1990 Cleveland Browns season

The 1990 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 41st season with the National Football League.

1990 Cleveland Browns season
Owner	Art Modell
Head coach	Bud Carson (fired on November 5, 2-7 record) Jim Shofner (interim; 1-6 record)
Offensive coordinator	Jim Shofner
Defensive coordinator	Jim Vechiarella
Home stadium	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Results
Record	3–13
Division place	4th AFC Central
Playoffs	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	DT Michael Dean Perry LB Mike Johnson
← 1989 Browns seasons 1991 →

The season was the second for head coach Bud Carson, but the Browns started the season 2–7. They failed to approach their 9–6–1 record from 1989, finishing 3–13 and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1984. Carson was fired one day after a Week Nine shutout loss to the eventual AFC Champion Buffalo Bills. He was replaced by former Browns quarterback Jim Shofner, who finished the season with only one additional win.

The 1990 Browns surrendered 462 points, the largest number scored against any NFL team during the 1990s.^[1] Their -234 point differential is the third-worst figure for any 1990s NFL season and even worse than the 1999 Browns expansion team.^[2]

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1990 NFL draft

1990 Cleveland Browns draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
2	45	Leroy Hoard *	Running back	Michigan
3	73	Anthony Pleasant	Defensive end	Tennessee State
4	101	Harlon Barnett	Safety	Michigan State
5	129	Rob Burnett *	Defensive end	Syracuse
6	157	Randy Hilliard	Cornerback	Northwestern State
7	178	Scott Galbraith	Tight end	Southern California
8	212	Jock Jones	Linebacker	Virginia Tech
9	240	Eugene Rowell	Wide receiver	Southern Miss
10	268	Michael Wallace	Defensive back	Jackson State
11	296	Clemente Gordon	Quarterback	Grambling State
12	323	Kerry Simien	Wide receiver	Texas A&M–Kingsville
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[3]

Personnel

1990 Cleveland Browns staff

Front office Owner and president – Art Modell Executive vice-president of football operations – Ernie Accorsi Director of pro personnel – Michael Lombardi Head coaches Head coach – Bud Carson Assistant head coach/Offensive Line – Dan Radakovich Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Jim Shofner Quarterbacks – Zeke Bratkowski Run coordinator/running backs – George Sefcik Receivers – Richard Mann Pass coordinator/tight ends – Lionel Taylor

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/linebackers – Jim Vechiarella Defensive line – John Teerlinck Secondary – Mike Faulkiner Special teams coaches Special Teams Coordinator – Paul Lanham Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Stan Jones

^[4]

Roster

1990 Cleveland Browns roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 13 Jeff Francis 19 Bernie Kosar 10 Mike Pagel Running backs (RB) 27 Derrick Gainer 33 Leroy Hoard 34 Kevin Mack FB 21 Eric Metcalf KR Wide receivers (WR) 86 Brian Brennan PR 80 Vernon Joines 88 Reggie Langhorne 83 Eugene Rowell 84 Webster Slaughter Tight ends (TE) 81 Scott Galbraith 82 Ozzie Newsome 87 John Talley

Offensive linemen (OL) 61 Mike Baab C 74 Paul Farren T 69 Dan Fike G 66 Tony Jones T 73 Gregg Rakoczy G 77 Ken Reeves T 65 Ralph Tamm G Defensive linemen (DL) 97 Robert Banks DE 94 Bob Buczkowski DE 90 Rob Burnett DE 71 Tom Gibson DT 92 Michael Dean Perry DT 98 Anthony Pleasant DE

Linebackers (LB) 58 Marcus Cotton OLB 56 David Grayson OLB 51 Eddie Johnson MLB 59 Mike Johnson MLB 55 Jock Jones 57 Clay Matthews OLB 50 Van Waiters OLB Defensive backs (DB) 37 Harlon Barnett FS 24 Anthony Blaylock CB 36 Stephen Braggs CB 26 Raymond Clayborn CB 30 Thane Gash FS 23 Mark Harper CB 39 Randy Hilliard CB 31 Frank Minnifield CB 22 Felix Wright SS Special teams (ST)  2 Jerry Kauric K 67 Mike Morris LS 15 Bryan Wagner P

Practice squad -- Shawn Bouwens G 28 Tyrone Shavers WR 47 active, 12 inactive, 2 practice squad Reserve 60 Al Baker DE 68 Ted Banker G (IR) 12 Jeff Graham QB (IR) 62 Ben Jefferson G (IR) 95 Marlon Jones DE (IR) 40 Kyle Kramer S (IR) 42 Tim Manoa FB (IR) 89 Mike Oliphant RB (IR) 75 Chris Pike DT (IR) 72 Kevin Robbins T (IR) 85 Lawyer Tillman TE (IR) 91 Rhondy Weston DE (IR) Rookies in italics

