1991 Cleveland Browns season

The 1991 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 42nd season with the National Football League. On August 5, Browns founder Paul Brown died at the age of 82.^[1]

1991 Cleveland Browns season
Owner	Art Modell
General manager	Ernie Accorsi
Head coach	Bill Belichick
Defensive coordinator	Nick Saban
Home stadium	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Results
Record	6–10
Division place	3rd AFC Central
Playoffs	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	DT Michael Dean Perry
← 1990 Browns seasons 1992 →

1991 was the first of five seasons in Cleveland for head coach Bill Belichick. Under Belichick, the Browns managed a 6–10 record, while finishing in third place in the AFC Central.

Offseason

NFL draft

Main article: 1991 NFL draft

1991 Cleveland Browns draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	2	Eric Turner *	Safety	UCLA
2	29	Ed King	Guard	Auburn
3	57	James Jones	Defensive tackle	Northern Iowa
4	85	Pio Sagapolutele	Defensive tackle	San Diego State
6	141	Michael Jackson	Wide receiver	Southern Mississippi
8	197	Frank Conover	Defensive tackle	Syracuse
9	225	Raymond Irvin	Defensive back	Central Florida
9	239	Shawn Wiggins	Wide receiver	Wyoming
10	252	Brian Greenfield	Punter	Pittsburgh
11	280	Todd Jones	Offensive tackle	Henderson State
12	308	Elijah Austin	Defensive tackle	North Carolina State
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[2]

Trades Made

• Traded Bob Buczkowski to Seattle Seahawks for 9x16^[3]

Personnel

Staff

1991 Cleveland Browns staff

Front office Owner and president – Art Modell Executive vice-president of football operations – Ernie Accorsi Director of pro personnel – Michael Lombardi Director of college scouting – Dom Anile Head coaches Head coach – Bill Belichick Offensive coaches Quarterbacks – Gary Tranquill Running backs – Steve Crosby Receivers – Richard Mann Offensive line – Hal Hunter Offense assistant – Ernie Adams

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Nick Saban Defensive line – John Mitchell Outside linebackers – Don Blackmon Inside linebackers – Jim Bates Special teams coaches Special teams – Scott O'Brien Coaches' assistant – Phil Savage Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Jerry Simmons

^[4]

Roster

1991 Cleveland Browns roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 19 Bernie Kosar 17 Todd Philcox Running backs (RB) 23 Randy Baldwin 33 Leroy Hoard 34 Kevin Mack FB 20 Joe Morris KR 44 Lee Rouson Wide receivers (WR) 86 Brian Brennan  1 Michael Jackson 83 Tyrone Shavers 84 Webster Slaughter Tight ends (TE) 81 Scott Galbraith 48 Brian Kinchen LS

Offensive linemen (OL) 61 Mike Baab C 74 Paul Farren T 69 Dan Fike T 66 Tony Jones T 68 Ed King G 70 John Rienstra G 67 Chris Thome C 65 Rick Trumbull T Defensive linemen (DL) 90 Rob Burnett 96 James Jones DT 97 Ernie Logan DT 92 Michael Dean Perry DT 98 Anthony Pleasant DE 75 Pio Sagapolutele DE 91 John Thornton DT

Linebackers (LB) 58 David Brandon OLB 52 Richard Brown MLB 99 Johnie Cooks OLB 53 Cedric Figaro MLB 59 Mike Johnson MLB 57 Clay Matthews OLB 50 Van Waiters OLB Defensive backs (DB) 37 Harlon Barnett SS 42 Latin Berry CB 36 Stephen Braggs CB 38 Odie Harris SS 39 Randy Hilliard CB 41 Alfred Jackson CB 43 Joe King FS 31 Frank Minnifield CB 22 Vince Newsome FS 29 Eric Turner FS Special teams (ST) 11 Brian Hansen P  3 Matt Stover K

