2009 Cleveland Browns season
Encyclopedia
The 2009
Cleveland Browns
season was the team's 63rd season as a professional sports franchise and its 59th season as a member of the National Football League
(NFL). The team placed fourth in the AFC North
with a record of 5–11, improving upon its 2008
record of 4–12. This season marked George Kokinis
and Eric Mangini
's first seasons as the team's general manager
and head coach
, respectively; however, Kokinis was fired on November 2 during the team's Week 9 bye week. The Browns played all of their home games at Cleveland Browns Stadium
in Cleveland, Ohio
.
The Browns missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season, tying a record set between 1973–79.
and head coach Romeo Crennel
after spending four seasons together in Cleveland. Crennel, who joined the Browns with Savage in 2005, left Cleveland with a record of 24–40 (.375) and an 0–8 record against the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers
. The team's best record under Crennel was 10–6 during the 2007 season
.
On January 7, 2009, the Browns announced that the team had found its replacement for Crennel and that it had reached a contractual agreement with former New York Jets
head coach Eric Mangini
, who was fired after three seasons in New York. Mangini, who joined the Jets in 2006, left New York with a record of 23–25 (.479), including a 10–6 record and a playoff appearance in his first season
.
On January 14, the Browns announced that Mangini had named his coordinators: Brian Daboll
was hired as the offensive coordinator; Rob Ryan
as the defensive coordinator; and Brad Seely
as the special teams coordinator and assistant head coach. Daboll was most recently the quarterbacks coach for the Jets from 2007–2008; Ryan was the defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders
from 2004–2008; and Seely was the special teams coach for the New England Patriots
from 1999–2008. All three worked with Mangini from 2000–2003 as members of New England. Daboll, Ryan, and Seely replace Rob Chudzinski
, Mel Tucker
, and Ted Daisher
, respectively.
On January 22, the Browns hired five assistant coaches: Bryan Cox
was hired as the defensive line coach; Andy Dickerson as the defensive quality control coach; Jerome Henderson
as the defensive backs coach; Rick Lyle
as an assistant strength-and-conditioning coach; and Carl Smith as the quarterbacks coach. Cox, Dickerson, Henderson, and Lyle spent the past three seasons with Mangini in New York. Smith was the Browns' quarterbacks coach from 2001–2003 and was most recently the offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars
from 2005–2006.
On January 25, the Browns hired former Baltimore Ravens
director of pro personnel George Kokinis
as general manager. Kokinis spent five seasons in the Browns' scouting department from 1991–1995, and after the team moved to Baltimore, he was a member of the Ravens' scouting department from 1996–1999. He was the Ravens' assistant director of pro personnel from 2000–2002 and was the director of pro personnel from 2003–2008.
On February 4, the Browns hired three more assistant coaches: Alan DeGennaro
was hired as an assistant strength-and-conditioning coach; Tom Myslinski
as the strength-and-conditioning coach; and George Warhop as the offensive line coach. On February 11, the Browns hired George McDonald
as the offensive quality control coach. On February 17, the Browns hired Gary Brown
as the running backs coach and Steve Hagen as the tight ends coach. On February 22, the Browns hired Matt Eberflus as the linebackers coach.
On May 6, the Browns promoted McDonald to wide receivers coach.
to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
for its second-round selection in the 2009 NFL Draft
(50th overall, used to select Mohamed Massaquoi
) and its fifth-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft
. Winslow was selected sixth overall by the Browns in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft
and played five seasons with the team. During his career with the Browns, he accumulated 219 receptions for 2,459 yards (11.2 YPC) and had eleven touchdown receptions.
On April 25, during the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft
, the team traded its first-round selection (5th overall) to the Jets
for its first- (17th overall) and second-round (52nd overall) selections, defensive end Kenyon Coleman
, safety Abram Elam
, and quarterback Brett Ratliff.
The Browns did not have third-, fifth-, or seventh-round selections in the draft.
. Stallworth then stopped his vehicle and called 9–1–1. Reports showed that Stallworth was driving under the influence; his blood-alcohol level was 0.12%, above Florida's legal limit of 0.08%. He was charged with DUI manslaughter and a warrant was issued for his arrest on April 1 and he surrendered to police on April 2. On June 16, Stallworth pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 30 days in prison, two years' house arrest, and eight years probation. Many believed that the sentence Stallworth received was too lenient as he could have served up to 15 years in jail. Stallworth also reached an undisclosed financial settlement with the victim's family. On June 18, the NFL suspended Stallworth indefinitely On August 13, the NFL officially suspended Stallworth for the entire 2009 season, and made plans to reinstate him after the Super Bowl.
, FB Charles Ali
, CB Brandon Anderson
, QB Richard Bartel
, CB Tra Battle
, LB Beau Bell
, T Branndon Braxton
, LB Titus Brown
, C Dustin Fry
, RB Noah Herron
, DT Adam Hoppel, WR Paul Hubbard
, CB Corey Ivy
, RB Chris Jennings
, WR Lance Leggett, G Pat Murray
, WR Jordan Norwood
, WR David Patten
, G Kurt Quarterman
, DE Brian Schaefering
, G Isaac Sowells
, DE Santonio Thomas
, and TE Aaron Walker.
and T Joe Thomas were chosen as offensive captains, LB D'Qwell Jackson
and LB Eric Barton
as defensive captains, and KR Josh Cribbs and K Phil Dawson
as special teams captains.
kicked his second field goal and WR Josh Cribbs returned a punt for a touchdown and the Browns took a 13–10 lead into halftime. However, the second half was controlled completely by the Vikings, with QB Brett Favre
connecting with WR Percy Harvin
for Favre's first touchdown pass as a Viking. In the 4th quarter, QB Brady Quinn
completed a touchdown pass to TE Robert Royal
, the first touchdown by Cleveland's offense since the 4th quarter of Week 11 in 2008, ending a span of 416 offensive plays without a touchdown.
With the loss, Cleveland fell to 0–1.
for a Week 2 duel with the Denver Broncos
. After recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff, the Browns started with a short field but couldn't capitalize, settling for a 22-yard field goal by kicker Phil Dawson
. Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton
would complete a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Scheffler
for the game's first touchdown, and after a 47-yard field goal by Cleveland, the game was 7–6 after the first quarter. However, Cleveland's offensive struggles continued. Meanwhile, in the second and third quarter, kicker Matt Prater
gave Denver a 23-yard and a 38-yard field goal. Afterwards, in the fourth quarter, the Broncos took control with touchdown runs by Peyton Hillis
and Correll Buckhalter
.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 0–2.
for a Week 3 AFC North duel with the Baltimore Ravens
. Cleveland would trail early in the first quarter as Ravens running back Willis McGahee
got a 7-yard touchdown run, followed by kicker Steven Hauschka
getting a 36-yard field goal. The Browns' deficit would increase in the second quarter as Hauschka nailed a 33-yard field goal, while McGahee got a 15-yard touchdown run.
In the third quarter, things continued to get worse for the Browns as running back Ray Rice
got a 9-yard touchdown run. In thr fourth quarter, Cleveland would manage to get on the board as kicker Billy Cundiff
made a 29-yard field goal. Afterwards, Baltimore closed out the game as quarterback Joe Flacco
completed a 72-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Derrick Mason
.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 0–3.
Starting quarterback Brady Quinn
(6 of 8, 34 yards, 1 INT) was benched after a dismal first half performance, while Derek Anderson
(11 of 19, 92 yards, 3 INTs) did not perform much better.
in Round 1 of 2009's Battle of Ohio
. Due to quarterback Brady Quinn
's poor performance in the season thus far, head coach Eric Mangini
named quarterback Derek Anderson
the starter.
Cleveland would trail early in the first quarter as Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer
completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. The Browns would continue to struggle in the second quarter as defensive end Robert Geathers
returned a fumble 75 yards for a touchdown. Cleveland would respond with Anderson completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Steve Heiden
.
The Browns would tie the game in the third quarter with Anderson's 1-yard touchdown run. Afterwards, Cleveland would take the lead in the fourth quarter with a 26-yard and a 31-yard field goal from kicker Billy Cundiff
. However, Cincinnati answered with Palmer hooking up with Ochocinco again on a 2-yard touchdown run (with a blocked PAT). In overtime, both teams went back and forth with their possessions. In the end, the Bengals emerged victorious with kicker Shayne Graham
kicking the game-winning 31-yard field goal.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 0–4.
to the New York Jets
for WR Chansi Stuckey
, LB Jason Trusnik
, and third- and fifth- round selections in the 2010 NFL Draft
. The third-round selection would have become a second-round selection based on Edwards met certain performance criteria with the Jets this season, but he did not meet those criteria.
who pinned the Bills within their 5 yard line 3 times. After trading field goals in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, the Browns recovered a fumble on a punt return by WR Roscoe Parrish
, and kicker Billy Cundiff
secured the victory with a short field goal. The Browns won despite QB Derek Anderson
completing only 2 of 17 passes (11.8%) for 23 yards, setting a record for lowest completion percentage in a win since the AFL-NFL merger
. This also marked Eric Mangini
's first win as head coach of the Browns.
With the win, the Browns improved to 1–4. Zastudil was named the AFC special teams player of the week.
. The Browns came into the game having lost their last 11 games against the Steelers. The Steelers struck first with two touchdown passes from Ben Roethlisberger
in the 2nd quarter. Josh Cribbs ran a kickoff back 98 yards for a touchdown, and got the Browns within 7. However, the Browns could never close the gap, and fell to the Steelers, 27–14.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–5.
. After a scoreless first quarter, Cleveland began the second quarter with kicker Billy Cundiff
's 22-yard field goal. However, the Packers would take charge with quarterback Aaron Rodgers
completing a 45-yard touchdown pass to tight end Spencer Havner
and a 71-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Donald Driver
, followed by a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Ryan Grant
.
