: four in the AAFC, and four in the NFL.

In 1996, then-Browns owner Art Modell made the decision to move the team from Cleveland to Baltimore. An agreement between the city of Cleveland and the NFL kept the team's history, name and colors in Cleveland, while Modell's new team would be regarded as an expansion team. The Baltimore Ravens would begin play in 1996, and the Browns would return to the league in 1999. For record-keeping purposes, the Browns are considered to have "suspended operations from 1996 to 1998", which is reflected in this list.

* "For a complete team history, see History of the Cleveland Browns."

* "The Finish, Wins, Losses and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any post-season results. They are combined only at the bottom of this list."{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; width:98%;"
-! rowspan="2" | Season! rowspan="2" | Team! rowspan="2" | League! rowspan="2" | Conference! rowspan="2" | Division! colspan="4" | Regular season results! rowspan="2" | Post-season results! rowspan="2" style="width:15%;"|Awards
-! Finish! Wins! Losses! Ties
-! colspan="11" style="text-align: center;" | All-America Football Conference
-! align="center" | 1946
align="center" | 1946
align="center" style="background-color: #FFF3BF;" | AAFC
align="center" |
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | Western
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | 1st
align="center" | 12
align="center" | 2
align="center" | 0
style="background-color: #FFF3BF;" | Won AAFC championship (Lions 56-10)
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1955
align="center" | 1955
align="center" style="background-color: #FFE6BD;" | NFL
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | 1st
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 2
align="center" | 1
style="background-color: #FFE6BD;" | Won NFL Championship small|(7) (L.A. Rams 38–14)
Otto Graham (MVP)
-! align="center" | 1956
align="center" | 1956
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" | T-4th [At the end of the 1956 season, the Browns and the Steelers ended the season with identical 5–7 records. There were no tie-breaking procedures, so the teams ended the season tied.]
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1957
align="center" | 1957
align="center" | NFL
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | 1st
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 2
align="center" | 1
Lost NFL Championship (Lions 14–59)
Paul Brown (COY)
Jim Brown (MVP, ROY)
-! align="center" | 1958
align="center" | 1958
align="center" | NFL
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | T-1st [At the end of the 1958 NFL season, the Browns and Giants had identical 9–3–0 records. To determine the team that would play in the NFL Championship Game, the NFL held a one-game conference playoff. The Giants shut the Browns out 10–0.]
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 3
align="center" | 0
Lost Conference Playoffs (Giants 0–10)
Jim Brown (MVP)
-! align="center" | 1959
align="center" | 1959
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" | T-2nd [At the end of the 1959 season, the Browns and the Eagles ended the season with identical 5–7 records. There were no tie-breaking procedures, so the teams ended the season tied.]
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1960
align="center" | 1960
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" | 2nd
align="center" | 8
align="center" | 3
align="center" | 1
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1961
align="center" | 1961
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" | 3rd
align="center" | 8
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 1
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1962
align="center" | 1962
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" | 3rd
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 6
align="center" | 1
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1963
align="center" | 1963
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" | 2nd
align="center" | 10
align="center" | 4
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
Jim Brown (BBA, MVP)
-! align="center" | 1964
align="center" | 1964
align="center" style="background-color: #FFE6BD;" | NFL
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | 1st
align="center" | 10
align="center" | 3
align="center" | 1
style="background-color: #FFE6BD;" | Won NFL Championship small|(8) [The Browns' championship win in 1964 is the most recent championship won by any sports team from the Cleveland area.] (B. Colts 27-0)
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1965
align="center" | 1965
align="center" | NFL
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | 1st
align="center" | 11
align="center" | 3
align="center" | 0
Lost NFL Championship (Packers 12–23)
Jim Brown (MVP, MVP)
-! align="center" | 1966
align="center" | 1966
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | Eastern
align="center" |
align="center" | T-2nd [At the end of the 1966 season, the Browns and the Eagles ended the season with identical 9–5 records. There were no tie-breaking procedures, so the teams ended the season tied.]
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1967
align="center" | 1967
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | Eastern
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | Century
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | 1st
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 0
Lost Conference Championship (Cowboys 14–52)
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1968
align="center" | 1968
align="center" | NFL
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Eastern
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | Century
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | 1st
align="center" | 10
align="center" | 4
align="center" | 0
