1976 Cleveland Browns season

The 1976 Cleveland Browns season was the franchise's 31st as a professional sports franchise and their 27th season as a member of the National Football League. The Browns were coached by second-year coach Forrest Gregg, and ended their season with a record of 9–5, being third in their division. The team's top draft choice was running back Mike Pruitt.

1976 Cleveland Browns season
Owner	Art Modell
Head coach	Forrest Gregg
Home stadium	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Results
Record	9–5
Division place	3rd AFC Central
Playoffs	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	RB Greg Pruitt DT Jerry Sherk
← 1975 Browns seasons 1977 →

Brian Sipe firmly took control at quarterback. Sipe had been inserted into the lineup after a Mike Phipps injury in the season-opening win against the New York Jets on September 12. After a 1–3 start brought visions of another disastrous year, the Browns jolted the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers with an 18–16 victory on October 10. Third-string quarterback Dave Mays helped lead the team to that victory, while defensive end Joe "Turkey" Jones' pile-driving sack of quarterback Terry Bradshaw fueled the heated rivalry between the two teams. That win was the first of eight in the next nine weeks, helping put the Browns in contention for the AFC playoffs. A loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the regular-season finale cost them a share of the division title, but running back Greg Pruitt continued his outstanding play by rushing for exactly 1,000 yards, his second-straight 1,000-yard season.

Offseason

1976 expansion draft

Main article: 1976 NFL expansion draft

Cleveland Browns selected during the expansion draft

Round	Overall	Name	Position	Expansion team
0	0	Carl Barisich	Defensive tackle	Seattle Seahawks
0	0	John Demarie	Guard	Seattle Seahawks
0	0	J. K. McKay	Wide receiver	Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL draft

The following were selected in the 1976 NFL draft.

1976 Cleveland Browns draft

Round	Selection	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	7	Mike Pruitt	Running back	Purdue
3	65	Dave Logan	Wide receiver	Colorado
4	97	Gene Swick	Quarterback	Toledo
4	99	Mike St. Clair	Defensive end	Grambling
5	130	Henry Sheppard	Guard	SMU
7	189	Steve Cassidy	Defensive tackle	LSU
9	242	James Reed	Running back	Mississippi
9	261	Craig Nagel	Quarterback	Purdue
10	271	Doug Kleber	Offensive tackle	Illinois
11	297	Doug Celek	Defensive end	Kent State
13	354	Brian Murray	Offensive tackle	Arizona
14	381	Joe Smalzer	Tight end	Illinois
15	408	Luther Philyaw	Defensive back	Loyola Marymount
16	438	Chris Lorenzen	Defensive tackle	Arizona State
17	464	Tom Fleming	Wide receiver	Dartmouth

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Staff / Coaches

1976 Cleveland Browns staff

Front office Owner and president – Art Modell Executive vice president/general manager – Harold Sauerbrai Head coaches Head coaches – Forrest Gregg Offensive coaches Running backs – George Sefcik Wide receivers – Raymond Berry Offensive line – Rod Humenuik

Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator - Dick Modzelewski Linebackers – Walt Corey Secondary / defensive backs – Billy Kinard Special teams coaches Special teams – Al Tabor Film Coordinator - Ed Ulinski Athletic Trainer - Leo Murphy

Roster

1976 Cleveland Browns roster
Quarterbacks 10 Dave Mays 15 Mike Phipps 17 Brian Sipe Running backs 30 Cleo Miller 34 Greg Pruitt 35 Brian Duncan 38 Larry Poole 43 Mike Pruitt Wide receivers 26 Billy Lefear (IR) 33 Reggie Rucker 42 Paul Warfield 83 Ricky Feacher 85 Dave Logan 88 Steve Holden Tight ends 81 Oscar Roan 84 Gary Parris		Offensive linemen 54 Tom DeLeone C 61 Al Dennis G 63 Barry Darrow T 65 Henry Sheppard G/T 67 Chuck Hutchison G (IR) 68 Robert Jackson G 69 Pete Adams G 73 Doug Dieken T 79 Gerry Sullivan T/C Defensive linemen 64 Joe Jones DE 66 Earl Edwards DT 70 Mack Mitchell DE 71 Walter Johnson DT 72 Jerry Sherk DT 74 Mike St. Clair DE		Linebackers 50 John Garlington OLB 52 Dick Ambrose ILB 55 Dave Graf ILB 59 Charlie Hall OLB 60 Bob Babich ILB 86 Gerald Irons OLB Defensive backs 20 Tony Peters CB 22 Clarence Scott CB 23 Bill Craven FS 24 Terry Brown SS 27 Thom Darden FS 28 Ron Bolton CB 49 Neal Craig SS Special teams 12 Don Cockroft K/P rookies in italics

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Exhibition schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	July 31	vs. Baltimore Colts	L 0–21	0–1	Memorial Stadium (Lincoln)	20,304	Recap
2	August 7	vs. Atlanta Falcons	W 31–7	1–1	Lewis Field	24,227	Recap
3	August 16	Minnesota Vikings	W 31–7	2–1	Cleveland Stadium	44,336	Recap
4	August 23	at Philadelphia Eagles	W 21–17	3–1	Veterans Stadium	20,600	Recap
5	August 30	New England Patriots	W 30–27	4–1	Cleveland Stadium	36,016	Recap
6	September 3	at Buffalo Bills	L 10–28	4–2	Rich Stadium	37,951	Recap

