1999 Cleveland Browns season

The 1999 Cleveland Browns season was the Browns 51st season overall and 47th in the NFL. It marked the return of professional football to the city of Cleveland, Ohio for the first time since the 1995 season, when the franchise was temporarily deactivated following the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy, which ultimately established the Baltimore Ravens. Officially, the Browns are considered a continuation of the previous franchise, as the history and colors of the team remained in Cleveland. The franchise was still alive as a legal entity between 1996–1998 and its assets kept in a trust managed by the NFL until Al Lerner became the owner in 1998. The Browns, however, in 1999 were treated as an "expansion team" by having an expansion draft and receiving the number one overall draft pick.

1999 Cleveland Browns season
Head coach	Chris Palmer
General manager	Dwight Clark
Owner	Al Lerner
Home field	Cleveland Browns Stadium
Local radio	WTAM · WMJI
Results
Record	2–14
Division place	6th AFC Central
Playoff finish	did not qualify

Season information

During the course of the 1995 season, then-Browns owner Art Modell announced his decision to move the Browns to Baltimore. Modell's new team would begin playing in the 1996 season. It would be the first time since 1935 that Cleveland would be left without an existing football team and the first time since 1943 without a team playing, when the Cleveland Rams suspended operation for one year, so the other teams could have enough players during World War II.

However, many Browns fans and Cleveland city officials were determined to keep the team in Cleveland, and orchestrated a grassroots movement to keep the team in Cleveland. The NFL responded by working with city officials, and the two parties came to a unique agreement which would provide the city with a brand-new, state-of-the-art stadium and would promise the return of professional football to Cleveland by the beginning of the 1999 season. Modell also agreed to relinquish the Browns' name, colors and team history to the new owner of the Browns. Modell's new team would begin playing in the 1996 season as the Baltimore Ravens.

While the Browns' new stadium was being built on the site of the old Cleveland Stadium, the foundation of the front office was being set in place. Al Lerner won a bidding war for the new team for $750 million. Lerner hired former San Francisco 49ers front office staffers Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark as the Browns' president and vice president.

Football finally returned to Cleveland on September 12 when the Browns opened the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home; Cleveland native Drew Carey was present and gave a rousing pre-game speech. However, the fans were sorely disappointed as the Browns were defeated by the Steelers 43–0. The team would go on to lose their first seven games, but finally in week 8 of their inaugural season the "New Browns" got their first ever win over the New Orleans Saints. From the Browns' 42-yard line Tim Couch squared up and threw a Hail Mary pass that was tipped in the endzone by Saints defenders but then caught by the Browns' Kevin Johnson. The dramatic game-winning touchdown play happened in the last two seconds of the game, causing the final score to be 21–16. Two weeks later, the Browns defeated the Steelers in Pittsburgh, 16–15, for their second and final win of the year.

The Browns finished the season 2–14—sixth in the AFC Central. It was, at the time, the worst record that the Browns had ever compiled at the end of a season. Since then, the Browns finished with worse records in 2016 and 2017. The Browns did not win a home game throughout the season.

Draft

1999 NFL Draft

Draft order		Player name	Position	College
Round	Pick
1	1	Tim Couch	Quarterback	Kentucky
2	32	Kevin Johnson	Wide receiver	Syracuse
	45	Rahim Abdullah	Linebacker	Clemson
3	62	Daylon McCutcheon	Cornerback	USC
	78	Marquis Smith	Defensive back	California
4	124	Wali Rainer	Linebacker	Virginia
5	148	Darrin Chiaverini	Wide Receiver	Colorado
6	174	Marcus Spriggs	Defensive tackle	Troy State
	187	Kendall Ogle	Linebacker	Maryland
	191	James Dearth	Tight end	Tarleton State
7	207	Madre Hill	Running back	Arkansas

Expansion Draft

Players selected from other teams in the Cleveland Expansion Draft, in order of selection.[1]

