The Greatest Teams: 1964 Cleveland Browns

We dig deep in the record books to find the best Cleveland Browns team. The Browns franchise has long been the definition of mediocrity in the NFL (apart from the Detroit Lions), with their playoff appearances being mostly one-and-done affairs. However, the Browns of the late 1940s through early 1960s were dominant and commanded much respect as a club. Originally we had trouble making a selection, so we'd like to give honorable mentions to the 1946, 1948, and 1955 Browns.

The 1964 Browns were a talented team, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Frank Ryan led the squad, consisting of stellar rookies like runningback Leroy Kelly and split end Paul Warfield. Perennial Hall of Fame guard Gene Hickerson controlled the right side of the offensive line, with All-Pro tackle Dick Schafrath anchoring the left. Of course, the backfield was the main story about this team, which included halfback Ernie Green and fullback Jim Brown. Brown, one of the greatest runningbacks of all time, rushed for more than 1400 yards that season and scored a combined 9 touchdowns. The Browns vaulted to 3rd in the league in rushing offense, right behind the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. Overall, the Browns scored 415 points on the season, second in the league to the powerhouse Baltimore Colts.

The Browns defense was respectable enough, keeping the Browns in games but not providing overall dominance on the field. On special teams, Hall of Fame kicker Lou Groza continued his consistency as a kicker in the league, going 22 of 33 on field goals and a perfect 49 of 49 on extra points.

The Browns managed to get to a 10-3-1 season, earning a spot against the Baltimore Colts in the league's championship game. The Colts had gone 12-2, with a star-studded squad of quarterback Johnny Unitas, runningback Lenny Moore, split end Raymond Berry, tight end John Mackey, guard Jim Parker, defensive end Gino Marchetti, cornerback Bobby Boyd, and coach Don Shula. Surprisingly, this team was shut out by the Browns 27-0 on December 27, 1964 in the league championship. Browns wideout Gary Collins caught three Frank Ryan touchdown passes in a game that only began to get interesting in the 3rd quarter. The victory sealed the validity of the 1964 Cleveland Browns as NFL Champions, a title that would remain as the most recent championship to be brought back to the city of Cleveland in nearly 50 years.