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2019 Cleveland Browns season

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2019 Cleveland Browns season
OwnerJimmy Haslam
Dee Haslam
General managerJohn Dorsey
Head coachFreddie Kitchens
Home fieldFirstEnergy Stadium
Results
Record6–10
Division place3rd AFC North
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersG Joel Bitonio
RB Nick Chubb
WR Jarvis Landry
AP All-ProsG Joel Bitonio (2nd team)

The 2019 season was the Cleveland Browns' 67th in the National Football League (NFL), their 71st overall, their second full season under general manager John Dorsey and their only season under head coach Freddie Kitchens. They finished 6–10 despite entering the season with high expectations, failing to improve on their 7–8–1 record from 2018 or end their franchise-record and league-high 16-year playoff drought. They also suffered a 12th consecutive losing season, also a franchise record and the longest such streak in the league. Following the season, the Browns fired Kitchens after one season and Dorsey left his position as well.

Offseason

[edit]

Coaching changes

[edit]

On October 29, 2018, after Week 8 of the 2018 season, the Browns fired head coach Hue Jackson. Jackson posted a record of 3–36–1 (.088) record during his 212-season tenure with the Browns. Jackson failed to win any away games during his tenure and lost every game in 2017. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley was also fired the same day.[1] Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams finished out the 2018 season with a 5–3 (.625) record as interim head coach.

On January 12, 2019, the Browns promoted interim offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens to head coach.[2]

On January 12, the Browns hired former Minnesota Vikings special teams coordinator Mike Priefer to the same role.[3]

On January 14, the Browns hired former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Todd Monken as offensive coordinator and former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks as defensive coordinator.[4]

Roster changes

[edit]

Re-signings

[edit]
Position Player Tag Date
LB Ray-Ray Armstrong UFA March 13[5]
CB Juston Burris UFA April 1
DT Trevon Coley ERFA April 1
CB Phillip Gaines UFA March 19[6]
WR Rashard Higgins RFA April 1
OT Greg Robinson UFA February 25[7]
FS Jermaine Whitehead ERFA April 1

Players added

[edit]
Position Player Tag 2018 team Date
WR Odell Beckham Jr. Trade[trade 1] New York Giants March 13[8]
QB Garrett Gilbert UFA Carolina Panthers April 5[9]
TE Demetrius Harris UFA Kansas City Chiefs March 14[10]
RB Kareem Hunt UFA Kansas City Chiefs February 11[11]
RB D'Ernest Johnson UFA Orlando Apollos (AAF) May 16[12]
G Eric Kush UFA Chicago Bears March 14[13]
OT Kendall Lamm UFA Houston Texans March 15[14]
G Justin McCray Trade[trade 2] Green Bay Packers April 1[15]
SS Eric Murray Trade[trade 3] Kansas City Chiefs April 1[16]
DT Sheldon Richardson UFA Minnesota Vikings March 13[17]
LB Adarius Taylor UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers March 14[18]
WR Taywan Taylor Trade[trade 4] Tennessee Titans August 31[15]
G Wyatt Teller Trade[trade 5] Buffalo Bills August 30[19]
DE Olivier Vernon Trade[trade 1] New York Giants March 13[8]

Players lost

[edit]
Position Player Tag 2019 team Date
LB Ray-Ray Armstrong Release[15] New Orleans Saints September 18
CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun UFA Houston Texans March 15
LB Jamie Collins Release[20] New England Patriots May 15
P Britton Colquitt Release[15] Minnesota Vikings August 31[21]
DT Carl Davis Release[15] Indianapolis Colts October 14
TE Seth DeValve Release[15] Jacksonville Jaguars August 31[22]
TE Darren Fells Release[23] Houston Texans March 19[24]
C Kyle Friend Release[25]
CB E. J. Gaines UFA Buffalo Bills March 25[26]
OT Desmond Harrison Release[27] Arizona Cardinals June 6[28]
RB Duke Johnson Trade[trade 6] Houston Texans August 8
K Greg Joseph Release[15] Tennessee Titans December 18[29]
FS Derrick Kindred Release[30] Indianapolis Colts April 2[31]
WR Ricardo Louis Release[30] Miami Dolphins April 8[32]
RB Devante Mays Release[33] Jacksonville Jaguars July 31
DE Emmanuel Ogbah Trade[trade 3] Kansas City Chiefs April 1[16]
SS Jabrill Peppers Trade[trade 1] New York Giants March 13[8]
WR Breshad Perriman UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers March 13[34]
QB Tyrod Taylor UFA Los Angeles Chargers March 13[35]
LB Tanner Vallejo Release[36] Arizona Cardinals February 5[37]
G Earl Watford UFA Tampa Bay Buccaneers March 15[38]
WR Daniel Williams Release[7]
CB Howard Wilson Release[30]
G Kevin Zeitler Trade[trade 1] New York Giants March 13[8]
DE Anthony Zettel Release[15] Cincinnati Bengals October 17[39]

