1976 Cleveland Browns season
Encyclopedia
The 1976
Cleveland Browns
season was the team's 27th season with the National Football League
. The Browns were coached by second year coach Forrest Gregg
, and ended their season with a record of 9–5, being third in their division. The team's top draft choice was running back Mike Pruitt
. Brian Sipe
firmly took control at quarterback. Sipe had been inserted into the lineup after a Mike Phipps
injury in the season-opening win against the New York Jets
on September 12. After a 1–3 start brought visions of another disastrous year, the Browns jolted the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers with an 18–16 victory on October 10. Third-string quarterback Dave Mays helped lead the team to that victory, while defensive end Joe "Turkey" Jones' pile-driving sack of quarterback Terry Bradshaw
fueled the heated rivalry between the two teams. That win was the first of eight in the next nine weeks, helping put the Browns in contention for the AFC playoffs. A loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
in the regular season finale cost them a share of the division title, but running back Greg Pruitt
continued his outstanding play by rushing for exactly 1000 yards, his second-straight four-digit season.
.
1976 NFL season
The 1976 NFL season was the 57th regular season of the National Football League. The league expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
season was the team's 27th season with the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. The Browns were coached by second year coach Forrest Gregg
Forrest Gregg
Alvis Forrest Gregg is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. During a Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career, he was a part of six championships, five of them with the Green Bay Packers before closing out his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys with a win in...
, and ended their season with a record of 9–5, being third in their division. The team's top draft choice was running back Mike Pruitt
Mike Pruitt
Michael Pruitt is a former American football running back who played eleven seasons from 1976 to 1986 with the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League...
. Brian Sipe
Brian Sipe
Brian Winfield Sipe is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League from 1974 to 1983 and the United States Football League from 1984 to 1985....
firmly took control at quarterback. Sipe had been inserted into the lineup after a Mike Phipps
Mike Phipps
Michael Elston Phipps is a former professional American football quarterback who played collegiately for the Purdue University Boilermakers , and professionally for both the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears .-College career:After playing high school for Columbus High School in Columbus,...
injury in the season-opening win against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on September 12. After a 1–3 start brought visions of another disastrous year, the Browns jolted the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers with an 18–16 victory on October 10. Third-string quarterback Dave Mays helped lead the team to that victory, while defensive end Joe "Turkey" Jones' pile-driving sack of quarterback Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
fueled the heated rivalry between the two teams. That win was the first of eight in the next nine weeks, helping put the Browns in contention for the AFC playoffs. A loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in the regular season finale cost them a share of the division title, but running back Greg Pruitt
Greg Pruitt
Gregory Donald Pruitt is a former American football running back in the NFL from 1973 through 1984. He was selected to five Pro Bowls, four as a member of the Cleveland Browns and one as a member of the Los Angeles Raiders, the last one as a kick returner...
continued his outstanding play by rushing for exactly 1000 yards, his second-straight four-digit season.
NFL Draft
The following were selected in the 1976 NFL Draft1976 NFL Draft
The 1976 National Football League Draft was an annual player selection meeting held on April 8–April 9, 1976. It lasted 17 rounds, with the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks making the first two selections. The expansion teams were also given a pair of extra picks at the end of...
.
| Round | Overall | Player | Position | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 7 | Mike Pruitt Mike Pruitt Michael Pruitt is a former American football running back who played eleven seasons from 1976 to 1986 with the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs in the National Football League... |
Running Back | Purdue Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of... |
| 3 | 65 | Dave Logan | Wide Receiver | Colorado Colorado Buffaloes football The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,... |
| 4 | 97 | Gene Swick Gene Swick Gene Swick is an American former football player. He played college football as a quarterback for the University of Toledo from 1972 to 1975, and the Cleveland Browns selected Swick in the fourth round of the 1976 NFL Draft, but subsequently waived him during camp... |
Quarterback | Toledo Toledo Rockets football The Toledo Rockets football team is a college football program in Division I FBS, representing the University of Toledo. The Rockets compete in the Mid-American Conference. Toledo began playing football in 1917, although it did not field teams in 1931, and 1943-1945. Since the inception of the AP... |
| 4 | 99 | Mike St. Clair Mike St. Clair Richard Michael St. Clair is a former professional American football player who played defensive end for seven seasons for the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals.... |
Defensive End | Grambling Grambling State Tigers football The Grambling State Tigers are the college football team representing the Grambling State University. The Tigers play in NCAA Division I Football Championship as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.-Black College Football National Championships:... |
| 5 | 130 | Henry Sheppard Henry Sheppard Henry Sheppard is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 1976 NFL Draft. He played college football at SMU.... |
Guard | SMU |
| 7 | 189 | Steve Cassidy | Defensive Tackle | LSU LSU Tigers football The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as... |
| 9 | 242 | James Reed | Running Back | Mississippi Ole Miss Rebels football The football history of the University of Mississippi , includes the formation of the first football team in the state and is 26th on the list of college football's all-time winning programs... |
| 9 | 261 | Craig Nagel | Quarterback | Purdue Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team is the intercollegiate football program of the Purdue University Boilermakers. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers have an all-time record of... |
| 10 | 271 | Doug Kleber | Offensive Tackle | Illinois Illinois Fighting Illini football The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51... |
| 11 | 297 | Doug Celek | Defensive End | Kent State Kent State Golden Flashes Kent State University's intercollegiate athletic teams are known as the Golden Flashes or simply as the Flashes. The university fields sixteen varsity athletic teams, all of whom play in the Mid-American Conference and in the NCAA's Division I... |