Regular season schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	September 12	New York Jets	W 38–17	1–0	Cleveland Stadium	67,496	Recap
2	September 19	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 14–31	1–1	Three Rivers Stadium	49,169	Recap
3	September 26	at Denver Broncos	L 13–44	1–2	Mile High Stadium	62,775	Recap
4	October 3	Cincinnati Bengals	L 24–45	1–3	Cleveland Stadium	75,817	Recap
5	October 10	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 18–16	2–3	Cleveland Stadium	76,411	Recap
6	October 17	at Atlanta Falcons	W 20–17	3–3	Atlanta Stadium	33,364	Recap
7	October 24	San Diego Chargers	W 21–17	4–3	Cleveland Stadium	60,018	Recap
8	October 31	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 6–21	4–4	Riverfront Stadium	54,776	Recap
9	November 7	at Houston Oilers	W 21–7	5–4	Astrodome	39,828	Recap
10	November 14	Philadelphia Eagles	W 24–3	6–4	Cleveland Stadium	62,120	Recap
11	November 21	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 24–7	7–4	Tampa Stadium	36,930	Recap
12	November 28	Miami Dolphins	W 17–13	8–4	Cleveland Stadium	74,715	Recap
13	December 5	Houston Oilers	W 13–10	9–4	Cleveland Stadium	56,025	Recap
14	December 12	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 14–39	9–5	Arrowhead Stadium	34,340	Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

AFC Central
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Pittsburgh Steelers(3)	10	4	0	.714	5–1	9–3	342	138	W9
Cincinnati Bengals	10	4	0	.714	4–2	8–4	335	210	W1
Cleveland Browns	9	5	0	.643	3–3	7–5	267	287	L1
Houston Oilers	5	9	0	.357	0–6	3–9	222	273	L2

Game summaries

Week 5 vs Steelers

Week Five: Pittsburgh Steelers (1–3) at Cleveland Browns (1–3)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Steelers	7	3	0	6	16
Browns	3	3	9	3	18

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Date: October 10, 1976
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 48 °F (9 °C)
• Game attendance: 76,411
• Referee: Bernie Ulman
• TV: NBC
• Pro-Football-Reference.com

Game information

First quarter CLE – Don Cockroft 43-yard field goal. Browns 3–0. Drive: PIT – Franco Harris 1-yard run (Roy Gerela kick). Steelers 7–3. Drive: Second quarter CLE – Don Cockroft 28-yard field goal. Steelers 7–6. Drive: PIT – Roy Gerela 30-yard field goal. Steelers 10–6. Drive: Third quarter CLE – Cleo Miller 1-yard run (kick failed). Browns 12–10. Drive: CLE – Don Cockroft 50-yard field goal. Browns 15–10. Drive: Fourth quarter CLE – Don Cockroft 40-yard field goal. Browns 18–10. Drive: PIT – Mike Kruczek 22-yard run (kick blocked). Browns 18–16. Drive: Top passers PIT – Terry Bradshaw – 10/18, 75 yards, INT CLE – Brian Sipe – 4/14, 80 yards Top rushers PIT – Franco Harris – 13 rushes, 39 yards, TD CLE – Greg Pruitt – 22 rushes, 76 yards Top receivers PIT – Lynn Swann – 3 receptions, 74 yards CLE – Reggie Rucker – 3 receptions, 77 yards

Turkey Jones knocked out Terry Bradshaw in this contest.

Week 6: at Atlanta

Week 6: Cleveland Browns at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Browns	14	0	6	0	20
Falcons	0	14	3	0	17

at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta

• Date: October 17
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C), relative humidity 78%, round (wind) 11 mph (18 km/h)
• Game attendance: 33,364
• TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph (play–by–play) and Floyd Little (color commentator)

Game information

First quarter CLE – Pruitt 1 yard rush (Cockroft kick) Browns 7, Falcons 0 CLE – Miller 1 yard rush (Cockroft kick) Browns 14, Falcons 0 Second quarter ATL – Bean 23 yard rush (Mike-Mayer kick) Browns 14, Falcons 7 ATL – Gilliam 18 yard pass from McQuilken (Mike-Mayer kick) Browns 14, Falcons 14 Third quarter ATL – Mike-Mayer 33 yard field goal Falcons 17, Browns 14 CLE – Pruitt 2 yard rush (run failed) Browns 20, Falcons 17 Fourth quarter No scoring plays Top passers CLE – Brian Sipe 12/18, 134 yds, 2 INT ATL – Kim McQuilken 15/28, 180 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT Top rushers CLE – Greg Pruitt 26 carr, 191 yds, 2 TD ATL – Bubba Bean 14 carr, 54 yds, 1 TD Top receivers CLE – Paul Warfield 4 rec, 69 yds ATL – Alfred Jenkins 6 rec, 74 yds Turnovers CLE – 3 ATL – 1