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List of Cleveland Browns head coaches

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The Browns have played their home games at Cleveland Browns Stadium since 1999.

The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football franchise based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are a member of the North Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The team began playing in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), and joined the NFL as part of the AAFC–NFL merger in 1950.[1] The team played their home games at Cleveland Stadium from 1946 to 1995 before moving to Cleveland Browns Stadium, where they have played since 1999.[2] The Browns did not play from 1996 to 1998 when the team's owner, Art Modell, moved the team to Baltimore, Maryland and formed the Baltimore Ravens. The team was reactivated under new ownership in Cleveland in 1999.[3] The Browns are currently owned by Jimmy Haslam III.[4]

There have been 18 non-interim head coaches for the Browns franchise. Their first head coach was Paul Brown, who coached for 17 complete seasons.[5] Brown is also the franchise's all-time leader for the most regular season games coached (214), the most regular season game wins (158), the most playoffs games coached (14), and the most playoff game wins (9). Brown is the only Browns head coach to win an AAFC championship, winning four. Brown and Blanton Collier have led the Browns to NFL championships. Brown won the Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year three times, the United Press International (UPI) NFL Coach of the Year once,[6] and was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a coach.[7] Five coaches have won Coach of the Year awards: Brown (1949, 1951, 1953, 1957), Forrest Gregg (1976), Sam Rutigliano (1979, 1980), Marty Schottenheimer (1986), and Kevin Stefanski (2020, 2023).

Since their reactivation in 1999, the Browns have had significant turnover at the head coaching position. Ten men have coached the Browns since 1999, and only two have reached the postseason: Butch Davis (2002) and Stefanski (2020 and 2023).

Key

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# Number of coaches[N 1]
GC Games coached
W Wins
L Losses
T Ties
Win% Winning percentage
00† Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a coach
00‡ Elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player
00* Spent entire NFL head coaching career with the Browns

Coaches

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Note: Statistics are accurate through the 2023 season.
#[8] Image Name Term[N 2] Regular season Playoffs Achievements Ref.
GC W L T Win% GC W L Win%
1 Paul Brown † 1946–1962 214 158 48 8 .767 14 9 5 .643 Four AAFC championships (1946, 1947, 1948, 1949)[9]
Three NFL championships (1950, 1954, 1955)[10]
Seven NFL Conference championships (1950–55, 1957)

1949, 1951, and 1953 Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year[11]
1957 UPI NFL Coach of the Year[6]

[5][7]
2 Blanton Collier* 1963–1970 112 76 34 2 .691 7 3 4 .429 NFL Champion in 1964
Four Eastern conference champions (1964, 1965, 1968, 1969)
Three Century Division Champions (1967,1968, 1969)
 [12]
3 Nick Skorich 1971–1974 56 30 24 2 .556 2 0 2 .000 AFC Central Division Champions 1971 [13]
4 Forrest Gregg ‡ 1975–1977 41 18 23 0 .439 — — — — 1976 Associated Press (AP) NFL Coach of the Year[14] [15]
– Dick Modzelewski*[N 3] 1977 1 0 1 0 .000 — — — — [16]
5 Sam Rutigliano* 1978–1984 97 47 50 0 .485 2 0 2 .000 1979 and 1980 UPI NFL Coach of the Year[6]
AFC Central Division Champions 1980 		[17]
6 Marty Schottenheimer[N 4] 1984–1988 71 44 27 0 .620 6 2 4 .333 1986 UPI NFL Coach of the Year[6]
Three AFC Central Division Champions (1985, 1986 and 1987) 		[18]
7 Bud Carson* 1989–1990 25 11 13 1 .458 2 1 1 .500 AFC Central Division Champions 1989 [19]
– Jim Shofner*[N 5] 1990 7 1 6 0 .143 — — — — [20]
8 Bill Belichick 1991–1995 80 36 44 0 .450 2 1 1 .500 [21]
— [N 6] 1996–1998
9 Chris Palmer* 1999–2000 32 5 27 0 .156 — — — — [22]
10 Butch Davis* 2001–2004 59 24 35 0 .407 1 0 1 .000 [23]
– Terry Robiskie[N 7] 2004 5 1 4 0 .200 — — — — [24]
11 Romeo Crennel 2005–2008 64 24 40 0 .375 — — — — [25]
12 Eric Mangini 2009–2010 32 10 22 0 .313 — — — — [26]
13 Pat Shurmur 2011–2012 32 9 23 0 .281 — — — — [27]
14 Rob Chudzinski* 2013 16 4 12 0 .250 — — — — [28]
15 Mike Pettine* 2014–2015 32 10 22 0 .313 — — — — [29]
16 Hue Jackson 2016–2018 40 3 36 1 .088 — — — — [30]
– Gregg Williams[N 8] 2018 8 5 3 0 .625 — — — — [31]
17 Freddie Kitchens* 2019 16 6 10 0 .375 — — — — [32]
18 Kevin Stefanski*[N 9] 2020–present 67 37 30 0 .552 3 1 2 .333 2020 and 2023 AP NFL Coach of the Year [33][34]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ A running total of the number of coaches of the Browns. Thus, any coach who has two or more terms as head coach is only counted once. Interim coaches are not included.
  2. ^ Each year is linked to an article about that NFL season.
  3. ^ Gregg was fired thirteen games into the 1977 season. Modzelewski served as interim head coach for the remaining game.
  4. ^ Rutigliano was fired eight games into the 1984 season. Schottenheimer served as interim head coach for the remaining eight games before being promoted to full-time head coach.
  5. ^ Carson was fired nine games into the 1990 season. Shofner served as interim head coach for the remaining seven games.
  6. ^ The Browns did not play from 1996 to 1998 due to events in the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy.[3]
  7. ^ Davis resigned eleven games into the 2004 season. Robiskie served as interim head coach for the remaining five games.
  8. ^ Jackson was fired eight games into the 2018 season. Williams served as interim head coach for the remaining eight games.
  9. ^ During the 2020–21 NFL playoffs, Stefanski tested positive for COVID-19. Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer served as the acting head coach in the wild-card round against the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning the game. Stefanski tested positive during Week 15 of the 2021 season, with Priefer again serving as acting head coach against the Las Vegas Raiders, losing the game.