Afterwards, Green Bay pulled away in the second half with kicker Mason Crosby
booting an 18-yard field goal in the third quarter and Rodgers finding wide receiver James Jones
on a 5-yard touchdown pass.
With the loss, the Browns stumbled to 1–6.
for a Week 8 interconference duel with the Chicago Bears
. The Browns' defense held up well early, limiting the Bears to three field goals by kicker Robbie Gould
(a 37-yard & a 29-yard in the first quarter and a 32-yard in the second). However, the Browns could not manage to get on the board and Chicago RB Matt Forté
scored on a 1-yard run, putting the Browns down 16 at the half. The Browns struck first in the third quarter on a one yard run by QB Derek Anderson
, but the PAT was blocked. Forté scored again in the third with a 10-yard touchdown run and the Bears put the Browns away with a 21-yard interception return for a touchdown by CB Charles Tillman
in the fourth quarter. Late in the fourth, Derek Anderson was benched for Brady Quinn
after going 6 of 17 (35.2%) for 76 yards and 2 interceptions.
With the loss, the Browns went into their bye week at 1–7.
after getting off to a disappointing 1–7 start. The Browns' statement said that Kokinis "is no longer actively involved with the organization." Owner Randy Lerner
reportedly asked for his resignation, and when Kokinis refused, sought a dismissal "for cause." Head coach Eric Mangini
was told by Lerner that his job was safe for the moment.
as the starting quarterback again and looking to turn around their disappointing season. They hosted the Baltimore Ravens
on Monday Night Football
. Both teams played a scoreless first half, the first scoreless half in the NFL this season and only the ninth ever in 620 Monday Night Football games. The Ravens took over in the third with two touchdowns in 15 seconds (a 13-yard touchdown run from running back Ray Rice
and safety Dawan Landry
's 48-yard interception return for a touchdown). Kicker Steven Hauschka
would add a 44-yard field goal, and the Browns could not score. This was the Browns' first shutout of the year.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–8.
for a Week 11 interconference duel with the Detroit Lions
. Both teams began the game with field goals, as Cleveland kicker Phil Dawson
made a 44-yard field goal while Lions kicker Jason Hanson
got a 31-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Browns' offense exploded as quarterback Brady Quinn
completed a 59-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi
, a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chansi Stuckey
, and a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Josh Cribbs. Detroit would answer with quarterback Matthew Stafford
completing a 26-yard touchdown pass to running back Aaron Brown
. The Lions would tie the game in the second quarter as Stafford hooked up with running back Kevin Smith
on a 25-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 75-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Calvin Johnson
. Afterwards, Cleveland would end the half with Dawson nailing a 29-yard field goal.
Detroit would take the lead in the third quarter with Stafford's 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Will Heller
, the Browns would pick up a safety after Stafford was called for intentional grounding from his own end zone. In the fourth quarter, Cleveland regained the lead with Quinn's 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Michael Gaines
(followed by running back Jamal Lewis
getting a 2-point conversion run). The Lions would take over, and with no time left, Browns safety Brodney Pool
intercepted the ball. However, cornerback Hank Poteat
was flagged for pass interference in the end zone. Since the game cannot end on a defensive penalty, Detroit was given one un-timed down from the Browns' 1 yard line and Stafford completed the game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Brandon Pettigrew
.
With the loss, Cleveland fell to 1–9.
and a touchdown reception by J. P. Foschi in the first half. Brady Quinn
had a touchdown run in the third, but another Bengals field goal and defense put the Browns away.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–10 and were officially eliminated from postseason contention.
. The Browns struck first with an 11 yard touchdown reception by Mohamed Massaquoi
. The Chargers took the lead back in the first on a field goal by Nate Kaeding
and a long touchdown reception by Mike Tolbert
. San Diego scored 17 more in the second and third, seemingly putting the game out of reach. The Browns managed to get within a touchdown but their comeback ran out of time.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–11.
on a night with subzero wind chills for a Week 14 duel. In windy conditions, Phil Dawson
hit a pair of 29 yard field goals, and Chris Jennings
had a 10 yard touchdown run to put the Browns up 13. Jeff Reed nailed a field goal before the half to draw the Steelers within 10, and hit another in the third to bring them within a touchdown. However, a scoreless fourth by both teams led the Browns to their first win against the Steelers since 2003, and the Browns became only the fourth team in NFL history to be at least 10 games under .500 and defeat the defending Super Bowl
champions.
With the win, the Browns improved to 2–11, snapped a twelve game losing streak against the Steelers, and won their first home game since an October 2008 victory, interestingly against then-defending Super Bowl champion
New York Giants
. KR Josh Cribbs was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
field goal in the second, the Chiefs scored three straight touchdowns to take a 24–13 lead. However, Cribbs again ran a kickoff back for a touchdown, this time for 103 yards and extending his NFL record to eight kickoff return touchdowns. In the second half, Jerome Harrison
rushed for three touchdowns and amassed a filibuster
-proof majority of his 286 rushing yards. This set a Browns' rushing record for a single game, was the record for most rushing yards in the NFL this season, and was the third most rushing yards in a game in NFL history. Matt Cassel
's final desperation pass ricocheted off the cross bar, and the Browns defeated the Chiefs 41–34, with their highest point total of the season.
With the win, the Browns improved to 3–11 and finished the season 2–6 on the road. Cribbs was named the AFC special teams player of the week for the second straight week.
was hired by the Browns to take over as their president. His duties will include personnel management, and he may hire a general manager to assist him. He also will have the power to replace Eric Mangini
as head coach if he so chooses.
, trying to extend their 2 game winning streak. The Browns struck first with a 17 yard run by Jerome Harrison
and a 42 yard field goal from Phil Dawson
. Oakland kicker Sebastian Janikowski
hit 3 field goals in the first half, including a 61 yarder to close out the half. However, the Browns led at halftime, 17–9. The Browns held the Raiders scoreless in the second half, and Dawson hit 2 more field goals to lead the Browns to a 23–9 victory, their third in a row.
With the win, the Browns improved to 4–11.
, who came into the game with an outside chance of making the playoffs. Cleveland and Jacksonville traded field goals in the first quarter, but Josh Cribbs broke the tie in the second with a 14 yard touchdown run, and Phil Dawson
added another field goal to give the Browns a 10 point lead at the half. In the third, Jerome Harrison
added a 6 yard touchdown run to push the lead to 17. In the fourth, Zach Miller
caught a 6 yard pass from David Garrard
to close within 10, but Dawson added another field goal. On the final play of the game (and the season), Miller caught another touchdown pass from Garrard but it was not enough, and the Browns won 23–17. The Browns' 4 game winning streak was the longest since 1994.
With the win, the Browns improved to finish the season at 5–11, a one-win improvement over the 2008 campaign. They finished 3–5 at home.
. Cribbs, who made his second appearance, was the starting kick and punt returner. Thomas, who made his third consecutive appearance in the game, was selected as the reserve offensive tackle, but started in the game because of an injury to Jake Long
of the Miami Dolphins
.
2009 NFL season
The 2009 NFL season was the 90th regular season of the National Football League.The preseason started with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on August 9, 2009, and the regular season began September 10. The season ended with Super Bowl XLIV, the league's championship game, on February 7, 2010 at...
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 63rd season as a professional sports franchise and its 59th season as a member of 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...
(NFL). The team placed fourth in the AFC North
AFC North
The American Football Conference North Division, or AFC North, is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It was created prior to the 1967 season as the NFL Century Division when the NFL split into four divisions...
with a record of 5–11, improving upon its 2008
2008 Cleveland Browns season
The 2008 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 62nd season as a franchise and was the team's 58th season as a member of the National Football League. The Browns finished with a 4–12 record and failed to qualify for the playoffs. The season marked Romeo Crennel's fourth year as head coach of the...
record of 4–12. This season marked George Kokinis
George Kokinis
George Kokinis is a former general manager of the Cleveland Browns. As director of pro personnel for the Baltimore Ravens the previous five seasons, Kokinis was responsible for analyzing NFL rosters and assessing the free agent market. He also assisted in contract negotiation for some of the...
and Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
's first seasons as the team's general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
and head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
, respectively; however, Kokinis was fired on November 2 during the team's Week 9 bye week. The Browns played all of their home games at Cleveland Browns Stadium
Cleveland Browns Stadium
-See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity...
in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
The Browns missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season, tying a record set between 1973–79.
Personnel changes
On December 29, 2008, the Cleveland Browns announced that the team had fired general manager Phil SavagePhil Savage
Phillip "Phil" Savage, Jr. is a former general manager for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He is currently a player personnel executive for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the senior vice president and general manager of the Browns from 2005–2008...
and head coach Romeo Crennel
Romeo Crennel
Romeo Crennel is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and current defensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. Before becoming the head coach of the Browns, Crennel won three Super Bowls in four seasons as the defensive coordinator of the New England...
after spending four seasons together in Cleveland. Crennel, who joined the Browns with Savage in 2005, left Cleveland with a record of 24–40 (.375) and an 0–8 record against the division rival 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...
. The team's best record under Crennel was 10–6 during the 2007 season
2007 Cleveland Browns season
The 2007 Cleveland Browns season began with the Browns attempting to improve upon their 4–12 record from the 2006 season, in which the team finished in fourth place in the AFC North. The Browns also attempted to overcome the many injuries that plagued the team throughout the 2006 season...
.
On January 7, 2009, the Browns announced that the team had found its replacement for Crennel and that it had reached a contractual agreement with former 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...
head coach Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
, who was fired after three seasons in New York. Mangini, who joined the Jets in 2006, left New York with a record of 23–25 (.479), including a 10–6 record and a playoff appearance in his first season
2006 New York Jets season
The 2006 New York Jets season began with the team trying to improve on their 4–12 record in 2005. The season marked the first for rookie head coach Eric Mangini, who replaced Herman Edwards after the latter left the Jets to coach the Kansas City Chiefs...