1. C Jim Pyne, Detroit

2. DE Hurvin McCormack, Dallas

3. T Scott Rehberg, New England

4. WR Damon Gibson, Cincinnati

5. C Steve Gordon, San Francisco

6. LB Tarek Saleh, Carolina

7. G Jeff Buckey, Miami

8. LS Jason Kyle, Seattle

9. DE Rod Manuel, Pittsburgh

10. LB Lenoy Jones, Tennessee

11. CB Tim McTyer, Philadelphia

12. LB Elijah Alexander, Indianapolis

13. T Pete Swanson, Kansas City

14. S Gerome Williams, San Diego

15. S Marlon Forbes, Chicago

16. WR Justin Armour, Denver

17. T Paul Wiggins, Washington

18. S Duane Butler, Minnesota

19. WR Fred Brock, Arizona

20. CB Kory Blackwell, N.Y. Giants

21. CB Kevin Devine, Jacksonville

22. CB Ray Jackson, Buffalo

23. G Jim Bundren, N.Y. Jets

24. G Ben Cavil, Baltimore

25. RB Michael Blair, Green Bay

26. DT Antonio Anderson, Dallas

27. G Orlando Bobo, Minnesota

28. LB James Williams, San Francisco

29. QB Scott Milanovich, Tampa Bay

30. S Eric Stokes, Seattle

31. RB Ronald Moore, Miami

32. RB Clarence Williams, Buffalo

33. WR Freddie Solomon, Philadelphia

34. S Brandon Sanders, N.Y. Giants

35. DT Mike Thompson, Cincinnati

36. RB Jerris McPhail, Detroit

37. CB Antonio Langham, San Francisco

Personnel

Staff

1999 Cleveland Browns staff

	Front office Owner and Chairman – Alfred Lerner President and Chief Executive Officer – Carmen Policy Executive Vice President/Director of Football Operations – Dwight Clark Executive Director of Player Personnel – Joe Collins Director of College Personnel – Phil Neri Director of Pro Personnel – Keith Kidd Head coaches Head Coach – Chris Palmer Offensive coaches Quarterbacks – John Hufnagel Running Backs – Dick Portee Wide Receivers – Jerry Butler Tight Ends – Ray Perkins Offensive Line – Bob Palcic Offensive Quality Control – Tony Sparano			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Bob Slowik Defensive Line – Clarence Brooks Linebackers – Keith Butler Defensive Backs – Jerry Holmes Defensive Quality Control – Billy Davis Special teams coaches Special Teams – Ken Whisenhunt Special Teams Quality Control – Mark Michaels Strength and conditioning Strength – Tim Jorgensen Assistant Strength – Aril Smith

Final roster

1999 Cleveland Browns final roster

	Quarterbacks  2 Tim Couch 11 Ty Detmer 10 Jamie Martin Running backs 27 Karim Abdul-Jabbar 44 Marc Edwards FB 34 Madre Hill 42 Terry Kirby 29 Rashaan Salaam 25 Sedrick Shaw Wide receivers 84 Darrin Chiaverini 87 Zola Davis 85 Kevin Johnson 80 Ronnie Powell 86 Leslie Shepherd Tight ends 83 Mark Campbell 88 James Dearth 89 Randy Palmer 82 Irv Smith		Offensive linemen 76 Lomas Brown T 77 Orlando Brown Sr. T 65 Jim Bundren G 69 Roger Chanoine T 71 Jim Pyne G/C 79 Scott Rehberg T 68 Chris Ruhman T 64 Dave Wohlabaugh C 75 Steve Zahursky G/T Defensive linemen 94 Derrick Alexander DE 93 Stalin Colinet DE/DT 62 Bill Duff DT 73 Darius Holland DT 67 John Jurkovic DT 97 Ryan Kuehl DT/LS 99 Hurvin McCormack DE 98 Arnold Miller DE 78 Tyrone Rogers DE 91 Marcus Spriggs DT 96 Mike Thompson DT		Linebackers 55 Rahim Abdullah 51 Lenoy Jones 95 Jamir Miller 59 Kendall Ogle 58 Wali Rainer 40 Tarek Saleh 53 John Thierry DE Defensive backs 39 Marlon Forbes FS 24 Corey Fuller CB 31 Raymond Jackson SS 38 Antonio Langham CB 20 Earl Little SS 33 Daylon McCutcheon CB 47 Ryan McNeil CB 23 Marquez Pope SS 21 Marquis Smith CB Special teams  4 Phil Dawson K 17 Chris Gardocki P		Reserve lists 22 Tim McTyer DB (IR) 54 Chris Spielman ILB (IR) Practice squad Rookies in italics active, inactive, practice squad