Won Conference Championship (Cowboys 20–31)
Lost NFL Championship (B. Colts 34–0)
Leroy Kelly (MVP)
-! align="center" | 1969
align="center" | 1969
align="center" | NFL
align="center" style="background-color: #DDFFDD;" | Eastern
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | Century
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | 1st
align="center" | 10
align="center" | 3
align="center" | 1
Won Conference Championship (Cowboys 38–14)
Lost NFL Championship (Vikings 7–27)
align="center" |
-! colspan="11" style="text-align: center;" | National Football League, Modern Era (1970–present)
-! align="center" | 1970
align="center" | 1970
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 2nd
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1971
align="center" | 1971
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | Central
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | 1st
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 0
Lost Divisional Playoffs (B. Colts 3-20)
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1972
align="center" | 1972
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" style="background-color: #96CDCD;" | 2nd
align="center" | 10
align="center" | 4
align="center" | 0
Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Dolphins 14–20)
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1973
align="center" | 1973
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 3rd
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 2
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1974
align="center" | 1974
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 4th
align="center" | 4
align="center" | 10
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1975
align="center" | 1975
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 4th
align="center" | 3
align="center" | 11
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1976
align="center" | 1976
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 2nd
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
Forrest Gregg (COY)
-! align="center" | 1977
align="center" | 1977
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 4th
align="center" | 6
align="center" | 8
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1978 [For the 1978 season, the NFL expanded from a 14-game season to a 16-game season.]
align="center" | 1978
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 4th
align="center" | 8
align="center" | 8
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1979
align="center" | 1979
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 3rd
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
Sam Rutigliano (COY)
-! align="center" | 1980
align="center" | 1980
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | Central
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | 1st
align="center" | 11
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 0
Lost Divisional Playoffs (Raiders 12–14) [This game involved the play Red_Right_88 in its final minutes.]
Sam Rutigliano (COY)
Brian Sipe (MVP, MVP, POY)
-! align="center" | 1981
align="center" | 1981
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 4th
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 11
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1982 [The 1982 NFL season was shortened from 16 games per team to 9 games because of a players' strike. The NFL adopted a special 16-team playoff tournament; eight teams from each conference were seeded 1–8, and division standings were ignored.]
align="center" | 1982
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" |
align="center" | 8th
align="center" | 4
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 0
Lost First Round Playoffs (L.A. Raiders 10–27)
Chip Banks (Def. ROY)
-! align="center" | 1983
align="center" | 1983
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 2nd
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1984
align="center" | 1984
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 3rd
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 11
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1985
align="center" | 1985
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | Central
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | 1st
align="center" | 8
align="center" | 8
align="center" | 0
Lost Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins 21–24)
Kevin Mack (ROY)
-! align="center" | 1986
align="center" | 1986
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | Central
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | 1st
align="center" | 12
align="center" | 4
align="center" | 0
Won Divisional Playoffs (Jets 23-20)
Lost Conference Championship [The 1987 Conference Championship game between the Browns and the Broncos is best remembered for The Drive, in which quarterback John Elway, over the span of 5 minutes and 2 seconds, lead the Broncos on a 98-yard drive to tie the game with 37 seconds remaining in regulation. The Broncos won the game in overtime with a field goal, 23–20.] (Broncos 20-23)
Marty Schottenheimer (COY)
-! align="center" | 1987 [The 1987 NFL season was shortened from 16 games per team to 15 games because of a players' strike. Games to be played during the third week of the season were canceled, and replacement players were used to play games from weeks 4 through 6.]
align="center" | 1987
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | Central
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | 1st
align="center" | 10
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 0
Won Divisional Playoffs (Colts 38-21)
Lost Conference Championship [The 1988 Conference Championship game between the Browns and the Broncos is best remembered for The Fumble, in which, while on a potentially game-winning drive, the Browns' running back Ernest Byner fumbled the ball at the Broncos 3–yard line with 65 seconds remaining on the clock. The Broncos recovered the ball, allowed the Browns to get an intentional safety, and won the game, 38-33.] (Broncos 33–38)