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 9	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 13–3	1–0	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	78,298
2	September 16	at New York Jets	L 21–24	1–1	Giants Stadium	67,354
3	September 23	San Diego Chargers	L 14–24	1–2	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	77,429
4	September 30	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 0–34	1–3	Arrowhead Stadium	75,462
5	October 8	at Denver Broncos	W 30–29	2–3	Mile High Stadium	74,814
6	October 14	at New Orleans Saints	L 20–25	2–4	Louisiana Superdome	68,608
7	October 22	Cincinnati Bengals	L 13–34	2–5	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	78,567
8	October 28	at San Francisco 49ers	L 17–20	2–6	Candlestick Park	63,672
9	November 4	Buffalo Bills	L 0–42	2–7	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	78,331
10	Bye
11	November 18	Houston Oilers	L 23–35	2–8	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	76,726
12	November 25	Miami Dolphins	L 13–30	2–9	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	70,225
13	December 2	Los Angeles Rams	L 23–38	2–10	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	61,981
14	December 9	at Houston Oilers	L 14–58	2–11	Houston Astrodome	54,469
15	December 16	Atlanta Falcons	W 13–10	3–11	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	46,536
16	December 23	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 0–35	3–12	Three Rivers Stadium	51,665
17	December 30	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 14–21	3–13	Riverfront Stadium	60,041

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

AFC Central
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
(3) Cincinnati Bengals	9	7	0	.563	5–1	8–4	360	352	W2
(6) Houston Oilers	9	7	0	.563	4–2	8–4	405	307	W1
Pittsburgh Steelers	9	7	0	.563	2–4	6–6	292	240	L1
Cleveland Browns	3	13	0	.188	1–5	2–10	228	462	L2

Game summaries

Week 15: vs. Atlanta

Week 15: Atlanta Falcons at Cleveland Browns – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Falcons	0	3	0	7	10
Browns	0	10	3	0	13

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Date: December 16
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 39 °F (4 °C), relative humidity 79%, round (wind) 15 mph (24 km/h), wind chill 30 °F (−1 °C)
• Game attendance: 46,536
• Referee: Dick Hantak
• TV announcers (CBS): Brad Nessler (play–by–play) and Dan Jiggetts (color commentator)

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays Second quarter ATL (6:50) – Davis 30 yard field goal Falcons 3, Browns 0 CLE (13:04) – Mack 5 yard rush (Kauric kick) Browns 7, Falcons 3 CLE (14:58) – Kauric 23 yard field goal Browns 10, Falcons 3 Third quarter CLE (7:02) – Kauric 41 yard field goal Browns 13, Falcons 3 Fourth quarter ATL (15:00) – Dixon 11 yard pass from Millen (Davis kick) Browns 13, Falcons 10 Top passers ATL – Hugh Millen 11/27, 168 yds, 1 TD CLE – Bernie Kosar 22/37, 217 yds, 1 INT Top rushers ATL – Mike Rozier 11 carr, 31 yds CLE – Kevin Mack 13 carr, 80 yds, 1 TD Top receivers ATL – Andre Rison 6 rec, 100 yds CLE – Reggie Langhorne 5 rec, 70 yds Turnovers ATL – 0 CLE – 2

Week 17 at Bengals

Week 17: Cleveland Browns (3–12) at Cincinnati Bengals (8–7)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Browns	0	0	14	0	14
Bengals	0	14	0	7	21

at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

• Date: December 30
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
• Game weather: 52 °F (11 °C)
• Game attendance: 60,041
• Referee: Gene Barth
• Pro-Football-Reference.com, The Football Database

Game information

First quarter No scoring Second quarter CIN – James Francis 17-yard interception return (Jim Breech kick), 7:10. Bengals 7–0. CIN – Rodney Holman 22-yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick), 2:14. Bengals 14–0. Drive: Third quarter CLE – Kevin Mack 2-yard run (Jerry Kauric kick), 13:36. Bengals 14–7. Drive: CLE – Brian Brennan 16-yard pass from Mike Pagel (Jerry Kauric kick), 10:28. Tie 14–14. Drive: Fourth quarter CIN – Eric Ball 48-yard pass from Boomer Esiason (Jim Breech kick), 8:40. Bengals 21–14. Drive: Top passers CLE – Mike Pagel – 14/32, 184 yards, TD, 3 INT CIN – Boomer Esiason – 10/16, 154 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Top rushers CLE – Kevin Mack – 16 rushes, 85 yards, TD CIN – James Brooks – 17 rushes, 84 yards Top receivers CLE – Webster Slaughter – 6 receptions, 115 yards CIN – Eric Ball – 1 reception, 48 yards, TD