Trade notes

  1. ^ a b c d The Browns acquired WR Odell Beckham Jr. and LB Olivier Vernon from the New York Giants in exchange for SS Jabrill Peppers, G Kevin Zeitler, and 2019 1st-round (No. 17) and 3rd-round (No. 95) selections.
  2. ^ The Browns acquired G Justin McCray and an undisclosed 2020 draft selection from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for an undisclosed 2020 draft selection.
  3. ^ a b The Browns acquired S Eric Murray from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for DE Emmanuel Ogbah
  4. ^ The Browns acquired WR Taywan Taylor from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for an undisclosed 2020 draft selection.
  5. ^ The Browns acquired G Wyatt Teller and a 2021 7th round selection from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for 2020 5th and 6th round selections.
  6. ^ The Browns acquired a 2020 3rd round selection from the Houston Texans in exchange for RB Duke Johnson. This was originally a conditional 4th round selection, but Johnson was active for at least 10 games for the Texans in 2019, which resulted in the pick becoming a 3rd round selection.

Players added and lost

[edit]

During the 2019 off-season, the Browns also signed DT Brandin Bryant,[40] WR Jaelen Strong,[41] and G Bryan Witzmann,[42] but released them prior to the start of the season[15]

2019 NFL draft

[edit]

Cleveland traded their first-round pick (17th), a third-round pick previously acquired from New England (95th), guard Kevin Zeitler and safety Jabrill Peppers to New York in exchange for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and defensive end Olivier Vernon.

2019 Cleveland Browns Draft
Round Selection Player Position College
2 46 Greedy Williams CB LSU
3 80 Sione Takitaki LB BYU
4 119 Sheldrick Redwine S Miami (FL)
5 155 Mack Wilson LB Alabama
170 Austin Seibert K Oklahoma
6 189 Drew Forbes OT Southeast Missouri State
7 221 Donnie Lewis CB Tulane

Undrafted free agents

[edit]
2019 Cleveland Browns UDFA
Player Position College Signed Cut
Ka'John Armstrong OT Eastern Michigan June 6[43] August 10[44]
Dorian Baker WR Kentucky May 3 August 31[15]
David Blough QB Purdue May 3 August 30 (trade)[45]
Stephen Carlson TE Princeton May 3 August 31[15]
Lo Falemaka C Utah July 22[46] August 31 (placed on IR)[47]
Brian Fineanganofo OT Idaho State May 3 August 31[15]
Jamie Gillan P Arkansas–Pine Bluff May 3
Darrin Hall RB Pittsburgh May 3 May 6[48]
J. T. Hassell S Florida Tech May 3 August 31[15]
D. J. Montgomery WR Austin Peay May 3 August 31 (placed on IR)[47]
Jarrell Owens DE Oklahoma State May 3 August 31[15]
Jermaine Ponder CB Saint Francis May 3 August 3[49]
Wyatt Ray DE Boston College May 3 August 31[15]
Anthony Stubbs LB Prairie View A&M May 3 August 31[15]
LJ Scott RB Michigan State May 13[33] May 16[12]
Trevon Tate C Memphis May 3 May 28[50]
Willie Wright C Tulsa May 3 August 31[15]
Dedrick Young II LB Nebraska May 3 August 31[15]
A green background indicates the player made the Browns' Week 1 53-man roster

Uniform changes

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On September 4, the Browns announced that they would use their brown "color rush" uniforms, which they debuted in 2018, as their primary home uniforms for 2019, wearing them for six home games. These uniforms feature dark brown jerseys with orange numbers and orange stripes, and dark brown pants with the same orange stripes.[51]

Staff

[edit]
2019 Cleveland Browns staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Director, strength and conditioning – Larry Jackson
  • Strength and conditioning assistant – Evan Marcus
  • Strength and conditioning assistant/sports science – Josh Christovich
  • Strength and conditioning assistant – Monty Gibson
  • Strength and conditioning assistant – Dale Jones


Final roster

[edit]
2019 Cleveland Browns roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Int'l

Reserve

Rookies in italics
53 active, 11 reserve, 10 practice squad

Preseason

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Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
1 August 8 Washington Redskins W 30–10 1–0 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
2 August 17 at Indianapolis Colts W 21–18 2–0 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap
3 August 23 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 12–13 2–1 Raymond James Stadium Recap
4 August 29 Detroit Lions W 20–16 3–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap

Regular season

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Schedule

[edit]
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
1 September 8 Tennessee Titans L 13–43 0–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
2 September 16 at New York Jets W 23–3 1–1 MetLife Stadium Recap
3 September 22 Los Angeles Rams L 13–20 1–2 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
4 September 29 at Baltimore Ravens W 40–25 2–2 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
5 October 7 at San Francisco 49ers L 3–31 2–3 Levi's Stadium Recap
6 October 13 Seattle Seahawks L 28–32 2–4 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
7 Bye
8 October 27 at New England Patriots L 13–27 2–5 Gillette Stadium Recap
9 November 3 at Denver Broncos L 19–24 2–6 Empower Field at Mile High Recap
10 November 10 Buffalo Bills W 19–16 3–6 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
11 November 14 Pittsburgh Steelers W 21–7 4–6 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
12 November 24 Miami Dolphins W 41–24 5–6 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
13 December 1 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 13–20 5–7 Heinz Field Recap
14 December 8 Cincinnati Bengals W 27–19 6–7 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
15 December 15 at Arizona Cardinals L 24–38 6–8 State Farm Stadium Recap
16 December 22 Baltimore Ravens L 15–31 6–9 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
17 December 29 at Cincinnati Bengals L 23–33 6–10 Paul Brown Stadium Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

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Week 1: vs. Tennessee Titans

[edit]
Week One: Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Titans 3 9 102143
Browns 6 0 7013

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The Browns opened the season with a home game against the Tennessee Titans with high hopes after their 7–8–1 season in 2018. The Browns scored a touchdown on their first drive to take a 6–0 lead, but the Titans controlled the game after that, taking a 12–6 lead into halftime. After a Titans field goal, a Browns' touchdown late in the third quarter made the score 15–13, but that is the closest they would get as quarterback Baker Mayfield threw three interceptions and the Titans scored four unanswered touchdowns to secure a 43–13 win.

With the loss, the Browns opened the season at 0–1. The Browns failed to win in Week 1 for the 15th consecutive season. They also committed 18 penalties for 182 yards, their most penalties in a game since 1951.[52]

Week 2: at New York Jets

[edit]
Week Two: Cleveland Browns at New York Jets – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 6 10 7023
Jets 0 3 003

at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game information

The Browns traveled to New York for a Monday Night Football matchup against the Jets, marking the Browns' first MNF appearance since 2015. The Browns opened the scoring with a pair of Austin Seibert field goals—the first of his career—in the first quarter to take a 6–0 lead. After the Browns added a Nick Chubb touchdown run, the teams traded field goals late in the second quarter to give the Browns a 16–3 halftime lead. The only score of the second half was an 89-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Odell Beckham Jr. to give the Browns a 23–3 win. The Browns' defense had a solid performance with four sacks (including three by Myles Garrett), one takeaway and two fourth-down stops.[53]

With the win, the Browns improved to 1–1. Punter Jamie Gillan was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week; he made six punts, five of which landed inside the Jets' 20-yard line, averaging 38.5 yards per kick.[54]

Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams

[edit]
Week Three: Los Angeles Rams at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Rams 3 0 71020
Browns 0 6 7013

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The Browns hosted the Los Angeles Rams in their first Sunday Night Football appearance since 2008. The Browns held a 6–3 halftime lead after a highly defensive first half. The only scoring came via field goals from the Browns' Austin Seibert and the Rams' Greg Zuerlein. In the third quarter, the Rams drove down the field and scored a touchdown on a Jared Goff pass to Cooper Kupp to take a 10–6 lead. The Browns responded on their next drive with a Baker Mayfield pass to Demetrius Harris to retake the lead at 13–10. Early in the fourth quarter, the Rams regained the lead, 17–13, on another Goff touchdown pass to Kupp and extended their lead to 20–13 with a Zuerlein field goal. Late in the game, the Browns had a chance to tie the score with a touchdown. In the final minute, the Browns had the ball first and goal from the Rams' 4-yard line, but Mayfield threw three incomplete passes, followed by an interception on fourth down.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 1–2.

Week 4: at Baltimore Ravens

[edit]
Week Four: Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 7 3 141640
Ravens 0 7 31525

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Game information

The Browns opened the scoring in the first quarter with a Baker Mayfield touchdown pass to Ricky Seals-Jones. However, the Ravens responded with a Lamar Jackson touchdown pass to Miles Boykin to tie the game at 7–7. An Austin Seibert field goal gave the Browns a 10–7 lead at halftime. In the second half, Nick Chubb led the Browns, scoring a career-high three touchdowns and rushing for 128 of his 165 yards on the day, including an 88-yard touchdown run to extend the Browns' lead just two plays after the Ravens had cut the score to 24–18. A Dontrell Hilliard touchdown run extended the Browns' lead to 40–18. The Ravens added a garbage-time touchdown to make the final score 40–25.