Practice squad 56 Lonnie Brockman LB -- Newt Harrell G 43 Archie Herring RB -- Pete Lucas T 35 Charlie Oliver S 47 active, 19 inactive, 5 practice squad Reserve 71 Leonard Burton C (IR) 26 Raymond Clayborn CB (IR) 94 Frank Conover DT (IR) 27 Derrick Douglas RB (IR) 13 Jeff Francis QB (IR) 30 Thane Gash S (PUP)  8 Brian Greenfield P (IR) 23 Mark Harper CB (IR) -- Ray Irvin CB (IR) 40 Lynn James WR (IR) 88 Reggie Langhorne WR (IR) 49 Bruce McGonnigal TE (IR) 21 Eric Metcalf (IR) 89 Mike Oliphant WR (IR) 80 Danny Peebles (IR) 87 John Talley TE (IR) 85 Lawyer Tillman TE (PUP) 93 Mike Wise DE (IR) 78 Rob Woods T (IR) Rookies in italics

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	August 5	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 10–23	0–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	64,753
2	August 10	New York Giants	W 16–10	1–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	54,445
3	August 16	at Washington Redskins	W 24–21 (OT)	2–1	RFK Stadium	51,137
4	August 23	at Minnesota Vikings	L 7–31	2–2	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	45,925

^[5]

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance
1	September 1	Dallas Cowboys	L 14–26	0–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	78,860
2	September 8	at New England Patriots	W 20–0	1–1	Sullivan Stadium	35,377
3	September 15	Cincinnati Bengals	W 14–13	2–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	78,269
4	September 22	at New York Giants	L 10–13	2–2	Giants Stadium	75,891
5	Bye
6	October 6	New York Jets	L 14–17	2–3	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	71,042
7	October 13	at Washington Redskins	L 17–42	2–4	RFK Stadium	54,715
8	October 20	at San Diego Chargers	W 30–24	3–4	Jack Murphy Stadium	48,440
9	October 27	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 17–14	4–4	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	78,285
10	November 3	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 21–23	4–5	Riverfront Stadium	55,077
11	November 10	Philadelphia Eagles	L 30–32	4–6	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	72,086
12	November 17	at Houston Oilers	L 24–28	4–7	Houston Astrodome	58,155
13	November 24	Kansas City Chiefs	W 20–15	5–7	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	63,991
14	December 1	at Indianapolis Colts	W 31–0	6–7	Hoosier Dome	57,539
15	December 8	Denver Broncos	L 7–17	6–8	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	73,539
16	December 15	Houston Oilers	L 14–17	6–9	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	55,680
17	December 22	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 10–17	6–10	Three Rivers Stadium	47,070
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

AFC Central
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
(3) Houston Oilers	11	5	0	.688	5–1	10–2	386	251	L1
Pittsburgh Steelers	7	9	0	.438	4–2	7–5	292	344	W2
Cleveland Browns	6	10	0	.375	2–4	6–6	293	298	L3
Cincinnati Bengals	3	13	0	.188	1–5	2–10	263	435	W1

Season summary

Week 17 at Steelers

Week Seventeen: Cleveland Browns (6–9) at Pittsburgh Steelers (6–9)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Browns	0	3	0	7	10
Steelers	3	0	7	7	17

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Date: December 22
• Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
• Game weather: Sunny, 39 °F (4 °C)
• Game attendance: 47,070
• Referee: Pat Haggerty
• TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy
• Box Score, Box Score

Game information

First quarter PIT – Gary Anderson 34-yard field goal, 0:59. Steelers 3–0. Second quarter CLE – Matt Stover 19-yard field goal, 6:18. Tie 3–3. Third quarter PIT – Dwight Stone 65-yard pass from Bubby Brister (Gary Anderson kick), 0:16. Steelers 10–3. Fourth quarter PIT – Richard Shelton 57-yard interception return (Gary Anderson kick), 9:28. Steelers 17–3. CLE – Michael Jackson 27-yard pass from Bernie Kosar (Matt Stover kick), 6:56. Steelers 17–10. Top passers CLE – Bernie Kosar – 28/49, 335 yards, TD, 3 INT PIT – Bubby Brister – 7/26, 113 yards, TD Top rushers CLE – Joe Morris – 12 rushes, 26 yards PIT – Tim Worley – 16 rushes, 84 yards Top receivers CLE – Webster Slaughter – 11 receptions, 138 yards PIT – Dwight Stone – 3 receptions, 76 yards, TD