Though the Browns have struggled to find a successful head coach since returning as an expansion franchise in 1999, they had a strong coaching tradition in earlier eras. This article will count down the top five Browns head coaches of all time.
Who Are the Greatest Browns Head Coaches of All Time?
Since 1999, when the Browns returned as an expansion franchise, there has been a revolving door of head coaches. Before this period, however, Cleveland's coaching tradition was far more stable, and there were many successes to be celebrated.
Over the first 29 years of the franchise's existence, only three men coached the team—and over the next 21 years only seven made the play calls. Unfortunately, coaching stability dropped off after that. Since 1999 there have been 11 head coaches in 22 seasons (and a 12th will wear a headset for the 2020 season). Only one coach since 2008 has posted a winning record, but eight have taken the Browns to the postseason—and two have won championships.
A list of the top five head coaches in Browns history follows, as well as a handful of honorable mentions. In addition, you will find a complete list of every head coach in franchise history.
Selection Criteria
With so many coaches who have taken the Browns into the playoffs, there were some tough choices to make regarding this list. The criteria considered include:
- Legacy Honors (Hall of Fame, Ring of Honor, etc.)
- Coaching success (winning percentage, postseason appearances, etc.)
- Longevity (years spent with the Browns)
Only games coached with the Browns are factored into this list, so while Hall of Famer Forrest Gregg was a great player for the Packers and also coached for 11 total seasons, his 18–23 mark over three seasons with the Browns won't make the cut here.
5. Bill Belichick
- Browns Head Coach: 1991–95
- Record: 36–44
- Playoff Appearance: 1994
Bill Belichick had spent several seasons as an assistant coach in the NFL, and he finally got his head coaching break when he was hired by the Browns in 1991.
In 1988 Belichick had interviewed for Cleveland's vacancy when Marty Scottenheimer was fired. He instead stayed with the Giants; he won a Super Bowl in 1990 as their defensive coordinator. Belichick was 38 years old at the time he was hired by the Browns, making him the youngest head coach in the league. However, he didn't take the NFL by storm as some disruptive young coaches have.
Belichick would ultimately face a losing record in four of his five seasons in Cleveland, though he did lead the team to the postseason in 1994. The Browns finished 11–5 that season, and they beat the Patriots in the first round of the playoffs. Despite a losing record in 1995, it was Belichick's understanding that he would follow the Browns to Baltimore when Modell moved the team there for the 1996 season. Instead, he was fired. He's since become one of the greatest head coaches in the history of the NFL and has won six Super Bowls with the Patriots.
Bill Belichick: Browns Coaching Record
4. Sam Rutigliano
- Browns Head Coach: 1978–84
- Record: 47–50
- Playoff Appearances: 1980, '82
- Awards: United Press International NFL Coach of the Year (1979–80)
When the Browns hired Sam Rutigliano, they did something they had never done in the first 31 years of the franchise—hire a head coach from outside the organization. Rutigliano was the sixth coach in the history of the Browns, and he was hired off of the Saints' assistant coaching staff.
It didn't take long for him to become a beloved figure in Cleveland. By 1980 he had the Browns in position to make the postseason. Behind the arm of quarterback Brian Sipe, who was named the NFL's MVP that season, the Browns won their division. But they lost in the first round of the playoffs on the famed Red Right 88 play call.
Cleveland would make the postseason in the strike-shortened 1982 season, but again they faced a first-round exit. The Browns finished at 9–7 in 1983 but missed the playoffs, and the team started to unravel in 1984, scuffling to a 1–7 start. That's when Rutigliano—who also served as vice president of operations for the Browns—was fired and replaced by his defensive coordinator, Marty Schottenheimer.
Sam Rutigliano: Browns Coaching Record
3. Marty Schottenheimer
- Browns Head Coach: 1984–88
- Record: 44–27
- Playoff Appearances: 1985–88
- Awards: United Press International AFC Coach of the Year (1986)
When Marty Schottenheimer was promoted to Browns head coach in the middle of the 1984 season, he inherited a talented team that had limped to a measly 1–7 record over the first eight games. The former defensive coordinator would make the most of his first head coaching job, however, directing the team to a 4–4 finish that season.
After that, he pushed Cleveland to four postseason appearances. Schottenheimer's Browns won three straight division titles from 1985 to '87, and they made the postseason as a wild card in '88. In both 1986 and '87, Cleveland advanced to the conference championship game but lost to the Broncos.
Schottenheimer and Cleveland owner Art Modell mutually agreed to part ways following the 1988 season, despite the talented core Schottenheimer had built still being intact. Schottenheimer wanted to continue serving in a dual role as head coach and offensive coordinator in 1989, while Modell believed the Browns needed a full-time offensive coordinator to get past the best teams in the league. Even though Schottenheimer was criticized throughout 1988 for taking on the extra responsibilities, his stubbornness won out when he decided to amicably move on rather than realign his assistant coaching staff. He would continue on to coach Kansas City, Washington and San Diego, though none of his teams ever made the Super Bowl.