.
On January 14, the Browns announced that Mangini had named his coordinators: Brian Daboll
Brian Daboll
Brian Daboll is the current American football offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.-Early years:...
was hired as the offensive coordinator; Rob Ryan
Rob Ryan
Rob Ryan is the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He is the son of former defensive coordinator and head coach Buddy Ryan and the twin brother of current head coach of the New York Jets, Rex Ryan.-Early life:When his parents, Doris and Buddy Ryan,...
as the defensive coordinator; and Brad Seely
Brad Seely
Brad Seely is the American football assistant head coach and special teams coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League.-Playing career:...
as the special teams coordinator and assistant head coach. Daboll was most recently the quarterbacks coach for the Jets from 2007–2008; Ryan was the defensive coordinator for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 2004–2008; and Seely was the special teams coach for the 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...
from 1999–2008. All three worked with Mangini from 2000–2003 as members of New England. Daboll, Ryan, and Seely replace Rob Chudzinski
Rob Chudzinski
Robert A. Chudzinski is an American football coach. He is currently the Offensive Coordinator for the Carolina Panthers. He was the offensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns, having been named to that position on January 20, 2007...
, Mel Tucker
Mel Tucker
Mel Tucker is an American football coach who is currently the interim head coach and defensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League .-Early life:...
, and Ted Daisher
Ted Daisher
Ted Daisher is an American football coach, currently serving as the defensive backs coach for the Bryant University Bulldogs. Prior to joining the Bulldogs, Daisher had several stops in the professional ranks...
, respectively.
On January 22, the Browns hired five assistant coaches: Bryan Cox
Bryan Cox
Bryan Keith Cox is a former American football linebacker who played twelve seasons in the NFL from 1991 through 2002. He was a member of the New England Patriots club that won Super Bowl XXXVI...
was hired as the defensive line coach; Andy Dickerson as the defensive quality control coach; Jerome Henderson
Jerome Henderson
Jerome Virgil Henderson is a former American football defensive back for the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets of the National Football League. He played college football at Clemson University and was drafted in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft...
as the defensive backs coach; Rick Lyle
Rick Lyle
Rick Lyle is a former American football defensive end who played for four teams in a 9-year NFL career....
as an assistant strength-and-conditioning coach; and Carl Smith as the quarterbacks coach. Cox, Dickerson, Henderson, and Lyle spent the past three seasons with Mangini in New York. Smith was the Browns' quarterbacks coach from 2001–2003 and was most recently the offensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 2005–2006.
On January 25, the Browns hired former Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
director of pro personnel George Kokinis
George Kokinis
George Kokinis is a former general manager of the Cleveland Browns. As director of pro personnel for the Baltimore Ravens the previous five seasons, Kokinis was responsible for analyzing NFL rosters and assessing the free agent market. He also assisted in contract negotiation for some of the...
as general manager. Kokinis spent five seasons in the Browns' scouting department from 1991–1995, and after the team moved to Baltimore, he was a member of the Ravens' scouting department from 1996–1999. He was the Ravens' assistant director of pro personnel from 2000–2002 and was the director of pro personnel from 2003–2008.
On February 4, the Browns hired three more assistant coaches: Alan DeGennaro
Alan DeGennaro
Alan DeGennaro is the current assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Cleveland Browns.-External links:*...
was hired as an assistant strength-and-conditioning coach; Tom Myslinski
Tom Myslinski
Thomas Joseph Myslinski, Jr. is a professional American football strength and conditioning coach. He was strength and conditioning coach for the Cleveland Browns until the end of the 2009 season. He is also a former National Football League offensive lineman...
as the strength-and-conditioning coach; and George Warhop as the offensive line coach. On February 11, the Browns hired George McDonald
George McDonald (American football)
George McDonald is the current American football wide receivers coach for the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. Previously, he served as the wide receivers coach for the Cleveland Browns...
as the offensive quality control coach. On February 17, the Browns hired Gary Brown
Gary Brown
Gary Leroy Brown is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Houston Oilers in the eighth round of the 1991 NFL Draft. He is currently the running backs coach for the Cleveland Browns. A 5'11", 230-lb...
as the running backs coach and Steve Hagen as the tight ends coach. On February 22, the Browns hired Matt Eberflus as the linebackers coach.
On May 6, the Browns promoted McDonald to wide receivers coach.
Free agents
| Player | 2009 Team | Signed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FS | Mike Adams | UFA | Browns | March 6 |
| FB | Charles Ali Charles Ali Charles Ali is an American football fullback for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2007... |
ERFA | Browns | March 23 |
| TE | Brad Cieslak Brad Cieslak Bradley Ryan Cieslak is an American football tight end who is currently a Free Agent. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Northern Illinois.-Early years:... |
ERFA/UFA | ||
| SS | Steve Cargile Steve Cargile Steven Glenn Cargile is an American football safety who is most recently played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2004... |
UFA | Giants | January 16 |
| CB | Travis Daniels Travis Daniels Travis Antwon Daniels is an American football cornerback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft... |
UFA | Chiefs | March 10 |
| LB | Andra Davis Andra Davis Andra Raynard Davis [pronounced André] is an American football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Florida... |
UFA | Broncos | March 2 |
| TE | Darnell Dinkins Darnell Dinkins Darnell Joseph Dinkins is an American football tight end for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent in 2001... |
UFA | Saints | March 18 |
| LB | Kris Griffin Kris Griffin Kristofor Lawrence Griffin is an American football linebacker for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was originally signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2005... |
UFA | ||
| CB | Daven Holly Daven Holly Daven Holly is an American football cornerback who is currently a Free Agent. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft... |
UFA | ||
| SS | Sean Jones Sean Jones (safety) Sean Jones is an American football safety for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia.-Early years:Jones attended Westlake High School where he played both as a... |
UFA | Eagles | March 6 |
| DT | Louis Leonard Louis Leonard Louis Leonard is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Fresno State.... |
ERFA | ||
| TE | John Madsen | RFA | ||
| LB | Willie McGinest Willie McGinest William Lee "Willie" McGinest, Jr. is a retired American football linebacker in the National Football League.-Early life and career:... |
UFA | ||
| G | Seth McKinney Seth McKinney Seth Alan McKinney is an American football center he is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas A&M.McKinney has also played for the Cleveland Browns... |
UFA | Bills | April 9 |
| WR | Syndric Steptoe Syndric Steptoe Syndric Marquis Steptoe is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft... |
ERFA | Browns | March 6 |
| RB | Jason Wright | UFA | Cardinals | March 16 |
| G | Scott Young | UFA | Broncos | March 13 |
| Player re-signed by Browns |
Releases
| Player | Released | 2009 Team | Signed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB | Terry Cousin Terry Cousin Terry Sean Cousin is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 1997... |
February 9 | ||
| QB | Ken Dorsey Ken Dorsey Kenneth Simon "Ken" Dorsey is a former football quarterback. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami. A two-time Heisman Trophy finalist at Miami, Dorsey played for the Cleveland Browns from 2006–2008... |
February 9 | ||
| P | Mike Dragosavich Mike Dragosavich Mike Dragosavich is a free agent American football punter who last played for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008... |
February 9 | Colts | February 13 |
| QB | Bruce Gradkowski Bruce Gradkowski Bruce Raymond Gradkowski is an American Football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Toledo.Gradkowski has previously been a member of the Tampa... |
February 9 | Raiders | February 10 |
| WR | Joe Jurevicius Joe Jurevicius Joseph Michael Jurevicius is a retired American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State.... |
March 11 | ||
| RB | Allen Patrick Allen Patrick Allen Patrick is an American football running back and is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma.... |
April 25 | ||
| LB | Antwan Peek Antwan Peek Antwan Peek is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft... |
February 9 | ||
| K | Jason Reda Jason Reda Jason Gerard Reda is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Illinois.... |
February 9 | ||
| T | Kevin Shaffer Kevin Shaffer Kevin Carl Shaffer is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft... |
March 12 | Bears | March 25 |
| G | Eric Young Eric Young (American football) Eric Darrell Young is an American football guard for the San Diego Chargers. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at the Tennessee.... |
February 9 |
Signings
| Player | 2008 Team | Signed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB | Eric Barton Eric Barton Eric Barton is a former American football linebacker who played for twelve seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Maryland before he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft... |
UFA | Jets | March 13 |
| LB | David Bowens David Bowens David Walter Bowens is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft... |
UFA | Jets | March 12 |
| LB | Blake Costanzo Blake Costanzo Blake Costanzo is an American football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2006... |
UFA | Bills | June 17 |
| T | George Foster George Foster (American football) George Foster was an American football offensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos 20th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft... |
UFA | Lions | June 5 |
| WR | Mike Furrey Mike Furrey Michael Thomas Furrey is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Northern Iowa and Ohio State University.Furrey has also played for the... |
UFA | Lions | May 5 |
| RB | Noah Herron Noah Herron Noah Scott Herron is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft... |
UFA | Jets | March 18 |
| CB | Rod Hood | UFA | Cardinals | May 26 |
| CB | Corey Ivy Corey Ivy Corey Terrell Ivy is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Oklahoma.... |
UFA | Ravens | March 19 |
| DE | C. J. Mosley C. J. Mosley Calvin Michael "C. J." Mosley, Jr. is an American football defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft... |
UFA | Jets | March 6 |
| WR | David Patten David Patten David Patten is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Albany Firebirds as a street free agent in 1996. He played college football at Western Carolina.... |
UFA | Saints | March 23 |
| CB | Hank Poteat Hank Poteat Henry Major "Hank" Poteat, II is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh.Poteat has also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots and... |
UFA | Jets | March 9 |
| TE | Robert Royal Robert Royal Robert Shelton Royal is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft... |
UFA | Bills | March 5 |
| LB | Bo Ruud Bo Ruud Bo Ruud is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.... |
UFA | Patriots | April 30 |
| T | John St. Clair John St. Clair John Bradley St. Clair is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.St... |
UFA | Bears | March 17 |
| G | Floyd Womack Floyd Womack Floyd Seneca "Pork Chop" Womack is an American football guard for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi State.He has also played for the Cleveland Browns... |
UFA | Seahawks | March 13 |
Trades
On February 27, the Browns traded tight end Kellen WinslowKellen Winslow II
Kellen Boswell Winslow, II is an American football tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns sixth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...
to the 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...
for its second-round selection in the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
(50th overall, used to select Mohamed Massaquoi
Mohamed Massaquoi
Mohamed Jah Massaquoi is a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns. He is currently the second string receiver in Head Coach Pat Shurmur's new offense.-High school:...