Preseason

Hall of Fame Game

• Cleveland Browns 20, Dallas Cowboys 17 (Overtime)[2]

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game site	NFL.com recap
1	September 12	Pittsburgh Steelers	L 0–43	0–1	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Recap
2	September 19	at Tennessee Titans	L 9–26	0–2	Adelphia Coliseum	Recap
3	September 26	at Baltimore Ravens	L 10–17	0–3	PSINet Stadium	Recap
4	October 3	New England Patriots	L 7–19	0–4	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Recap
5	October 10	Cincinnati Bengals	L 17–18	0–5	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Recap
6	October 17	at Jacksonville Jaguars	L 7–24	0–6	Alltel Stadium	Recap
7	October 24	at St. Louis Rams	L 3–34	0–7	Trans World Dome	Recap
8	October 31	at New Orleans Saints	W 21–16	1–7	Louisiana Superdome	Recap
9	November 7	Baltimore Ravens	L 9–41	1–8	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Recap
10	November 14	at Pittsburgh Steelers	W 16–15	2–8	Three Rivers Stadium	Recap
11	November 21	Carolina Panthers	L 17–31	2–9	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Recap
12	November 28	Tennessee Titans	L 21–33	2–10	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Recap
13	December 5	at San Diego Chargers	L 10–23	2–11	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
14	December 12	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 28–44	2–12	Cinergy Field	Recap
15	December 19	Jacksonville Jaguars	L 14–24	2–13	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Recap
16	December 26	Indianapolis Colts	L 28–29	2–14	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Recap
17	Bye

Season summary

Week 1 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

See also: 1999 Pittsburgh Steelers season

Week 1: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns

	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	13	6	17	43
Browns	0	0	0	0	0

at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Date: September 12, 1999
• Game time: 8:26 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Overcast, 80 °F (27 °C)
• Game attendance: 73,138
• TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann, Paul Maguire, and Solomon Wilcots

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Top passers PIT – Kordell Stewart – 15/23, 173 yards, TD CLE – Ty Detmer – 6/13, 52 yards, INT Top rushers PIT – Jerome Bettis – 18 rushes, 89 yards CLE – Terry Kirby – 5 rushes, 10 yards Top receivers PIT – Richard Huntley – 5 receptions, 67 yards, 2 TD CLE – Leslie Shepherd – 2 receptions, 32 yards

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
^(1) Jacksonville Jaguars	14	2	0	.875	396	217	W1
^(4) Tennessee Titans	13	3	0	.813	392	324	W4
Baltimore Ravens	8	8	0	.500	324	277	L1
Pittsburgh Steelers	6	10	0	.375	317	320	L1
Cincinnati Bengals	4	12	0	.250	283	460	L2
Cleveland Browns	2	14	0	.125	217	437	L6

[3]

References

1. 1999 Cleveland Expansion Draft
2. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 978-0-7611-2480-1, p. 369
3. NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN 978-0-7611-2480-1

• "History: Cleveland Browns Draft History: 1990s". Cleveland Browns official Web site. Archived from the original on 2006-10-21. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
• "Team Histories – Baltimore Ravens". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Archived from the original on 16 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
• "Team Histories – Cleveland Browns". Pro Football Hall of Fame official Web site. Archived from the original on 13 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-13.
• "Cleveland Browns (1946–1995; 1999–Present)". Sports E-Cyclopedia. Archived from the original on 2 May 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-13.