With the win, the Browns improved to 2–2 and moved into first place in the AFC North for the first time since Week 10 of 2014. For his 165 yards and three touchdowns, Chubb was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week[55] and FedEx Ground Player of the Week[56]

On October 3, punter Jamie Gillan was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September. Gillan had 11 punts inside the 20-yard line and helped the Browns limit opponents to just 19 punt return yards for the month.[57]

Week 5: at San Francisco 49ers

[edit]
Week Five: Cleveland Browns at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 0 3 003
49ers 14 7 7331

at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California

  • Date: October 7
  • Game time: 8:15 pm. EDT/5:15 p.m. PDT
  • Game weather: Clear, 87 °F (31 °C)
  • Game attendance: 70,585
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Joe Tessitore, Booger McFarland, Lisa Salters and John Parry
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The 49ers opened the scoring with a pair of Matt Breida touchdowns in the first quarter – an 83-yard run and a 5-yard reception from Jimmy Garoppolo. After a Browns field goal, the 49ers continued their dominance, scoring an additional 17 points en route to a 31–3 blowout win. The 49ers defense held Baker Mayfield to just 100 passing yards and no touchdowns, marking Mayfield's first career start in which he did not throw a touchdown pass, having done so in each of his first 17 starts. The Browns also turned the ball over four times, including two Mayfield interceptions.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 2–3.

Week 6: vs. Seattle Seahawks

[edit]
Week Six: Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 6 12 7732
Browns 14 6 0828

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The Browns returned home to take on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 6 and opened the scoring with a Nick Chubb touchdown run. Seattle responded with a touchdown run by Russell Wilson, giving the Browns a 7–6 lead after a missed extra point by Seattle. The Browns then extended their lead to 20–6, with Baker Mayfield running in from 10 yards before throwing a 31-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Seals-Jones. Before halftime, Seattle scored on a pair of Jason Myers field goals and a touchdown pass from Wilson to Jaron Brown to cut the Browns' lead to 20–18. In the second half, Seattle took the lead on another Wilson touchdown pass to Brown, but the Browns responded with a Chubb touchdown run and a two-point pass from Mayfield to Demetrius Harris to retake the lead, 28–25. The Seahawks retook the lead with 3:30 left in the game, going up 32–28 thanks to a Chris Carson touchdown run, before picking off Mayfield on the Browns' ensuing drive to allow them to run down the clock and claim the win.

With the loss, the Browns went into their bye week at 2–4.

Week 8: at New England Patriots

[edit]
Week Eight: Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 0 7 3313
Patriots 17 0 7327

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Game information

After their bye week, the Browns traveled to New England for a Week 8 contest against the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, who entered this game 7–0. The Patriots raced to a 17–0 first quarter lead, aided by two Nick Chubb fumbles and a Baker Mayfield interception on three consecutive offensive snaps for the Browns. Chubb's first fumble was returned by Dont'a Hightower for a 26–yard touchdown, while the Patriots' second touchdown came on a Tom Brady pass to Julian Edelman. Browns got on the board in the second quarter with a Mayfield touchdown pass to Demetrius Harris, to make the score 17–7 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Browns closed New England's lead to 17–10 with an Austin Seibert 38-yard field goal, but the Patriots responded with another Brady touchdown pass to Edelman on their next drive to extend their lead to 24–10. The teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter for a 27–13 Patriots win.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 2–5.

Week 9: at Denver Broncos

[edit]
Week Nine: Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 0 12 0719
Broncos 7 10 7024

at Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

Game information

The Browns visited the Denver Broncos for a Week 9 match-up. The Browns hoped to end a three-game losing streak while Denver quarterback Brandon Allen was making his first career start in place of an injured Joe Flacco. Denver opened the scoring with an Allen 21–yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton. He added a 75–yard touchdown pass to Noah Fant in the second quarter. For the Browns, Austin Seibert kicked four field goals in the second quarter (three of which occurred with the Browns inside Denver's 15-yard line) and Denver's Brandon McManus added a field goal to give the Broncos a 17–12 halftime lead. In the second half, the Broncos extended their lead to 24–12 on a Phillip Lindsay touchdown run, while the Browns closed the Broncos' lead back to five points on a Baker Mayfield touchdown pass to Jarvis Landry. However, the Browns could not score again, resulting in a 24–19 Broncos' win.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 2–6. This marks the 12th straight season in which the Browns suffered a losing streak of at least four games. Following the game, safety Jermaine Whitehead, out of frustration, made inappropriate and threatening tweets in response to critics. He was subsequently released by the Browns.[58]