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1988
align="center" | 1988
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" style="background-color: #96CDCD;" | 2nd [At the end of the 1988 season, the Browns and the Oilers ended the season with identical 10–6 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Cleveland finished ahead of Houston based on a better division record.]
align="center" | 10
align="center" | 6
align="center" | 0
Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Oilers 23-24)
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1989
align="center" | 1989
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | Central
align="center" style="background-color: #D0E7FF;" | 1st
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 6
align="center" | 1
Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills 34-30)
Lost Conference Championship [The 1990 Conference Championship game between the Browns and the Broncos marked the third time in four years that John Elway defeated Bernie Kosar and the Browns in the AFC championship game.] (Broncos 21–37)
Michael Dean Perry (Def. POY)
-! align="center" | 1990
align="center" | 1990
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 4th
align="center" | 3
align="center" | 13
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1991
align="center" | 1991
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 3rd
align="center" | 6
align="center" | 10
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1992
align="center" | 1992
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 3rd
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1993
align="center" | 1993
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 3rd
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1994
align="center" | 1994
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" style="background-color: #96CDCD;" | 2nd
align="center" | 11
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 0
Won Wild Card Playoffs (Patriots 20–13)
Lost Divisional Playoffs (Steelers 9–29)
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1995
align="center" | 1995
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 4th
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 11
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 1996
rowspan="3" colspan="10" style="text-align: center;" valign="middle" | "Suspended operations from 1996–1998"
-! align="center" | 1997
-! align="center" | 1998
-! align="center" | 1999
align="center" | 1999
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 6th
align="center" | 2
align="center" | 14
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2000
align="center" | 2000
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 6th
align="center" | 3
align="center" | 13
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2001
align="center" | 2001
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | Central
align="center" | 3rd [At the end of the 2001 season, the Browns and the Titans ended the season with identical 7–9 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Cleveland finished ahead of Tennessee based on a better division record.]
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2002
align="center" | 2002
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | North
align="center" style="background-color: #96CDCD;" | 2nd
align="center" | 9
align="center" | 7
align="center" | 0
Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Steelers 33–36)
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2003
align="center" | 2003
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | North
align="center" | 4th
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 11
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2004
align="center" | 2004
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | North
align="center" | 4th
align="center" | 4
align="center" | 12
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2005
align="center" | 2005
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | North
align="center" | 4th [At the end of the 2005 season, the Browns and the Ravens ended the season with identical 6–10 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, Baltimore finished ahead of Cleveland based on a better division record.]
align="center" | 6
align="center" | 10
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2006
align="center" | 2006
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | North
align="center" | 4th
align="center" | 4
align="center" | 12
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! align="center" | 2007
align="center" | 2007
align="center" | NFL
align="center" | AFC
align="center" | North
align="center" | 2nd [At the end of the 2007 season, the Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers ended the season with identical 10-6 records. Using the NFL's tie-breaking procedures, the Steelers finished ahead of the Browns based on winning both games against the Browns during the season.]
align="center" | 10
align="center" | 6
align="center" | 0
align="center" |
align="center" |
-! rowspan="6" colspan="6" style="text-align: center;" valign="middle" | Totals
-
align="center" | 47
align="center" | 4
align="center" | 3
colspan="2" | All-America Football Conference regular season results
-
align="center" | 5
align="center" | 0
align="center" | 0
colspan="2" | AAFC post-season results
-
align="center" | 414
align="center" | 355
align="center" | 10
colspan="2" | National Football League regular season results
-
align="center" | 11
align="center" | 20
align="center" | 0
colspan="2" | NFL post-season results
-! align="center" | 484! align="center" | 379! align="center" | 13! colspan="2" style="text-align: left;" | AAFC and NFL regular and post-season results
-

Footnotes

References

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