Marty Schottenheimer: Browns Coaching Record
2. Blanton Collier
- Browns Head Coach: 1963–70
- Record: 76-34-2
- Playoff Appearances: 1964–65, 1967–69
Blanton Collier became the second coach in Browns history after Paul Brown was abruptly fired following the 1962 season, and Collier certainly tried to keep pace with the team's established winning tradition. He led the Browns to two NFL championship games; they won the title in 1964, the last championship in franchise history. In that game, the Browns upset the heavily favored Colts 27–0 in one of the greatest games in NFL history.
Collier spent eight seasons under Brown as a backfield coach from 1946 to '53, and then he returned to Cleveland as an assistant in '62 after being relieved of his head coaching duties at the University of Kentucky. Collier's head coaching style was in contrast to Paul Brown, allowing him to quickly earn the respect of his players, despite being quite reserved and soft-spoken.
The Browns appeared in the NFL championship game again in 1965. They advanced to the conference championship game in 1968 and '69, but they weren't able to find victory. Collier finished his career with a 3–4 playoff record. After the 1970 season, he announced his retirement as head coach due to a hearing ailment, but he stayed with Cleveland as a scout and quarterbacks coach. It was said the league lost a true gentleman when he stepped down, paving the way for his offensive coordinator, Nick Skorich, to take over as head coach.
Blanton Collier: Browns Coaching Record
1. Paul Brown
- Browns Head Coach: 1946–62
- Record: 158-48-8
- Playoff Appearances: 1946–55, 1957–58
- Awards: Hall of Fame (1967), Browns Ring of Honor, United Press International NFL Coach of the Year (1957), NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
Under the guidance of Paul Brown, the Browns dominated the short-lived All-America Football Conference (AAFC) from 1946 to '49, and then became one of the most feared teams in the NFL during the 1950s. Brown was also a co-founder of the franchise, and during his 17-year tenure as head coach Cleveland won seven championships, made the postseason 12 times and had just one losing season. The Browns won every championship in the short-lived AAFC and then picked up NFL titles in 1950, '54 and '55. Brown's postseason record as head coach was 9–5.
On top of his on-field success, Brown was also an early innovator of several common practices in today's NFL. He was the first coach to use film to scout opponents and hire a staff of assistant coaches, and he also invented the face mask, the practice squad and the draw play.
Most importantly, however, he played an integral role in breaking football's modern color barrier. In 1946, he signed the two black players in the AAFC—fullback Marion Motley and defensive end Bill Willis. However, Brown didn't make these decisions in an attempt to further civil rights—he just wanted the best football team he could have.
By 1962, new owner Art Modell and Brown had significant disagreements on the direction of the franchise, which led to Brown's firing on Jan. 9, 1963. His firing remains one of the most controversial moments in franchise history, even though many players didn't like Brown's strictness. After several years away from football, he co-founded and coached another Ohio NFL team—the Bengals. He was involved with that franchise until his death in 1991.
Paul Brown: Browns Coaching Record
Honorable Mentions
Several other Browns head coaches have left an indelible mark on franchise history but fell just short of the top five.
Nick Skorich
As the third head coach in franchise history, Nick Skorich led the Browns from 1971 to '74. Cleveland made the playoffs in the first two seasons of Skorich's tenure, but they were unable to win a game—though they nearly upset the undefeated 1972 Dolphins in the first round. Skorich had a hand in drafting several future stars of the Browns, including quarterback Brian Sipe, running back Greg Pruitt and offensive lineman Doug Dieken. His career record was 30-24-2.
Bud Carson
Bud Carson didn't coach the Browns for very long, but in his limited time he accomplished a fair amount. In his only stint as an NFL head coach, Carson led the Browns to a divisional championship in 1989, but the team lost to the Broncos in the conference championship game for the third time in four seasons. Carson was fired midway through the 1990 season; he finished 11-13-1 with the Browns.
Gregg Williams
It's unusual that an interim coach would make a list of a team's best coaches, but given the Browns' performance in recent years, the spark that Gregg Williams ignited in the second half of 2018 was the brightest the franchise had seen in years. Williams took over for the fired Hue Jackson halfway through the season, and he led the Browns the rest of the way to a 5–3 record, which technically made him the only Cleveland coach with a winning career record since the 1980s. The Browns ultimately passed on hiring Williams for the 2019 season—instead picking Freddie Kitchens, who was fired after one season.
How many head coaches have the Browns had?
The Browns have had 22 head coaches since their inception in 1946. A year-by-year list of every coach's record follows.
Who is the current head coach of the Browns?
On Jan. 12, 2020, Cleveland formally announced that Kevin Stefanski had been hired as the 22nd head coach in franchise history.
