Starters per season
The number of regular season games each player started during the season is listed to the right.
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team in Cleveland, Ohio. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division.
Since joining the NFL in 1950, the Browns have had 65 quarterbacks start in at least one game for the team. Pro Football Hall of Famer Otto Graham led the Browns to three NFL championships in their first six seasons in the league.
After resuming play in 1999 following a three-year suspension of operations, the franchise has been notable for its instability at the quarterback position. [1] [2] [3] From 1999 through end of the 2023 season, the team has had 38 players start at quarterback, with only three seasons (2001 with Tim Couch, 2019 and 2020 with Baker Mayfield) where the same quarterback started every game. [1] [4]
The number of regular season games each player started during the season is listed to the right.
Quarterbacks who have started for the Cleveland Browns from the team's first NFL season of 1950 to present. A player is credited with a win if he started the game and the team won that game, no matter if the player was injured or permanently removed after the first play from scrimmage. Only regular season games are included. The Browns' All-America Football Conference games from 1946 to 1949 are not included. The Browns did not field a team from 1996 to 1998.
Sorted by number of starts. Members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in italics and most recent starter in bold.
As of Week 17 of the 2023 NFL season. [5] Completion percentage and passer rating records are for players with at least 1500 pass attempts for the Browns.
These Browns quarterbacks started during the postseason.
| Season(s) | Quarterback(s) |
|---|---|
| 1946 | Otto Graham (1–0) |
| 1947 | Otto Graham (1–0) |
| 1948 | Otto Graham (1–0) |
| 1949 | Otto Graham (2–0) |
| 1950 | Otto Graham (2–0) |
| 1951 | Otto Graham (0–1) |
| 1952 | Otto Graham (0–1) |
| 1953 | Otto Graham (0–1) |
| 1954 | Otto Graham (1–0) |
| 1955 | Otto Graham (1–0) |
| 1957 | Tommy O'Connell (0–1) |
| 1958 | Milt Plum (0–1) |
| 1964 | Frank Ryan (1–0) |
| 1965 | Frank Ryan (0–1) |
| 1967 | Frank Ryan (0–1) |
| 1968 | Bill Nelsen (1–1) |
| 1969 | Bill Nelsen (1–1) |
| 1971 | Bill Nelsen (0–1) |
| 1972 | Mike Phipps (0–1) |
| 1980 | Brian Sipe (0–1) |
| 1982 | Paul McDonald (0–1) |
| 1985 | Bernie Kosar (0–1) |
| 1986 | Bernie Kosar (1–1) |
| 1987 | Bernie Kosar (1–1) |
| 1988 | Don Strock (0–1) |
| 1989 | Bernie Kosar (1–1) |
| 1994 | Vinny Testaverde (1–1) |
| 2002 | Kelly Holcomb (0–1) |
| 2020 | Baker Mayfield (1–1) |
| 2023 | Joe Flacco (0–1) |
These Browns starting quarterbacks have been selected to the Pro Bowl. [6]
| Quarterback | Season(s) selected |
|---|---|
| Otto Graham | 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 |
| Tommy O'Connell | 1957 |
| Milt Plum | 1960, 1961 |
| Frank Ryan | 1964, 1965, 1966 |
| Bill Nelsen | 1969 |
| Brian Sipe | 1980 |
| Bernie Kosar | 1987 |
| Derek Anderson | 2007 |
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