Week 10: vs. Buffalo Bills

[edit]
Week Ten: Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bills 0 7 2716
Browns 6 3 3719

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The Browns returned home to take on the Buffalo Bills, hoping to end their 4-game losing streak. The Browns scored a touchdown on the game's first drive on a Baker Mayfield 17-yard touchdown pass to Jarvis Landry. However, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Landry resulted in the PAT attempt being kicked from 15 yards further back, and it was subsequently missed. Early in the second quarter, the Bills scored a touchdown on a Josh Allen 10-yard run to take a 7–6 lead. Browns kicker Austin Seibert nailed a 23-yard field goal, while Bills' kicker Stephen Hauschka missed a 35-yard field goal attempt late in the quarter, giving the Browns a 9–7 halftime lead. The Bills tied the game with a safety in the third quarter as Tremaine Edmunds sacked Mayfield in the end zone. Seibert added a field goal to give the Browns a 12–9 lead after three-quarters. In the fourth quarter, Allen gave the Bills a 16–12 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run. However, the Browns responded with an 82-yard drive culminating with a Mayfield touchdown pass to Rashard Higgins, giving the Browns a 19–16 lead with just under two minutes remaining. The Bills drove down the field, but Hauschka missed a 53-yard potential game-tying field goal with 22 seconds remaining, giving the Browns a 19–16 win.[59]

With the win, the Browns improved to 3–6.

Week 11: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

[edit]
Week Eleven: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Steelers 0 0 707
Browns 7 7 0721

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The Browns stayed home to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football. Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield scored the first points on a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, set up by a 43-yard pass from Mayfield to wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. The next score came in the second quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown catch by Jarvis Landry. The Steelers struck back in the third quarter with a touchdown completion by Steelers running back Jaylen Samuels, but Cleveland held off the Steelers for the win. Browns rookie tight end Stephen Carlson caught a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter for his first career touchdown. The Browns defense forced four interceptions of Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph in the game.

A skirmish broke out between the two teams in the closing seconds of the game. After passing to Trey Edmunds, Rudolph found himself dragged down by Browns defensive end Myles Garrett. Upset by the late tackle, Rudolph started to attack Garrett by kicking him in the groin and attempting to pull off Garrett's helmet. Garrett then pulled off Rudolph's helmet and used it to hit Rudolph in the head. Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey and Browns defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi then joined in on the fight in defense of their respective teammates. Garrett, Ogunjobi, and Pouncey were ejected from the game. Following the game, Garrett was suspended for the remainder of 2019 and required to apply for reinstatement in 2020, while Pouncey and Ogunjobi received suspensions of two games and one game, respectively.[60][61] Garrett's suspension was the first indefinite suspension in NFL history for a single on-field transgression.[62]

Landry recorded his 529th reception, breaking DeAndre Hopkins' record of most catches in an NFL player's first six seasons.[63]

With the win, the Browns improved to 4–6. The win ended an 8-game winless streak to the Steelers that dated back to 2014. This also marked the first time in franchise history that the Browns defeated division rivals Baltimore and Pittsburgh in the same season.

Week 12: vs. Miami Dolphins

[edit]
Week Twelve: Miami Dolphins at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Dolphins 0 3 14724
Browns 14 14 01341

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: November 24
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Partly Cloudy, 39 °F (4 °C)
  • Game attendance: 67,431
  • Referee: Brad Rogers
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston and Laura Okmin
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The Browns hosted the Miami Dolphins in their third straight home game. The Browns dominated the first half, building a 28–0 lead in the process. The Browns scored four first half touchdowns on three Baker Mayfield touchdown passes (two short passes to Jarvis Landry and a 35-yard pass to Odell Beckham Jr.) and a 6-yard run by Kareem Hunt. The Dolphins got on the board with a Jason Sanders field goal to make the score 28–3 at halftime. The Dolphins came back in the third quarter. Aided by a Mayfield interception and a missed field goal by Austin Seibert, the Dolphins scored two touchdowns on a Ryan Fitzpatrick 11-yard pass to Mike Gesicki and a Fitzpatrick 8-yard run, to close the Browns' lead to 28–17. However, the Browns responded in the fourth quarter with a pair of Seibert field goals and a Nick Chubb 5-yard touchdown run to go up 41–17. A late Miami touchdown made the final score 41–24.

