In honor of the 27th anniversary of the Cleveland Browns firing head coach Bill Belichick on February 15, 1996, it seems like a good time to review the top five crazy decisions made by the Browns.
There are many to choose from so it was hard to narrow down the list to just five.
Here they are, in no particular order.
1. Fired Bill Belichick
Browns fans lament that this is one of the worst decisions ever made by the franchise.
27 years ago today Art Modell and the Baltimore Ravens fired Bill Belichick.
After that, Belichick won an NFL record 6 Super Bowls. pic.twitter.com/OJQABNsunn
— Hard Rock Sportsbook (@HardRockSB) February 15, 2023
Firing Belichick was done in conjunction with moving the team from Cleveland to Baltimore to establish the Baltimore Ravens franchise.
Art Modell was the owner and mastermind behind all of this.
For reasons that go even beyond these, Browns fans collectively exhale every time Modell is denied consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Every time Art Modell is denied the Hall of Fame is #Browns fans '72 #Dolphins moment and means it's time to pop the champagne.
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) August 25, 2022
Regarding Belichick, he landed on his feet just fine and won six Super Bowls.
The Browns have yet to play in the Super Bowl, let alone win one.
2. Drafted Johnny Manziel
Johnny Manziel was the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, and the Browns scooped him up with the top overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
On this day ten years ago, Johnny Manziel had his Heisman moment as Texas A&M went into Tuscaloosa and upset No. 1 Alabama 🏈pic.twitter.com/GnVf8HPjGd
— 247Sports (@247Sports) November 10, 2022
His tremendous college career did not transcend to the NFL, and he was released by the Browns on March 11, 2016, after an NFL career that more closely emulated a soap opera.
Since parting ways with the Browns, Manziel has played in the Canadian Football League, the Alliance of American Football, and most recently for Fan Controlled Football.
3. Hired Hue Jackson
Hue Jackson was the Cleveland Browns’ head coach for 2 1/2 seasons from 2016-2018.
He was fired on October 29, 2018, with a record of 3-36-1.
Jackson was the architect behind the Browns’ 0-17 season in 2017.
5 years ago today the @Browns celebrated perfection with their Perfect Season Parade around FirstEnergy Stadium. Coach Hue Jackson was scheduled to be the grand marshal with his impressive 1-31 record, but he was busy preparing for another disastrous campaign in 2018. #Browns pic.twitter.com/SREHSzFLYk
— Johnstone (@JStoneTrivia86) January 6, 2023
In addition to hiring Jackson, Browns fans wonder why it took so long to fire him.
4. Drafted Josh Gordon
Josh Gordon was drafted in the 2012 Supplemental Draft.
Though he is a speedy receiver with great hands and a lot of talent, “Flash” Gordon had so many off-the-field mental, legal, and substance issues that it is impossible to keep track of all of them.
His tenure with the Browns, from 2012-2018, was marked with many suspensions.
Gordon did get himself together enough to win a Super Bowl Championship with Tom Brady in 2019 when the New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams.
He is currently playing in the XFL.
5. Drafted Baker Mayfield
The Browns once again had the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Baker Mayfield was the Heisman Trophy winner and had talent, but the Browns overlooked Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson who were also in that draft class, and made Mayfield their guy.
Mayfield showed flashes of greatness in his four-year Browns career and led the Browns to the playoffs in the 2020 season, but he was not consistent enough.
He was traded to the Panthers in 2022 after the Browns made the high-profile trade to get Deshaun Watson.
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