1995 Cleveland Browns season

1995 Cleveland Browns season
Head coach	Bill Belichick
Owner	Art Modell
Home field	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Results
Record	5–11
Division place	4th AFC Central
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1995 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 50th season overall and 46th in the National Football League. After finishing 11-5 in 1994 under head coach Bill Belichick and winning a playoff game for the first time since 1989, the Browns were favored by many to reach Cleveland's first ever Super Bowl. The Browns started by winning three of their first four games, but lost three straight in the middle of the season and finished the first half of the season at 4-4.

A week after the Browns recorded their fourth win, owner Art Modell announced that he was moving the franchise to Baltimore. Stunned by this news, the team collapsed and only won one of their remaining eight games and Belichick was fired. As part of the agreement to allow Modell to move, the city of Cleveland was allowed to keep the Browns name, the team's history from 1946 onward, and everything else associated with the Browns while the franchise itself, which later became known as the Ravens, would be transferred to Baltimore and start from scratch as an expansion team would. The NFL also agreed that Cleveland would receive a new franchise once a stadium was built for it, and in 1999 the Browns were reactivated.

The team was documented in NFL Network's A Football Life.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1995 NFL draft

1995 Cleveland Browns draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	30	Craig Powell	Linebacker	Ohio State
3	84	Eric Zeier	Quarterback	Georgia
3	94	Mike Frederick	Defensive end	Virginia
5	136	Tau Pupua	Defensive tackle	Weber State
5	147	Mike Miller	Wide receiver	Notre Dame
7	231	A. C. Tellison	Wide receiver	Miami (FL)
Made roster

Draft Trades Made

• Traded Eric Metcalf and 1x26 to Atlanta Falcons for pick 1x10
• Traded 1x10 to San Francisco 49ers for 1x30, 3x94, 4x119, and 1996 1st Rounder.
• Traded 4th Round pick to Jacksonville Jaguars for 5x136 and 1996 6th Rounder.
• Traded 4x119 to Philadelphia Eagles for 5x147 and 1996 5th Rounder.
• Traded 7th Round pick to New England Patriots for 7x231.

Personnel

Staff

1995 Cleveland Browns staff
	Front office Owner and President – Art Modell Director of Player Personnel – Michael Lombardi Director of Pro Personnel – Ozzie Newsome Head coaches Head Coach – Bill Belichick Offensive coaches Offensive Coordinator – Steve Crosby Receivers – Mike Sheppard Tight Ends/Assistant Offensive Line – Pat Hill Offensive Line – Kirk Ferentz Special Assignment – Ernie Adams Offensive Assistant – John Settle			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Rick Venturi Defensive Line – Jacob Burney Linebackers – Chuck Bresnahan Secondary – Jim Bates Special teams coaches Special Teams – Scott O'Brien Strength and conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Jerry Simmons

Regular season

Schedule

The Browns' record was 4–5 on November 6, the day that owner Art Modell announced the team would be moving to Baltimore, Maryland for the 1996 season. Cleveland ended the season losing six of their final seven games.

The Browns became the first NFL team to be swept by an expansion team, losing twice to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance	TV Time
1	September 3, 1995	at New England Patriots	L 17–14	60,126	NBC 1:00ET
2	September 10, 1995	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 14–7	61,083	FOX 1:00ET
3	September 17, 1995	at Houston Oilers	W 14–7	36,077	NBC 1:00ET
4	September 24, 1995	Kansas City Chiefs	W 35–17	74,280	NBC 4:05ET
5	October 2, 1995	Buffalo Bills	L 22–19	76,211	ABC 9:00ET
6	October 8, 1995	at Detroit Lions	L 38–20	74,171	NBC 4:05ET
7	October 22, 1995	Jacksonville Jaguars	L 23–15	64,405	NBC 1:00ET
8	October 29, 1995	at Cincinnati Bengals	W 29–26	58,639	NBC 1:00ET
9	November 5, 1995	Houston Oilers	L 37–10	57,881	NBC 1:00ET
10	November 13, 1995	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 20–3	58,675	ABC 9:00ET
11	November 19, 1995	Green Bay Packers	L 31–20	55,388	FOX 1:00ET
12	November 26, 1995	Pittsburgh Steelers	L 20–17	67,269	NBC 1:00ET
13	December 3, 1995	at San Diego Chargers	L 31–13	56,358	NBC 4:05ET
14	December 9, 1995	at Minnesota Vikings	L 27–11	47,984	NBC 12:30ET
15	December 17, 1995	Cincinnati Bengals	W 26–10	55,875	NBC 1:00ET
16	December 24, 1995	at Jacksonville Jaguars	L 24–21	66,007	NBC 1:00ET

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
(2) Pittsburgh Steelers	11	5	0	.688	407	327	L1
Cincinnati Bengals	7	9	0	.438	349	374	W1
Houston Oilers	7	9	0	.438	348	324	W2
Cleveland Browns	5	11	0	.313	289	356	L1
Jacksonville Jaguars	4	12	0	.250	275	404	W1

Roster

Cleveland Browns roster
Quarterbacks Vinny Testaverde Running Backs Wide Receivers Tight Ends		Offensive Linemen Defensive Linemen		Linebackers Defensive Backs Special Teams		Reserve Lists Currently vacant

Relocation to Baltimore

Main article: Cleveland Browns relocation controversy

Modell announced on November 6, 1995, that he had signed a deal to relocate the Browns to Baltimore in 1996—a move which would return the NFL to Baltimore for the first time since the Colts relocated to Indianapolis after the 1983 season. The very next day, on November 7, 1995, Cleveland voters overwhelmingly approved an issue that had been placed on the ballot at Modell's request, before he made his decision to move the franchise, which provided $175 million in tax dollars to refurbish the outmoded and declining Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Modell's plan was later scrapped and taxpayers ultimately paid close to $300 million to demolish the old stadium and construct a new stadium for the 1999 Expansion Browns on the site of Municipal Stadium.