With the win, the Browns improved to 5–6. This marked the Browns' 100th win since returning to the NFL in 1999.[64] Linebacker Joe Schobert was named the AFC Defensive Player of the week after recording five tackles, four blocked passes, and two interceptions.[65]

Week 13: at Pittsburgh Steelers

[edit]
Week Thirteen: Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 3 7 0313
Steelers 0 10 7320

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game information

The Browns traveled to Pittsburgh for round two of their division rivalry with the Steelers. In the first quarter, the Browns scored first on an Austin Seibert 31-yard field goal. They extended their lead to 10–0 in the second quarter on a Baker Mayfield 15-yard touchdown pass to Kareem Hunt. The Steelers, however tied the game 10–10 before halftime with a Chris Boswell 39-yard field goal followed by a Devlin Hodges 30-yard touchdown pass to James Washington. In the third quarter, the Steelers took a 17–10 lead when Benny Snell ran for a 1-yard touchdown and added a Boswell 29-yard field goal to make it 20–10. Seibert got the Browns within a touchdown at 20–13 on a 34-yard field goal to make it 20–13. Getting the ball back later on in the quarter, the Browns had an opportunity to score a game-tying touchdown, However, Steelers cornerback and former Brown Joe Haden came up with the game-sealing interception of Mayfield.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 5–7. This marked the Browns' 16th consecutive loss in Pittsburgh. On the same day, the Baltimore Ravens won their game, thus mathematically eliminating the Browns from AFC North title contention. This is the Browns 27th consecutive season without a division title, the longest active streak in the NFL.

Week 14: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

[edit]
Week Fourteen: Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bengals 6 7 3319
Browns 7 7 10327

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The Browns returned home to battle their in-state rival Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati took an early 3–0 lead on a Randy Bullock 34-yard field goal. The Browns got on the board later in the first quarter as Denzel Ward intercepted an Andy Dalton pass and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown to take a 7–3 lead. Bullock added a 44-yard field goal to bring the Bengals to within 7–6 after the first quarter. Both teams scored a touchdown in the second quarter: the Bengals' coming on a Joe Mixon 1-yard run and the Browns' on a Baker Mayfield 7-yard run to give the Browns a 14–13 halftime lead. On the Browns' opening drive of the third quarter, they scored a touchdown on a Kareem Hunt 3-yard run to extend their lead to 21–13. The teams traded field goals to finish off the third quarter and also did so in the fourth quarter, to give the Browns a 27–19 win.

With the win, the Browns improved to 6–7.

Week 15: at Arizona Cardinals

[edit]
Week Fifteen: Cleveland Browns at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 0 10 7724
Cardinals 7 14 71038

at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

Game information

The Browns traveled to Arizona for a Week 15 tilt with the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals scored the only first quarter points on a Kenyan Drake 5-yard touchdown run, to take a 7–0 lead. The Cardinals extended their lead to 14–0 in the second quarter with a Drake 1-yard touchdown run. The Browns responded with a Nick Chubb 33-yard touchdown run and an Austin Seibert 44-yard field goal to close the Cardinals' lead to 14–10. However, the Cardinals extended their lead to 21–10 late in the first half on a Kyler Murray 6-yard touchdown pass to Dan Arnold. In the third quarter, the Browns scored a touchdown on a Baker Mayfield 2-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Seals-Jones, but the Cardinals responded with a Drake 1-yard run to take a 28–17 lead into the fourth quarter. Early in the fourth quarter, Seibert missed a 45–yard field goal attempt wide left that would have moved the Browns to within one possession at 28–20. Instead, the Cardinals scored a touchdown on their ensuing drive on a Drake 17-yard run, his fourth touchdown on the day. After a Seals-Jones fumble, former Brown Zane Gonzalez kicked a 21-yard field goal to give the Cardinals a 38–17 lead. The Browns added a late touchdown on a Mayfield pass to Seals-Jones to make the final score 38–24.

With the loss, the Browns fell to 6–8.

Week 16: vs. Baltimore Ravens

[edit]
Week Sixteen: Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ravens 0 14 71031
Browns 0 6 3615

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: December 22
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST
  • Game weather: Sunny, 49 °F (9 °C)
  • Game attendance: 67,431
  • Referee: Alex Kemp
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Gene Steratore
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

With the loss, the Browns fell to 6–9. The loss eliminated the Browns from postseason contention for the 17th consecutive season, having last made the playoffs in 2002. The Browns were one of only two NFL teams, the other being the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, to not make the playoffs during the 2010s. The loss also meant the Browns would not improve upon their 7–8–1 record from their previous season, and it ensured the team's 12th consecutive season with a losing record, having last posted a non-losing record in 2007. The Browns finished 4–4 at home.

Week 17: at Cincinnati Bengals

[edit]
Week Seventeen: Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 7 9 0723
Bengals 13 7 31033

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Game information

With the loss, the Browns finished the season 6–10. They finished 2–6 in away games. This marked the Browns' 500th loss since joining the NFL in 1950.