) and its fifth-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. Winslow was selected sixth overall by the Browns in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft
2004 NFL Draft
The 2004 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 24-25, 2004 at the theater at Madison Square Garden...
and played five seasons with the team. During his career with the Browns, he accumulated 219 receptions for 2,459 yards (11.2 YPC) and had eleven touchdown receptions.
On April 25, during the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
, the team traded its first-round selection (5th overall) to the 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...
for its first- (17th overall) and second-round (52nd overall) selections, defensive end Kenyon Coleman
Kenyon Coleman
Kenyon Octavia Coleman is an American football defensive end who plays for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft out of the University of California, Los Angeles by the Oakland Raiders...
, safety Abram Elam
Abram Elam
Abram Elam is an American football safety for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He played college football at Notre Dame and Kent State....
, and quarterback Brett Ratliff.
2009 draft class
| Draft | | Player | | | | College | | Height | | Weight | | Signed | | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Mack Alex Mack Alex Mack is an American football player for the Cleveland Browns. He was drafted as the 21st selection in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft... |
C Center (American football) Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense... |
Cal California Golden Bears football The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to... |
6 ft 4 in | 316 lbs | July 25 | |
|
| 2 | 36 | Brian Robiskie Brian Robiskie Brian Robiskie is an American football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns selected Robiskie in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the 36th overall pick. He was born in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in the Cleveland, Ohio... |
WR Wide receiver A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible... |
Ohio State Ohio State Buckeyes football The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state... |
6 ft 3 in | 209 lbs | July 30 | |
| Mohamed Massaquoi Mohamed Massaquoi Mohamed Jah Massaquoi is a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns. He is currently the second string receiver in Head Coach Pat Shurmur's new offense.-High school:... |
WR | Georgia Georgia Bulldogs football The Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia in football. The Bulldogs are a member of the Southeastern Conference and are frequently a top-25 team. The University of Georgia has had a football team since 1892 and has an all-time record of 738–398–54... |
6 ft 2 in | 210 lbs | July 28 | |||
| David Veikune David Veikune -Cleveland Browns:Veikune was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. The pick was acquired from the New York Jets in an earlier trade that allowed the Jets to draft quarterback Mark Sanchez.... |
DE Defensive end Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years... |
Hawaii Hawaii Warriors football The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors... |
6 ft 3 in | 260 lbs | July 26 | |||
| 4 | 104 | Kaluka Maiava Kaluka Maiava -Personal:Maiava's stepfather, Scott Mahoney, attended and played football for Kamehameha Schools and the University of Colorado as an offensive lineman. His mother, Kathryn, works for an airline, which allowed the family the ability to take free trips to the mainland during Maiava's high school... |
LB Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... |
Southern Cal | 6 ft 0 in | 230 lbs | July 24 | |
| 6 | 177 | Don Carey | CB Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position... |
Norfolk State Norfolk State Spartans Football The Norfolk State Spartans football team represents Norfolk State University in Division I FCS college football. The team plays their home games at William "Dick" Price Stadium in Norfolk, Virginia.... |
5 ft 11 in | 192 lbs | July 15 | |
| Coye Francies Coye Francies Coye Francies is an American football cornerback He is currently a free agent . He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft... |
CB | San José State San José State Spartans Football The San Jose State Spartans represent San Jose State University and the Silicon Valley in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The Spartans play all home games in Spartan Stadium, which offers a seating capacity of over 30,000... |
6 ft 0 in | 185 lbs | July 15 | |||
| James Davis James Davis (running back) -Cleveland Browns:On September 12, Davis was involved in a minor one-car accident and suffered a head injury.He was briefly hospitalized and released a few hours later.... |
RB Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
Clemson Clemson Tigers football The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
5 ft 11 in | 218 lbs | July 15 | |||
The Browns did not have third-, fifth-, or seventh-round selections in the draft.
Undrafted free agents
| Player | College | Signed | Cut | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB | Marcus Benard Marcus Benard Marcus Benard is an American football defensive end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Jackson State. Benard was promoted from the Browns practice squad to the active roster on... |
Jackson State | May 1 | |
| CB | Corey Boudreaux Corey Boudreaux Corey Boudreaux is an American football player who was the starting free safety during the 2008 season for the San Diego State Aztecs.-Junior Year:... |
San Diego State San Diego State Aztecs football The San Diego State football team represents the San Diego State Aztecs in college football. The Aztecs, a Division I FBS team and a member of the Mountain West Conference, play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The field is natural grass and has a maximum capacity of... |
April 27 | May 4 |
| T | Branndon Braxton Branndon Braxton Branndon Braxton is an American football offensive tackle for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Oklahoma.-Early years:Braxton attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown,... |
Oklahoma Oklahoma Sooners football The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association... |
May 1 | September 5 |
| WR | Brent Casteel | Utah Utah Utes football The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles... |
April 27 | May 4 |
| G | Marlon Davis Marlon Davis Marlon Davis is an American football offensive lineman who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Alabama.... |
Alabama Alabama Crimson Tide football |TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team... |
April 27 | |
| LB | Jonathan Foster | Central State | May 1 | July 15 |
| DE | Adam Hoppel | Cincinnati Cincinnati Bearcats football The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as... |
April 29 | September 5 |
| LB | Phillip Hunt Phillip Hunt Phillip Wayne Hunt, Jr. is an American football defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League... |
Houston Houston Cougars football The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by... |
May 1 | |
| S | Bret Lockett Bret Lockett Bret Emanuel Lockett is an American football safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009... |
UCLA UCLA Bruins Football The UCLA Bruins football program represents the University of California, Los Angeles in college football as members of the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The Bruins have enjoyed several periods of success in their history, having been ranked in the top ten of the AP Poll... |
May 4 | |
| TE | Mike Massey | Michigan Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history... |
May 1 | May 4 |
| CB | Nate Ness Nate Ness Nate Ness is an American football cornerback and safety for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Arizona.... |
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:... |
April 28 | July 15 |
| WR | Jordan Norwood Jordan Norwood Jordan Shea Rashad Norwood is a Filipino-American American football wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Penn State.Norwood has also been a member of the Philadelphia... |
Penn State Penn State Nittany Lions football The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the... |
April 26 | September 5 |
| CB | Antonio Smith | Bowling Green Bowling Green Falcons football The Bowling Green Falcons football team is the interscholastic football team at Bowling Green State University. Bowling Green competes as a member of the Mid-American Conference in the East Division. The Falcons have won ten conference championships.... |
April 28 | May 4 |
| S | Jason Venson | Central Florida | April 26 | June 5 |
| S | Bryan Williams Bryan Williams (American football) Bryan Williams is a American football defensive back, who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Power of the Arena Football League.-Early life:He was born the son of Sterling Campbell.... |
Akron Akron Zips football The University of Akron Zips are a college football program representing the University of Akron that competes in NCAA Division I FBS Mid-American Conference football... |
April 27 | June 15 |
Legal troubles for WR Stallworth
On March 14, Browns wide receiver Donté Stallworth was involved in a fatal accident in which he struck and killed pedestrian Mario Reyes with his car in the early morning in Miami, FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Stallworth then stopped his vehicle and called 9–1–1. Reports showed that Stallworth was driving under the influence; his blood-alcohol level was 0.12%, above Florida's legal limit of 0.08%. He was charged with DUI manslaughter and a warrant was issued for his arrest on April 1 and he surrendered to police on April 2. On June 16, Stallworth pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 30 days in prison, two years' house arrest, and eight years probation. Many believed that the sentence Stallworth received was too lenient as he could have served up to 15 years in jail. Stallworth also reached an undisclosed financial settlement with the victim's family. On June 18, the NFL suspended Stallworth indefinitely On August 13, the NFL officially suspended Stallworth for the entire 2009 season, and made plans to reinstate him after the Super Bowl.
