First Energy Stadium
First Energy Stadium is located on the site of Cleveland Stadium, commonly called Cleveland Municipal Stadium, a multipurpose facility built in 1931 that served as the Browns home field from their inception in 1946.
Fun Facts:
Josh McCown joined the Browns for the 2015 season. This was his seventh team since breaking into the NFL with the Cardinals in 2002 and then playing for the Lions, Raiders, Panthers, Bears, and Buccaneers too.
The Cleveland Browns began as one of the teams in the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) that was a rival of the more established National Football League (NFL).
In the early 1950’s, the Browns drafted a defensive back and a linebacker that would both go on to eventually make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame… as coaches. In 1951 they drafted Don Shula and in 1953 they drafted Chuck Noll.
Browns wide receiver Travis Benjamin caught each of Johnny Manziel’s first three NFL touchdown passes. The first two in the 2015 season opening loss to the Jets and the third in a Week 2 win over the Titans that same season.
In 1948, as a member of the All-American Football Conference, the Cleveland Browns would go 14-0 and win the league title.
In 1963, Jim Brown became the first Browns player to ever gain more than 100 yards rushing and receiving in the same game.
Jim Brown rushed for more 100 yard games than any other player during the 1960s with 39. Another Browns player, Leroy Kelly, was tied for third on that list with 20.
The first Browns quarterback to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season was Brian Sipe in 1979.
Jim Brown also holds the Browns team mark for most 100 yard games at 58.
The first winning season that the Browns ever had came in their very first season of play, 1946. Their record that year was 12-2 and they won the championship of the All-American Football Conference. They wouldn’t joint the NFL until 1950, but they wouldn’t have to wait for their first winning season as they again suffered only two losses, going 10-2 and outscoring their opponents 310 to 144.
Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon had the longest TD reception in the NFL during the 2013 season. This happened in a 2013 loss to the Jaguars when he hauled in a 95 yarder from Brandon Weeden.
The Browns would have an amazing string of championship game appearances and victories in the late 1940’s and into the 1950’s, right from the founding of the team. The would win the AAFC Championship four straight years from 1946 to 1949 and then go on to appear in the NFL Championship Game six straight years from 1950 to 1955, winning it three times. That’s ten consecutive league title game appearances and claiming the championship trophy seven times. What an amazing run.
The Browns would make the playoffs seven times during the decade of the 1980’s.
They would then only make the playoffs twice total in the next two decades (1990’s & 2000’s).
When the AAFC folded, only three teams were allowed to join the NFL; the Browns, the 49ers, and the Colts.
Browns running back Duke Johnson’s first rushing attempt in the NFL went for six yards against the New York Jets and saw him tackled by Damon Harrison.
Jim Brown played in the NFL for nine seasons and led the league in rushing during eight of those seasons.
One time Browns coach Marty Schottenheimer holds the distinction of being the coach who has the most wins during the Super Bowl era (1966 to present) but has never coached a team in the Super Bowl.
Cleveland won its first game ever by a score of 44-0 over the Miami Seahawks, also of the AAFC.
The Browns are the only team in the NFL with no logo on their helmets.
Browns defensive back Joe Haden scored his first NFL touchdown on November 17, 2013 when he picked off Andy Dalton of the Bengals and returned it 29 yards for the score in a Cleveland loss.
In 1970 the Cleveland Browns became one of three teams to join the incoming AFL teams in the newly formed American Football Conference. The Browns were paid $3 million dollars for volunteering to change conferences.
The original Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore, becoming the Ravens, in 1996.
The current Cleveland Browns were admitted to the NFL as an expansion team in 2000.
The Browns joined the NFL in 1950 after the All-American Football Conference (AAFC), which they belonged to, had folded.
The Browns were charter members of the All-American Football Conference and won all four championships during the league’s existence.
The Cleveland Browns won the NFL Championship in 1950; their first year in the league, beating the Los Angeles Rams who had previously been the Cleveland Rams.
In 1958, Running Back Jim Brown rushed for a total of 1527 yards which was almost twice the amount of any other Running Back in the league.
One-time Cleveland owner Art Modell purchased the Browns in 1961 and owned them until he moved the team to Baltimore in 1996.
In 2014, Johnny Manziel became the seventh quarterback the Cleveland Browns ever selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. The previous six were Harry Agganis in 1952, Bobby Garrett in 1954, Mike Phipps in 1970, Tim Couch in 1999, Brady Quinn in 2007, and Brandon Weeden in 2012.
In 1948, 24 years before the Miami Dolphins undefeated season in 1972, the Cleveland Browns finished the year at 14-0 and won the AAFC Championship.
Professional wrestler Ron Simmons, sometimes known as Farooq, played for the Cleveland Browns for a short time in the 1980s.
One-time Browns Coach Dick Modzelewski has an all-time win-loss record of 0-1.
During the 1982 strike shortened season Cleveland’s record was 4-5 and still qualified them for the playoffs.
In the deal that allowed Art Modell to move the team to Baltimore, he lost the rights to the team name, colors, uniforms, records, and history.
Longtime Cleveland Browns Quarterback Bernie Kosar was the losing Quarterback in the famous Hail Mary game between Boston College and the University of Miami, won by Doug Flutie.
During the 1950 & 1951 seasons the Browns wore white helmets before changing to their now historic orange.
Former Head Coach Paul Brown got his inspiration for the team colors from Bowling Green University. There is a plaque at Bowling Green signifying this NFL connection.
The first two-point conversion scored in the NFL was scored in 1994 when Cleveland Browns Punter Tom Tupa, acting as holder on an extra point, ran the ball across the goal line.
Fan favorite, Running Back Gerald McNeil, got his start in professional football with the Houston Gamblers of the USFL.
Peyton Hillis had eight 100 yard rushing games during his career. He had one while playing with the Broncos and one while playing with the Chiefs. Six of them came while playing for the Cleveland Browns.
Brian Sipe, Quarterback for the Cleveland Browns from 1974 to 1983, was a competitor in the 1961 Little League World Series playing for El Cajon, California.
In 1980, Quarterback Brian Sipe led the Browns to their first playoff berth since 1972, and also garnered himself the NFL MVP award.