Following the game, the Browns fired head coach Freddie Kitchens after one season.[66] On December 31, the Browns and general manager John Dorsey mutually agreed to part ways.[67] Dorsey had served as the Browns' GM since December 2017.

Standings

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Division

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AFC North
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(1) Baltimore Ravens 14 2 0 .875 5–1 10–2 531 282 W12
Pittsburgh Steelers 8 8 0 .500 3–3 6–6 289 303 L3
Cleveland Browns 6 10 0 .375 3–3 6–6 335 393 L3
Cincinnati Bengals 2 14 0 .125 1–5 2–10 279 420 W1

Conference

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# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV STK
Division leaders
1 Baltimore Ravens North 14 2 0 .875 5–1 10–2 .494 .484 W12
2[a] Kansas City Chiefs West 12 4 0 .750 6–0 9–3 .510 .477 W6
3[a] New England Patriots East 12 4 0 .750 5–1 8–4 .469 .411 L1
4 Houston Texans South 10 6 0 .625 4–2 8–4 .520 .488 L1
Wild Cards
5 Buffalo Bills East 10 6 0 .625 3–3 7–5 .461 .363 L2
6 Tennessee Titans South 9 7 0 .563 3–3 7–5 .488 .465 W1
Did not qualify for the postseason
7 Pittsburgh Steelers North 8 8 0 .500 3–3 6–6 .502 .324 L3
8[b][c] Denver Broncos West 7 9 0 .438 3–3 6–6 .510 .406 W2
9[c][d][e] Oakland Raiders West 7 9 0 .438 3–3 5–7 .482 .335 L1
10[b][d][e] Indianapolis Colts South 7 9 0 .438 3–3 5–7 .492 .500 L1
11[b][d] New York Jets East 7 9 0 .438 2–4 4–8 .473 .402 W2
12[f] Jacksonville Jaguars South 6 10 0 .375 2–4 6–6 .484 .406 W1
13[f] Cleveland Browns North 6 10 0 .375 3–3 6–6 .533 .479 L3
14[g] Los Angeles Chargers West 5 11 0 .313 0–6 3–9 .514 .488 L3
15[g] Miami Dolphins East 5 11 0 .313 2–4 4–8 .484 .463 W2
16 Cincinnati Bengals North 2 14 0 .125 1–5 2–10 .553 .406 W1
Tiebreakers[h]
  1. ^ a b Kansas City finished ahead of New England based on head-to-head victory.
  2. ^ a b c Denver finished ahead of Indianapolis and NY Jets based on conference record. Division tiebreak was initially used to eliminate Oakland (see below).
  3. ^ a b Denver finished ahead of Oakland based on conference record.
  4. ^ a b c Oakland and Indianapolis finished ahead of NY Jets based on conference record.
  5. ^ a b Oakland finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory.
  6. ^ a b Jacksonville finished ahead of Cleveland based on record against common opponents. Jacksonville's cumulative record against Cincinnati, Denver, NY Jets, and Tennessee was 4–1, compared to Cleveland's 2–3 cumulative record against the same four teams.
  7. ^ a b LA Chargers finished ahead of Miami based on head-to-head victory.
  8. ^ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

Team leaders

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Category Player(s) Value
Passing yards Baker Mayfield 3,827
Passing touchdowns Baker Mayfield 22
Rushing yards Nick Chubb 1,494
Rushing touchdowns Nick Chubb 8
Receptions Jarvis Landry 83
Receiving yards Jarvis Landry 1,174
Receiving touchdowns Jarvis Landry 6
Points Austin Seibert 105
Kickoff return yards Dontrell Hilliard 421
Punt return yards Dontrell Hilliard 107
Tackles Joe Schobert 133
Sacks Myles Garrett 10.0
Forced fumbles Sheldon Richardson 3
Interceptions Joe Schobert 4
Pass deflections Denzel Ward 11

Individual honors

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On December 17, RB Nick Chubb and WR Jarvis Landry were named to the AFC Roster for the 2020 Pro Bowl. This marked Chubb's first Pro Bowl selection and Landry's fifth consecutive and fifth overall selection. Chubb was the AFC's starting running back.[68] On January 9, 2020, G Joel Bitonio was also named to the Pro Bowl as an injury replacement, marking his second consecutive and second overall selection.[69]

In addition, LB Joe Schobert was named a second alternate, CB Denzel Ward a fourth alternate, and WR Odell Beckham Jr. a fifth alternate at their respective positions.[68]

On January 3, Bitonio was named to the AP All-Pro second team, his second consecutive and second overall All-Pro selection.[70]