Uniform changes
In 2009, the Cleveland Browns are wearing brown pants for games in which they wear white jerseys. These were worn in the 2008 pre-season. New additions to this uniform combination are striped socks.Staff
| Cleveland Browns 2009 staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
|
Defensive Coaches
Strength and Conditioning
|
|||||
Opening training camp roster
| Cleveland Browns 2009 opening training camp roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Branndon Braxton Branndon Braxton is an American football offensive tackle for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Oklahoma.-Early years:Braxton attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown,... T George Foster (American football) George Foster was an American football offensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos 20th overall in the 2003 NFL Draft... T Hank Fraley Henry "Hank" F. Fraley is an American football offensive lineman who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Robert Morris.Fraley has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, and St... C Dustin Fry Dustin W. Fry is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft... C Rex Hadnot Jonathan Rex Hadnot, Jr. is an American football guard for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the 2004 NFL Draft... G/C Alex Mack Alex Mack is an American football player for the Cleveland Browns. He was drafted as the 21st selection in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft... C Kurt Quarterman Kurt Quarterman is an American football guard for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Louisville.... G Isaac Sowells Isaac Sowells is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft... T/G John St. Clair John Bradley St. Clair is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.St... T Eric Steinbach Eric Steinbach is an American football player who currently plays for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round in the 2003 NFL draft. He played college football for the University of Iowa.-High School years:Steinbach is a... G Ryan Tucker Ryan Tucker is a retired offensive tackle who played for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft... T/G Floyd Womack Floyd Seneca "Pork Chop" Womack is an American football guard for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi State.He has also played for the Cleveland Browns... T Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Eric Barton Eric Barton is a former American football linebacker who played for twelve seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Maryland before he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft... ILB Beau Bell (American football) James Beaumont "Beau" Bell is an American football linebacker for the Spokane Shock of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft... ILB Marcus Benard Marcus Benard is an American football defensive end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Jackson State. Benard was promoted from the Browns practice squad to the active roster on... OLB David Bowens David Walter Bowens is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft... ILB Titus Brown (American football) Titus Markeith Brown is an American football linebacker who currently plays for the Cleveland Browns. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Mississippi State.-External links:**... OLB Blake Costanzo Blake Costanzo is an American football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2006... ILB Alex Hall (American football) Alex Hall is an American football defensive end for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at St... OLB Phillip Hunt Phillip Wayne Hunt, Jr. is an American football defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League... OLB D'Qwell Jackson -Cleveland Browns:Jackson was signed by the Cleveland Browns on July 24, 2006. In his rookie season, he started thirteen games at weakside linebacker and finished second on the team in tackles with 115, including 58 solo and three tackles for a loss. Jackson posted a career-high 16 tackles at... ILB Kaluka Maiava -Personal:Maiava's stepfather, Scott Mahoney, attended and played football for Kamehameha Schools and the University of Colorado as an offensive lineman. His mother, Kathryn, works for an airline, which allowed the family the ability to take free trips to the mainland during Maiava's high school... ILB Bo Ruud Bo Ruud is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.... ILB David Veikune -Cleveland Browns:Veikune was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. The pick was acquired from the New York Jets in an earlier trade that allowed the Jets to draft quarterback Mark Sanchez.... OLB/ILB Leon Williams Leon Williams is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.... ILB Kamerion Wimbley -Cleveland Browns:On July 22, 2006, he signed a six-year deal with the Browns and includes $9.3 million in guaranteed money and $23.7 million total. After being converted to outside linebacker from his college position of defensive end, he played the entire season as the starting linebacker playing... OLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
Reserve Lists
Braylon Edwards -Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it.... WR (Active/NF-Inj.)  Coye Francies Coye Francies is an American football cornerback He is currently a free agent . He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft... CB (Active/NF-Inj.) 80 Active, 2 Inactive |
|||||
Week 1 roster
| Cleveland Browns 2009 week 1 roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Hank Fraley Henry "Hank" F. Fraley is an American football offensive lineman who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Robert Morris.Fraley has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, and St... C Rex Hadnot Jonathan Rex Hadnot, Jr. is an American football guard for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the 2004 NFL Draft... G/C Alex Mack Alex Mack is an American football player for the Cleveland Browns. He was drafted as the 21st selection in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft... C John St. Clair John Bradley St. Clair is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.St... T Eric Steinbach Eric Steinbach is an American football player who currently plays for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round in the 2003 NFL draft. He played college football for the University of Iowa.-High School years:Steinbach is a... G Phil Trautwein Phillip Charles "Phil" Trautwein is an American professional football player who is an offensive tackle in the National Football League . Trautwein played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he has played professionally for the St... T Floyd Womack Floyd Seneca "Pork Chop" Womack is an American football guard for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi State.He has also played for the Cleveland Browns... T Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Eric Barton Eric Barton is a former American football linebacker who played for twelve seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Maryland before he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft... ILB David Bowens David Walter Bowens is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft... OLB Blake Costanzo Blake Costanzo is an American football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2006... ILB Alex Hall (American football) Alex Hall is an American football defensive end for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at St... OLB D'Qwell Jackson -Cleveland Browns:Jackson was signed by the Cleveland Browns on July 24, 2006. In his rookie season, he started thirteen games at weakside linebacker and finished second on the team in tackles with 115, including 58 solo and three tackles for a loss. Jackson posted a career-high 16 tackles at... ILB Kaluka Maiava -Personal:Maiava's stepfather, Scott Mahoney, attended and played football for Kamehameha Schools and the University of Colorado as an offensive lineman. His mother, Kathryn, works for an airline, which allowed the family the ability to take free trips to the mainland during Maiava's high school... ILB David Veikune -Cleveland Browns:Veikune was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. The pick was acquired from the New York Jets in an earlier trade that allowed the Jets to draft quarterback Mark Sanchez.... OLB Leon Williams Leon Williams is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.... OLB Kamerion Wimbley -Cleveland Browns:On July 22, 2006, he signed a six-year deal with the Browns and includes $9.3 million in guaranteed money and $23.7 million total. After being converted to outside linebacker from his college position of defensive end, he played the entire season as the starting linebacker playing... OLB Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
Reserve Lists
Syndric Steptoe Syndric Marquis Steptoe is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft... WR (IR) Ryan Tucker Ryan Tucker is a retired offensive tackle who played for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft... T/G (IR) Practice Squad
53 Active, 3 Inactive, 8 PS |
|||||
Final roster
| Cleveland Browns 2009 final roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
Hank Fraley Henry "Hank" F. Fraley is an American football offensive lineman who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2000. He played college football at Robert Morris.Fraley has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, and St... G/C Rex Hadnot Jonathan Rex Hadnot, Jr. is an American football guard for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the sixth round of the 2004 NFL Draft... G/C Alex Mack Alex Mack is an American football player for the Cleveland Browns. He was drafted as the 21st selection in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft... C John St. Clair John Bradley St. Clair is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.St... T Eric Steinbach Eric Steinbach is an American football player who currently plays for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round in the 2003 NFL draft. He played college football for the University of Iowa.-High School years:Steinbach is a... G Floyd Womack Floyd Seneca "Pork Chop" Womack is an American football guard for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi State.He has also played for the Cleveland Browns... G/T Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Marcus Benard Marcus Benard is an American football defensive end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Jackson State. Benard was promoted from the Browns practice squad to the active roster on... OLB/DE David Bowens David Walter Bowens is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft... ILB Titus Brown (American football) Titus Markeith Brown is an American football linebacker who currently plays for the Cleveland Browns. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Mississippi State.-External links:**... OLB Blake Costanzo Blake Costanzo is an American football linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2006... ILB Alex Hall (American football) Alex Hall is an American football defensive end for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at St... OLB Kaluka Maiava -Personal:Maiava's stepfather, Scott Mahoney, attended and played football for Kamehameha Schools and the University of Colorado as an offensive lineman. His mother, Kathryn, works for an airline, which allowed the family the ability to take free trips to the mainland during Maiava's high school... ILB Matt Roth Matthew M. Roth is an American football defensive end and outside linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft... OLB Jason Trusnik Jason Trusnik is an American football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Ohio Northern.... ILB Kamerion Wimbley -Cleveland Browns:On July 22, 2006, he signed a six-year deal with the Browns and includes $9.3 million in guaranteed money and $23.7 million total. After being converted to outside linebacker from his college position of defensive end, he played the entire season as the starting linebacker playing... OLB/DE Defensive Backs
Special Teams
|
Reserve Lists
Eric Barton Eric Barton is a former American football linebacker who played for twelve seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Maryland before he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft... ILB (IR) James Davis (running back) -Cleveland Browns:On September 12, Davis was involved in a minor one-car accident and suffered a head injury.He was briefly hospitalized and released a few hours later.... RB (IR) Steve Heiden Steve Allen Heiden is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent in the National Football League.-College career:... TE (IR) D'Qwell Jackson -Cleveland Browns:Jackson was signed by the Cleveland Browns on July 24, 2006. In his rookie season, he started thirteen games at weakside linebacker and finished second on the team in tackles with 115, including 58 solo and three tackles for a loss. Jackson posted a career-high 16 tackles at... ILB (IR) Jamal Lewis Jamal Lafitte Lewis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens fifth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft... RB (IR) C. J. Mosley Calvin Michael "C. J." Mosley, Jr. is an American football defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft... DE (IR) Brodney Pool Brodney Depaul Pool is an American football safety for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma.... FS (IR) Brady Quinn Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on... QB (IR) Syndric Steptoe Syndric Marquis Steptoe is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft... WR (IR) Ryan Tucker Ryan Tucker is a retired offensive tackle who played for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft... T/G (IR) David Veikune -Cleveland Browns:Veikune was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. The pick was acquired from the New York Jets in an earlier trade that allowed the Jets to draft quarterback Mark Sanchez.... ILB (IR) Dave Zastudil David Michael Zastudil is an American football punter for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League... P (IR) Practice Squad
Rookies in italics 53 Active, 14 Inactive, 7 PS |
|||||
Preseason schedule
| Week | | Date | | Kickoff (EDT Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... ) | | Opponent | | Results | | Site | | TV | | Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Score | Team Record | |||||||
| 1 | August 15 | 8:00 pm | at Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
L 17–0 | 0–1 | Lambeau Field Lambeau Field Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field... |
WKYC | Recap |
| 2 | August 22 | 7:30 pm | Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
W 27–10 | 1–1 | Cleveland Browns Stadium Cleveland Browns Stadium -See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity... |
WKYC | Recap |
| 3 | August 29 | 7:30 pm | Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
W 23–17 | 2–1 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | WKYC | Recap |
| 4 | September 3 | 8:00 pm | at Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 26–23 | 2–2 | Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... |
WKYC | Recap |
Releases
On September 4 and 5, the Browns released the following players to get down to the 53-player limit: S Hamza AbdullahHamza Abdullah
Hamza Muhammad Abdullah is an American football safety. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington State....