| 13 | 354 | Brian Murray | Offensive Tackle | Arizona Arizona Wildcats football The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:... |
| 14 | 381 | Joe Smalzer | Tight End | Illinois Illinois Fighting Illini football The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51... |
| 15 | 408 | Luther Philyaw | Defensive Back | Loyola(CA) Loyola Marymount University Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States... |
| 16 | 438 | Chris Lorenzen | Defensive Tackle | Arizona State Arizona State Sun Devils football The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference.... |
| 17 | 464 | Tom Fleming | Wide Receiver | Dartmouth Dartmouth Big Green football The Dartmouth Big Green football team represents Dartmouth College in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League... |
Exhibition schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 31, 1976 | vs. Baltimore Colts Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... at Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379.... |
L 21–0 | |
| 2 | August 7, 1976 | vs. Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... at Stillwater, Oklahoma Stillwater, Oklahoma Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical... |
W 31–7 | |
| 3 | August 16, 1976 | Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
W 31–7 | |
| 4 | August 23, 1976 | at Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 21–17 | |
| 5 | August 29, 1976 | New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
W 30–27 | |
| 6 | September 3, 1976 | at Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 28–10 | |
Regular season schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Results | Stadium | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Record | |||||
| 1 | September 12, 1976 | New York Jets New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 38–17 | 1–0 | Cleveland Stadium Cleveland Stadium Cleveland Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in Cleveland, Ohio. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball and football... |
67,496 |
| 2 | September 19, 1976 | at Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
L 14–31 | 1–1 | Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to... |
49,169 |
| 3 | September 26, 1976 | at Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 13–44 | 1–2 | Mile High Stadium Mile High Stadium Mile High Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that stood in Denver, Colorado, from 1948 until 2001.It hosted the Denver Broncos, of the AFL and the NFL, from 1960-2000, the Colorado Rockies, of the National League, of the MLB, from 1993-1994, the Colorado Rapids, of MLS, from 1996-2001, the... |
62,775 |
| 4 | October 3, 1976 | Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
L 24–45 | 1–3 | Cleveland Stadium | 75,817 |
| 5 | October 10, 1976 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 18–16 | 2–3 | Cleveland Stadium | 76,411 |
| 6 | October 17, 1976 | at Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 20–17 | 3–3 | Atlanta Stadium Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:... |
33,364 |
| 7 | October 24, 1976 | San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 21–17 | 4–3 | Cleveland Stadium | 60,018 |
| 8 | October 31, 1976 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 6–21 | 4–4 | Riverfront Stadium | 54,776 |
| 9 | November 7, 1976 | at Houston Oilers | W 21–7 | 5–4 | Astrodome | 39,828 |
| 10 | November 14, 1976 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 24–3 | 6–4 | Cleveland Stadium | 62,120 |
| 11 | November 21, 1976 | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West... |
W 24–7 | 7–4 | Tampa Stadium | 36,930 |
| 12 | November 28, 1976 | Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 17–13 | 8–4 | Cleveland Stadium | 74,715 |
| 13 | December 5, 1976 | Houston Oilers | W 13–10 | 9–4 | Cleveland Stadium | 56,025 |
| 14 | December 12, 1976 | at Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... |
L 14–39 | 9–5 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
34,340 |
Standings
| AFC Central | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers started the season looking to become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win three-straight league championships... |
10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 342 | 138 | W-9 |
| Cincinnati Bengals 1976 Cincinnati Bengals season The 1976 Cincinnati Bengals season was the team's ninth year in professional football and its seventh with the National Football League.Paul Brown had announced his retirement after 41 seasons of coaching and named Bill Johnson, one his longtime assistant, as the successor over future San Francisco... |
10 | 4 | 0 | .714 | 335 | 210 | W-1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 9 | 5 | 0 | .643 | 267 | 287 | L-1 |
| Houston Oilers 1976 Houston Oilers season The 1976 Houston Oilers season was the 17th season the team was with the league. The team failed to improve upon their previous season's output of 10–4, winning only five games, They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.... |
5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 222 | 273 | L-2 |
Roster
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Tom DeLeone Thomas Denning DeLeone is a former American football center who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League, with the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. He grew up in Kent, Ohio and graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1968, where he was on the football, basketball,... C Barry Darrow Barry Wayne Darrow is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the 17th round of the 1973 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Montana.-References:... T Henry Sheppard Henry Sheppard is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 1976 NFL Draft. He played college football at SMU.... G Pete Adams Peter Anthony Adams is a former American football guard.-Pro career:Adams played four seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns.-College career:... G Doug Dieken Douglas Heye Dieken is a former American football offensive tackle who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns.... T Gerry Sullivan Gerry Sullivan is a former professional American football player who was an offensive lineman for eight seasons for the Cleveland Browns.... T/C Defensive Linemen
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Linebackers
John Garlington John M. Garlington was an American football linebacker who played ten seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns.... OLB Dick Ambrose Dick Ambrose is a former American football linebacker who played nine seasons in the National Football League with the Cleveland Browns, from 1975 to 1983... ILB Dave Graf David Francis Graf is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Penn State University and was drafted in the seventeenth round of the 1975 NFL Draft.... ILB Charlie Hall (linebacker) Charles Leslie Hall is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 1971 NFL Draft. He played college football at Houston.... OLB Gerald Irons Gerald Irons is a former American professional football player who played ten seasons in the National Football League. His youngest son Grant Irons plays for the Oakland Raiders. Eldest son Gerald, Jr. played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and middle son Jarrett was the fifth junior elected captain... OLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
Rookies in italics |
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