References

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  3. ^ Gosseling, Mike; Craig, Mark (January 12, 2019). "Mike Priefer leaves Vikings to be Browns special teams coordinator". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  4. ^ Clark, Dave (January 14, 2019). "Cleveland Browns hire Todd Monken, Steve Wilks as coordinators". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  5. ^ "Browns re-sign Ray-Ray Armstrong". ClevelandBrowns.com. March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  6. ^ "Browns re-sign DB Phillip Gaines". ClevelandBrowns.com. March 19, 2019.
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  9. ^ "Browns sign DB Morgan Burnett, QB Garrett Gilbert". ClevelandBrowns.com. April 5, 2019.
  10. ^ Gribble, Andrew (March 14, 2019). "Browns sign versatile TE Demetrius Harris". ClevelandBrowns.com.
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  12. ^ a b "Browns sign RB D'Ernest Johnson". ClevelandBrowns.com. May 16, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  13. ^ Shook, Nick (March 14, 2019). "Browns sign veteran offensive lineman Eric Kush". ClevelandBrowns.com.
  14. ^ "Browns sign OL Kendall Lamm". ClevelandBrowns.com. March 15, 2019.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Browns cut roster to 53 players". ClevelandBrowns.com. August 31, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
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  24. ^ Alper, Josh (March 18, 2019). "Texans sign Darren Fells". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports.
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  26. ^ Brown, Chris (March 25, 2019). "Cornerback E.J. Gaines signs for second stint with Bills". BuffaloBills.com.
  27. ^ Alper, Josh (June 5, 2019). "Browns release Desmond Harrison". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports.
  28. ^ Bouda, Nate (June 6, 2019). "Cardinals Claiming OT Desmond Harrison Off Waivers From Browns".
  29. ^ Wyatt, Jim (December 18, 2019). "Lucky No.7? New Titans Kicker Greg Joseph Ready for Opportunity in Tennessee". Tennessee Titans. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
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  31. ^ "Colts Claim Safety Derrick Kindred Off Waivers". Colts.com. April 2, 2019.
  32. ^ "Dolphins Sign WR Ricardo Louis". MiamiDolphins.com. April 8, 2019.
  33. ^ a b Edwards, Josh (May 13, 2019). "Cleveland Browns sign LJ Scott, waive Devante".
  34. ^ King, Jamil (March 13, 2019). "Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign Breshad Perriman to one-year deal". The Pewter Plank. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  35. ^ "Tyrod Taylor signs with Los Angeles Chargers". WJW-TV. March 13, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
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  37. ^ Urban, Darren (February 5, 2019). "Cardinals Claim LB Tanner Vallejo Off Waivers". AZCardinals.com.
  38. ^ Smith, Scott (March 16, 2019). "Bucs Add Earl Watford to O-Line Equation". Buccaneers.com.
  39. ^ "Bengals Sign Zettel, Waive Perine". Bengals.com. October 17, 2019.
  40. ^ "Browns sign DT Brandin Bryant, T Travis Vornkahl". ClevelandBrowns.com. August 9, 2019.
  41. ^ "Browns sign WR Jaelen Strong". ClevelandBrowns.com. February 20, 2019.
  42. ^ "Browns sign OL Bryan Witzmann". ClevelandBrowns.com. March 22, 2019.
  43. ^ "Browns sign T Ka'John Armstrong". ClevelandBrowns.com. June 6, 2019. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  44. ^ Jags bring back TE Carson Meier and make several other roster moves
  45. ^ "Browns trade QB David Blough to Lions". ClevelandBrowns.com. August 30, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  46. ^ "Browns sign C Lo Falemaka". ClevelandBrowns.com. July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  47. ^ a b Carey, Tyler (August 31, 2019). "More roster shuffling: Cleveland Browns add 3 new players, waive 2 others". WKYC. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  48. ^ Packers Cut RB Darrin Hall
  49. ^ Steelers swap cornerbacks, sign Jermaine Ponder and release Derrek Thomas
  50. ^ Cleveland Browns waive reserve lineman Trevon Tate
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  52. ^ "Much-hyped Browns flagged 18 times, lose 43-13". Retrieved September 8, 2019.
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  54. ^ "Jamie Gillan named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week". ClevelandBrowns.com. September 18, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
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  57. ^ Naquin, Talia. "'Scottish Hammer' Jamie Gillan named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month". WJW. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  58. ^ Levenson, Eric (November 4, 2019). "Cleveland Browns cut safety Jermaine Whitehead for tweeting violent threats after loss". CNN. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  59. ^ Butler, Alex (November 11, 2019). "Browns beat Bills, end four-game losing streak". UPI. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
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  69. ^ "Joel Bitonio named to Pro Bowl". ClevelandBrowns.com. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  70. ^ Gribble, Andrew (January 3, 2020). "Browns G Joel Bitonio named a 2nd-team All-Pro". ClevelandBrowns.com. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
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