, FB Charles Ali
Charles Ali
Charles Ali is an American football fullback for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
, CB Brandon Anderson
Brandon Anderson
Brandon Anderson is an American football cornerback who is a Free Agent in the National Football League. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
, QB Richard Bartel
Richard Bartel
Richard John Bartel is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
, CB Tra Battle
Tra Battle
Tra Battle is an American football safety for the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
, LB Beau Bell
Beau Bell (American football)
James Beaumont "Beau" Bell is an American football linebacker for the Spokane Shock of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, T Branndon Braxton
Branndon Braxton
Branndon Braxton is an American football offensive tackle for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Oklahoma.-Early years:Braxton attended Ursuline High School in Youngstown,...
, LB Titus Brown
Titus Brown
Titus Brown was a United States Representative from New Hampshire. He was born in Alstead, New Hampshire. He graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1811. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Reading, Vermont in 1814...
, C Dustin Fry
Dustin Fry
Dustin W. Fry is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, RB Noah Herron
Noah Herron
Noah Scott Herron is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, DT Adam Hoppel, WR Paul Hubbard
Paul Hubbard
Paul Hubbard, Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, CB Corey Ivy
Corey Ivy
Corey Terrell Ivy is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Oklahoma....
, RB Chris Jennings
Chris Jennings
Chris Jennings is a gridiron football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed as a undrafted free agent by the Montreal Alouettes in 2008...
, WR Lance Leggett, G Pat Murray
Pat Murray
Pat Murray is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
, WR Jordan Norwood
Jordan Norwood
Jordan Shea Rashad Norwood is a Filipino-American American football wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Penn State.Norwood has also been a member of the Philadelphia...
, WR David Patten
David Patten
David Patten is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Albany Firebirds as a street free agent in 1996. He played college football at Western Carolina....
, G Kurt Quarterman
Kurt Quarterman
Kurt Quarterman is an American football guard for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Louisville....
, DE Brian Schaefering
Brian Schaefering
Brian Schaefering is an American football defensive end for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
, G Isaac Sowells
Isaac Sowells
Isaac Sowells is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
, DE Santonio Thomas
Santonio Thomas
Santonio Thomas is an American football defensive end. As an undrafted free agent, he was signed by the New England Patriots in 2005. He played college football at the University of Miami. He's currently a free agent....
, and TE Aaron Walker.
Captains selected
On September 9, the team elected six players to be captains. RB Jamal LewisJamal Lewis
Jamal Lafitte Lewis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens fifth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
and T Joe Thomas were chosen as offensive captains, LB D'Qwell Jackson
D'Qwell Jackson
-Cleveland Browns:Jackson was signed by the Cleveland Browns on July 24, 2006. In his rookie season, he started thirteen games at weakside linebacker and finished second on the team in tackles with 115, including 58 solo and three tackles for a loss. Jackson posted a career-high 16 tackles at...
and LB Eric Barton
Eric Barton
Eric Barton is a former American football linebacker who played for twelve seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Maryland before he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
as defensive captains, and KR Josh Cribbs and K Phil Dawson
Phil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...
as special teams captains.
Schedule
| Week | | Date | | Kickoff (ET Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... ) | | Opponent | | Results | | Site | | TV | | Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Score | Team Record | |||||||
| 1 | September 13 | 1:00 pm | 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... |
L 34–20 | 0–1 | Cleveland Browns Stadium Cleveland Browns Stadium -See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity... |
Fox NFL on FOX NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports... |
Recap |
| 2 | September 20 | 4:15 pm | 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 27–6 | 0–2 | Invesco Field at Mile High INVESCO Field at Mile High Sports Authority Field at Mile High, previously known as Invesco Field at Mile High, and commonly known as Mile High, is a multi-purpose stadium, in Denver, Colorado. It replaced the identically sized, but commercially obsolete Mile High Stadium in 2001... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
Recap |
| 3 | September 27 | 1:00 pm | at Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his... |
L 34–3 | 0–3 | M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of... |
CBS | Recap |
| 4 | October 4 | 1:00 pm | 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 23–20 OT | 0–4 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 5 | October 11 | 1:00 pm | 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... |
W 6–3 | 1–4 | Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
CBS | Recap |
| 6 | October 18 | 1:00 pm | 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 27–14 | 1–5 | Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively... |
CBS | Recap |
| 7 | October 25 | 1:00 pm | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
L 31–3 | 1–6 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | Fox | Recap |
| 8 | November 1 | 1:00 pm | at Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 30–6 | 1–7 | Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... |
CBS | Recap |
| 9 | Bye week Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing... |
|||||||
| 10 | November 16 | 8:30 pm | Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his... |
L 16–0 | 1–8 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | ESPN Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
Recap |
| 11 | November 22 | 1:00 pm | at Detroit Lions Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... |
L 38–37 | 1–9 | Ford Field Ford Field Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for... |
CBS | Recap |
| 12 | November 29 | 1:00 pm | at 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 16–7 | 1–10 | Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium Paul Brown Stadium is an American sports stadium located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home venue of the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. It opened on August 19, 2000. The stadium was named after Bengals' founder Paul Brown. The stadium is located on approximately of land and... |
CBS | Recap |
| 13 | December 6 | 4:05 pm | 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... |
L 30–23 | 1–11 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 14 | December 10 | 8:20 pm | 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... |
W 13–6 | 2–11 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | NFLN NFL Network NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation... |
Recap |
| 15 | December 20 | 1:00 pm | 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... |
W 41–34 | 3–11 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
CBS | Recap |
| 16 | December 27 | 1:00 pm | Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 23–9 | 4–11 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 17 | January 3 | 1:00 pm | Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 23–17 | 5–11 | Cleveland Browns Stadium | CBS | Recap |
Week 1: vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Browns opened their season at home against the Minnesota Vikings trying to improve on their 4–12 record from last season. After trading field goals in the first quarter, RB Adrian Peterson scored the first touchdown of the game, giving Minnesota a 10–3 lead. But K Phil DawsonPhil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...
kicked his second field goal and WR Josh Cribbs returned a punt for a touchdown and the Browns took a 13–10 lead into halftime. However, the second half was controlled completely by the Vikings, with QB Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
connecting with WR Percy Harvin
Percy Harvin
William Percival "Percy" Harvin, III is an American football wide receiver, return specialist, and running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League...
for Favre's first touchdown pass as a Viking. In the 4th quarter, QB Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
completed a touchdown pass to TE Robert Royal
Robert Royal
Robert Shelton Royal is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft...
, the first touchdown by Cleveland's offense since the 4th quarter of Week 11 in 2008, ending a span of 416 offensive plays without a touchdown.
With the loss, Cleveland fell to 0–1.
Week 2: at Denver Broncos
Hoping to rebound from their home loss to the Vikings, the Browns flew to Invesco Field at Mile HighINVESCO Field at Mile High
Sports Authority Field at Mile High, previously known as Invesco Field at Mile High, and commonly known as Mile High, is a multi-purpose stadium, in Denver, Colorado. It replaced the identically sized, but commercially obsolete Mile High Stadium in 2001...
for a Week 2 duel with the 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...
. After recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff, the Browns started with a short field but couldn't capitalize, settling for a 22-yard field goal by kicker Phil Dawson
Phil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...
. Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton
Kyle Orton is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He played college football at Purdue, where he started four straight bowl games. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
would complete a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Scheffler
Tony Scheffler
-Denver Broncos:Scheffler was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. After seeing limited playing time early in the season, Scheffler saw increased playing time and production after Jay Cutler was inserted as the Broncos starting quarterback on December 3, 2006,...
for the game's first touchdown, and after a 47-yard field goal by Cleveland, the game was 7–6 after the first quarter. However, Cleveland's offensive struggles continued. Meanwhile, in the second and third quarter, kicker Matt Prater
Matt Prater
Matt Prater is an American football placekicker who plays for the Denver Broncos. He was originally signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at the University of Central Florida, where he majored in psychology.-High school career:Prater attended...
gave Denver a 23-yard and a 38-yard field goal. Afterwards, in the fourth quarter, the Broncos took control with touchdown runs by Peyton Hillis
Peyton Hillis
Hillis was selected by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.-2008 Season:At the start of the 2008 season, Hillis was listed as the Broncos' starting fullback...
and Correll Buckhalter
Correll Buckhalter
Correll Buckhalter is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska....
.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 0–2.
Week 3: at Baltimore Ravens
Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Broncos, the Browns flew to M&T Bank StadiumM&T Bank Stadium
M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of...
for a Week 3 AFC North duel with the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. Cleveland would trail early in the first quarter as Ravens running back Willis McGahee
Willis McGahee
Willis Andrew McGahee III is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
got a 7-yard touchdown run, followed by kicker Steven Hauschka
Steven Hauschka
Steven Hauschka is an American football placekicker for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
getting a 36-yard field goal. The Browns' deficit would increase in the second quarter as Hauschka nailed a 33-yard field goal, while McGahee got a 15-yard touchdown run.
In the third quarter, things continued to get worse for the Browns as running back Ray Rice
Ray Rice
Raymell Maurice Rice is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers. He is currently ranked as the Baltimore Ravens third all-time rusher in...
got a 9-yard touchdown run. In thr fourth quarter, Cleveland would manage to get on the board as kicker Billy Cundiff
Billy Cundiff
William A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
made a 29-yard field goal. Afterwards, Baltimore closed out the game as quarterback Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
Flacco was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted player ever from the University of Delaware...
completed a 72-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Derrick Mason
Derrick Mason
Derrick James Mason is an American football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Tennessee Oilers in the fourth round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State.Mason has also played for the Baltimore Ravens where he...