Notes

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General
  • "History: All-Time Head Coaches". Cleveland Browns. NFL Enterprises LLC. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  • "Cleveland Browns Franchise Encyclopedia". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
Specific
  1. ^ "Year By Year Season Results". Cleveland Browns. NFL Enterprises LLC. Archived from the original on April 2, 2010. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  2. ^ "Cleveland Browns Stadium". Cleveland Browns. NFL Enterprises LLC. Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  3. ^ a b Henkel 2005, p. 111
  4. ^ "Cleveland Browns – Front Office". January 20, 2013. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Paul Brown". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on October 27, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d Hickok, Ralph (April 17, 2008). "NFL Coach of the Year Award". Hick OK Sports. Archived from the original on December 5, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Paul Brown". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  8. ^ Interim head coaches are not included in the numbering.
  9. ^ "Cleveland Browns". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on June 12, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  10. ^ "History: NFL Champions". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 27, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  11. ^ "NFL Coach of the Year". Sporting News. Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  12. ^ "Blanton Collier". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 26, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  13. ^ "Nick Skorich". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 26, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  14. ^ "AP NFL Coach of the Year Winners". The Washington Post. January 8, 2005. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  15. ^ "Forrest Gregg". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 18, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  16. ^ "Dick Modzelewski". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  17. ^ "Sam Rutigliano". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on November 25, 2010. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  18. ^ "Marty Schottenheimer". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on July 9, 2008. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  19. ^ "Bud Carson". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on September 30, 2010. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  20. ^ "Jim Shofner". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  21. ^ "Bill Belichick". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2010. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  22. ^ "Chris Palmer". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 7, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  23. ^ "Butch Davis". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on November 23, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  24. ^ "Terry Robiskie". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  25. ^ "Romeo Crennel". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  26. ^ "Eric Mangini". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on August 15, 2010. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
  27. ^ "Pat Shurmur's Coaching Record". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  28. ^ "AP Source: Browns Hire Rob Chudzinski as New Coach". abcnews.go.com. AP. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  29. ^ "Mike Pettine Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on February 24, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  30. ^ Cabot, Mary Kay (January 13, 2016). "Hue Jackson hired as Cleveland Browns' 8th head coach since 1999". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  31. ^ Laine, Jenna (October 29, 2018). "Browns fire head coach Hue Jackson, offensive coordinator Todd Haley". ESPN. espn.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2018. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  32. ^ Patra, Kevin (January 9, 2019). "Browns promote Freddie Kitchens to head coach". NFL. nfl.com. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  33. ^ Gordon, Grant (January 12, 2020). "Browns hire Kevin Stefanski as next head coach". NFL. nfl.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  34. ^ "Kevin Stefanski Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2024.

References

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