.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 0–3.
Starting quarterback Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
(6 of 8, 34 yards, 1 INT) was benched after a dismal first half performance, while Derek Anderson
Derek Anderson (American football)
Derek Matthew Anderson is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
(11 of 19, 92 yards, 3 INTs) did not perform much better.
Week 4: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Still looking for their first win of the season, the Browns went home for a Week 4 AFC North duel with the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati 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...
in Round 1 of 2009's Battle of Ohio
Battle of Ohio (NFL)
In the National Football League, the Battle of Ohio refers to games played between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals. This rivalry has produced 2 of the 8 highest scoring games in NFL history...
. Due to quarterback Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
's poor performance in the season thus far, head coach Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
named quarterback Derek Anderson
Derek Anderson (American football)
Derek Matthew Anderson is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
the starter.
Cleveland would trail early in the first quarter as Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer is an American professional football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals first overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at the University of Southern California and won the Heisman Trophy in 2002...
completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. The Browns would continue to struggle in the second quarter as defensive end Robert Geathers
Robert Geathers
Robert Geathers is an American football player who currently plays defensive end and linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals. Geathers played at Choppee High School and later at Carvers Bay High School. As a senior, he recorded 100 tackles and nine sacks on defense and played quarterback on offense...
returned a fumble 75 yards for a touchdown. Cleveland would respond with Anderson completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Steve Heiden
Steve Heiden
Steve Allen Heiden is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent in the National Football League.-College career:...
.
The Browns would tie the game in the third quarter with Anderson's 1-yard touchdown run. Afterwards, Cleveland would take the lead in the fourth quarter with a 26-yard and a 31-yard field goal from kicker Billy Cundiff
Billy Cundiff
William A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
. However, Cincinnati answered with Palmer hooking up with Ochocinco again on a 2-yard touchdown run (with a blocked PAT). In overtime, both teams went back and forth with their possessions. In the end, the Bengals emerged victorious with kicker Shayne Graham
Shayne Graham
Michael Shayne Graham is an American football placekicker. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and most recently played with the New England Patriots...
kicking the game-winning 31-yard field goal.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 0–4.
WR Edwards traded
On October 7, the Browns traded WR Braylon EdwardsBraylon Edwards
-Cleveland Browns:-2005:Edwards began his rookie season as Cleveland's third wide receiver – he would have started higher, but a hold-out caused him to miss the beginning of training camp. Early in the season Edwards revealed that he had a staph infection, and missed a few weeks as a result of it....
to 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...
for WR Chansi Stuckey
Chansi Stuckey
Chansi V. Stuckey is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, LB Jason Trusnik
Jason Trusnik
Jason Trusnik is an American football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Ohio Northern....
, and third- and fifth- round selections in the 2010 NFL Draft
2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
. The third-round selection would have become a second-round selection based on Edwards met certain performance criteria with the Jets this season, but he did not meet those criteria.
Week 5: at Buffalo Bills
After a heartbreaking loss to the Bengals, the Browns headed to Buffalo, the site of their last win in Week 11 of the 2008 season, and trying to avoid tying a franchise record 11 straight losses. In very windy conditions, the Browns' hero was punter Dave ZastudilDave Zastudil
David Michael Zastudil is an American football punter for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League...
who pinned the Bills within their 5 yard line 3 times. After trading field goals in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, the Browns recovered a fumble on a punt return by WR Roscoe Parrish
Roscoe Parrish
Roscoe Parrish is an American football wide receiver and punt returner who currently plays for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, and kicker Billy Cundiff
Billy Cundiff
William A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
secured the victory with a short field goal. The Browns won despite QB Derek Anderson
Derek Anderson (American football)
Derek Matthew Anderson is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
completing only 2 of 17 passes (11.8%) for 23 yards, setting a record for lowest completion percentage in a win since the AFL-NFL merger
AFL-NFL Merger
The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was the merger of the two major professional American football leagues in the United States at the time: the National Football League and the American Football League...
. This also marked Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
's first win as head coach of the Browns.
With the win, the Browns improved to 1–4. Zastudil was named the AFC special teams player of the week.
Week 6: at Pittsburgh Steelers
After securing their first win of the season, the Browns went on the road to take on their archrival Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh 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...
. The Browns came into the game having lost their last 11 games against the Steelers. The Steelers struck first with two touchdown passes from Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
in the 2nd quarter. Josh Cribbs ran a kickoff back 98 yards for a touchdown, and got the Browns within 7. However, the Browns could never close the gap, and fell to the Steelers, 27–14.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–5.
Week 7: vs. Green Bay Packers
Hoping to rebound from their road loss to the Steelers, the Browns went home for a Week 7 interconference duel with the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. After a scoreless first quarter, Cleveland began the second quarter with kicker Billy Cundiff
Billy Cundiff
William A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
's 22-yard field goal. However, the Packers would take charge with quarterback Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers is an American football quarterback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . Rodgers was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Packers...
completing a 45-yard touchdown pass to tight end Spencer Havner
Spencer Havner
Spencer Rhett Havner [HAY-vner] is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
and a 71-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Donald Driver
Donald Driver
Donald Jerome Driver is an American football wide receiver and children's author. He plays for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League...
, followed by a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Ryan Grant
Ryan Grant
Ryan Brett Grant is a running back for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2005 but was traded to the Packers shortly before the 2007 season in exchange for a future sixth-round draft pick...
.
Afterwards, Green Bay pulled away in the second half with kicker Mason Crosby
Mason Crosby
Mason Walker Crosby , is a professional American football placekicker for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League. During his playing days at the University of Colorado, Crosby was widely considered the best kicker in college football, as evidenced by ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr.'s...
booting an 18-yard field goal in the third quarter and Rodgers finding wide receiver James Jones
James Jones (wide receiver)
James Deandre Jones is an American football wide receiver with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Packers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
on a 5-yard touchdown pass.
With the loss, the Browns stumbled to 1–6.
Week 8: at Chicago Bears
Trying to snap a two-game losing streak, the Browns flew to Soldier FieldSoldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
for a Week 8 interconference duel with the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The Browns' defense held up well early, limiting the Bears to three field goals by kicker Robbie Gould
Robbie Gould
Robert Paul "Robbie" Gould III is an American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Penn State...
(a 37-yard & a 29-yard in the first quarter and a 32-yard in the second). However, the Browns could not manage to get on the board and Chicago RB Matt Forté
Matt Forté
Matthew Garrett Forté is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
scored on a 1-yard run, putting the Browns down 16 at the half. The Browns struck first in the third quarter on a one yard run by QB Derek Anderson
Derek Anderson (American football)
Derek Matthew Anderson is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, but the PAT was blocked. Forté scored again in the third with a 10-yard touchdown run and the Bears put the Browns away with a 21-yard interception return for a touchdown by CB Charles Tillman
Charles Tillman
Charles "Peanut" Tillman is an American football cornerback for the Chicago Bears of the NFL. He was selected with the 35th overall pick of the 2003 NFL Draft.-Early years:...
in the fourth quarter. Late in the fourth, Derek Anderson was benched for Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
after going 6 of 17 (35.2%) for 76 yards and 2 interceptions.
With the loss, the Browns went into their bye week at 1–7.
GM Kokinis fired
On November 2, the Browns fired general manager George KokinisGeorge Kokinis
George Kokinis is a former general manager of the Cleveland Browns. As director of pro personnel for the Baltimore Ravens the previous five seasons, Kokinis was responsible for analyzing NFL rosters and assessing the free agent market. He also assisted in contract negotiation for some of the...
after getting off to a disappointing 1–7 start. The Browns' statement said that Kokinis "is no longer actively involved with the organization." Owner Randy Lerner
Randy Lerner
Randolph D. Lerner is an American entrepreneur and sports team owner.Lerner has been the owner of the American football team, the Cleveland Browns, of the National Football League since October 2002, and the Chairman of Aston Villa Football Club of the English Premier League since 2006...
reportedly asked for his resignation, and when Kokinis refused, sought a dismissal "for cause." Head coach Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
was told by Lerner that his job was safe for the moment.
Week 10: vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Browns came out of their bye week with Brady QuinnBrady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
as the starting quarterback again and looking to turn around their disappointing season. They hosted the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. Both teams played a scoreless first half, the first scoreless half in the NFL this season and only the ninth ever in 620 Monday Night Football games. The Ravens took over in the third with two touchdowns in 15 seconds (a 13-yard touchdown run from running back Ray Rice
Ray Rice
Raymell Maurice Rice is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers. He is currently ranked as the Baltimore Ravens third all-time rusher in...
and safety Dawan Landry
Dawan Landry
Dawan Frank Landry is an American football safety of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Landry was a successful college safety for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets from 2002 to 2005, and was drafted in the 5th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Ravens.-College:While at Georgia Tech, he majored in Management...
's 48-yard interception return for a touchdown). Kicker Steven Hauschka
Steven Hauschka
Steven Hauschka is an American football placekicker for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
would add a 44-yard field goal, and the Browns could not score. This was the Browns' first shutout of the year.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–8.
Week 11: at Detroit Lions
Looking to snap a four-game losing streak, the Browns flew to Ford FieldFord Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
for a Week 11 interconference duel with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. Both teams began the game with field goals, as Cleveland kicker Phil Dawson
Phil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...
made a 44-yard field goal while Lions kicker Jason Hanson
Jason Hanson
Jason Douglas Hanson is an American football placekicker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League, where he has spent his entire 20 year career. He was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft...
got a 31-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Browns' offense exploded as quarterback Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
completed a 59-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi
Mohamed Massaquoi
Mohamed Jah Massaquoi is a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns. He is currently the second string receiver in Head Coach Pat Shurmur's new offense.-High school:...
, a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Chansi Stuckey
Chansi Stuckey
Chansi V. Stuckey is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, and a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Josh Cribbs. Detroit would answer with quarterback Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford
John Matthew Stafford is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Georgia....
completing a 26-yard touchdown pass to running back Aaron Brown
Aaron Brown (running back)
Aaron Brown is an American football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played at the collegiate level for Texas Christian University .-College career:Once at TCU, Brown made an immediate impact...
. The Lions would tie the game in the second quarter as Stafford hooked up with running back Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith (running back)
Kevin Smith is an American football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Central Florida.-Early years:Smith attended Southridge High School...
on a 25-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 75-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson (American football)
Calvin Johnson, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech....
. Afterwards, Cleveland would end the half with Dawson nailing a 29-yard field goal.
Detroit would take the lead in the third quarter with Stafford's 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Will Heller
Will Heller
Will Sanders Heller is an American football tight end for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003...
, the Browns would pick up a safety after Stafford was called for intentional grounding from his own end zone. In the fourth quarter, Cleveland regained the lead with Quinn's 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Michael Gaines
Michael Gaines
Michael J. Gaines is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
(followed by running back Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lafitte Lewis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens fifth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
getting a 2-point conversion run). The Lions would take over, and with no time left, Browns safety Brodney Pool
Brodney Pool
Brodney Depaul Pool is an American football safety for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma....
intercepted the ball. However, cornerback Hank Poteat
Hank Poteat
Henry Major "Hank" Poteat, II is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Pittsburgh.Poteat has also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots and...
was flagged for pass interference in the end zone. Since the game cannot end on a defensive penalty, Detroit was given one un-timed down from the Browns' 1 yard line and Stafford completed the game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Brandon Pettigrew
Brandon Pettigrew
Brandon Pettigrew is an American football tight end for the Detroit Lions. He was drafted by the Lions with the 20th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.-High school:Brandon Pettigrew played high school football at Robert E...
.
With the loss, Cleveland fell to 1–9.
Week 12: at Cincinnati Bengals
The Browns headed to Cincinnati to face their in-state rivals in Week 12. The Bengals struck first with 2 field goals by Shayne GrahamShayne Graham
Michael Shayne Graham is an American football placekicker. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and most recently played with the New England Patriots...
and a touchdown reception by J. P. Foschi in the first half. Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
had a touchdown run in the third, but another Bengals field goal and defense put the Browns away.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–10 and were officially eliminated from postseason contention.
Week 13: vs. San Diego Chargers
The Browns stayed home in Week 13 to take on the San Diego ChargersSan 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...
. The Browns struck first with an 11 yard touchdown reception by Mohamed Massaquoi
Mohamed Massaquoi
Mohamed Jah Massaquoi is a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns. He is currently the second string receiver in Head Coach Pat Shurmur's new offense.-High school:...
. The Chargers took the lead back in the first on a field goal by Nate Kaeding
Nate Kaeding
Nathaniel James Kaeding is an American football placekicker who plays for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft in the 3rd round with a pick acquired from the Phillip Rivers-Eli Manning trade. He played college football at Iowa...
and a long touchdown reception by Mike Tolbert
Mike Tolbert
Mike Tolbert is an American football Running Back for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
. San Diego scored 17 more in the second and third, seemingly putting the game out of reach. The Browns managed to get within a touchdown but their comeback ran out of time.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–11.
Week 14: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Browns hosted the rival Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh 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...
on a night with subzero wind chills for a Week 14 duel. In windy conditions, Phil Dawson
Phil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...
hit a pair of 29 yard field goals, and Chris Jennings
Chris Jennings
Chris Jennings is a gridiron football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed as a undrafted free agent by the Montreal Alouettes in 2008...
had a 10 yard touchdown run to put the Browns up 13. Jeff Reed nailed a field goal before the half to draw the Steelers within 10, and hit another in the third to bring them within a touchdown. However, a scoreless fourth by both teams led the Browns to their first win against the Steelers since 2003, and the Browns became only the fourth team in NFL history to be at least 10 games under .500 and defeat the defending Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
champions.
With the win, the Browns improved to 2–11, snapped a twelve game losing streak against the Steelers, and won their first home game since an October 2008 victory, interestingly against then-defending Super Bowl champion
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. KR Josh Cribbs was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Week 15: at Kansas City Chiefs
The Browns headed into Kansas City for their last road game of the year to take on the Chiefs in Week 15. The Browns and Chiefs traded field goals in the first quarter, and then Josh Cribbs returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, setting an NFL record with his 7th kickoff return for a touchdown. After another Phil DawsonPhil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...
field goal in the second, the Chiefs scored three straight touchdowns to take a 24–13 lead. However, Cribbs again ran a kickoff back for a touchdown, this time for 103 yards and extending his NFL record to eight kickoff return touchdowns. In the second half, Jerome Harrison
Jerome Harrison
-Cleveland Browns:Harrison was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft.In his first season he made ten appearances including one start. He made his NFL debut against the New Orleans Saints on September 10, 2006...
rushed for three touchdowns and amassed a filibuster
Filibuster
A filibuster is a type of parliamentary procedure. Specifically, it is the right of an individual to extend debate, allowing a lone member to delay or entirely prevent a vote on a given proposal...
-proof majority of his 286 rushing yards. This set a Browns' rushing record for a single game, was the record for most rushing yards in the NFL this season, and was the third most rushing yards in a game in NFL history. Matt Cassel
Matt Cassel
Matthew Brennan "Matt" Cassel is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
's final desperation pass ricocheted off the cross bar, and the Browns defeated the Chiefs 41–34, with their highest point total of the season.
With the win, the Browns improved to 3–11 and finished the season 2–6 on the road. Cribbs was named the AFC special teams player of the week for the second straight week.
Holmgren hired as president
On December 21, Mike HolmgrenMike Holmgren
Michael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
was hired by the Browns to take over as their president. His duties will include personnel management, and he may hire a general manager to assist him. He also will have the power to replace Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini
Eric Mangini is the former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets of the National Football League and current NFL analyst for ESPN.-College:...
as head coach if he so chooses.
Week 16: vs. Oakland Raiders
The Browns stayed home in Week 16 for a match with the Oakland RaidersOakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, trying to extend their 2 game winning streak. The Browns struck first with a 17 yard run by Jerome Harrison
Jerome Harrison
-Cleveland Browns:Harrison was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft.In his first season he made ten appearances including one start. He made his NFL debut against the New Orleans Saints on September 10, 2006...
and a 42 yard field goal from Phil Dawson
Phil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...
. Oakland kicker Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski is a left-footed Polish placekicker who plays for the National Football League's Oakland Raiders. He is nicknamed The Polish Cannon because he is considered to have one of the strongest kicking legs in the league, and leads the NFL in kickoffs for touchbacks. He lives in...
hit 3 field goals in the first half, including a 61 yarder to close out the half. However, the Browns led at halftime, 17–9. The Browns held the Raiders scoreless in the second half, and Dawson hit 2 more field goals to lead the Browns to a 23–9 victory, their third in a row.
With the win, the Browns improved to 4–11.
Week 17: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Browns closed out their season at home with a contest against the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who came into the game with an outside chance of making the playoffs. Cleveland and Jacksonville traded field goals in the first quarter, but Josh Cribbs broke the tie in the second with a 14 yard touchdown run, and Phil Dawson
Phil Dawson
Philip Drury Dawson is an American football placekicker for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League. He holds the franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010...
added another field goal to give the Browns a 10 point lead at the half. In the third, Jerome Harrison
Jerome Harrison
-Cleveland Browns:Harrison was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft.In his first season he made ten appearances including one start. He made his NFL debut against the New Orleans Saints on September 10, 2006...
added a 6 yard touchdown run to push the lead to 17. In the fourth, Zach Miller
Zach Miller (American football b. 1984)
Zachary Miller is an American football tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was born in Wahoo, Nebraska on October 4, 1984, he played quarterback and tight end in college. A three-sport athlete at Bishop Neumann High School in Wahoo, Nebraska he had all-state honors as a senior and also...
caught a 6 yard pass from David Garrard
David Garrard
David Douglas Garrard is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent.Garrard played college football at East Carolina. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and served as the team's starting quarterback from 2007 to 2010...
to close within 10, but Dawson added another field goal. On the final play of the game (and the season), Miller caught another touchdown pass from Garrard but it was not enough, and the Browns won 23–17. The Browns' 4 game winning streak was the longest since 1994.
With the win, the Browns improved to finish the season at 5–11, a one-win improvement over the 2008 campaign. They finished 3–5 at home.
KR Cribbs honored
On January 6, WR/KR Josh Cribbs was named AFC special teams player of the month for December. During the month, Cribbs earned AFC special teams player of the week honors twice, and set an NFL record with eight career kickoff returns for touchdowns.2010 Pro Bowl
KR Josh Cribbs and T Joe Thomas were recognized for individual accomplishments as they were named to the AFC roster for the 2010 Pro Bowl2010 Pro Bowl
The 2010 AFC–NFC Pro Bowl was the NFL's all-star game for the 2009 season. It took place at 8:00 PM EST on Sunday, January 31, 2010, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins and host site of Super Bowl XLIV...
. Cribbs, who made his second appearance, was the starting kick and punt returner. Thomas, who made his third consecutive appearance in the game, was selected as the reserve offensive tackle, but started in the game because of an injury to Jake Long
Jake Long
Jake Edward Long is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Dolphins first overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan...
of the 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...
.