Dawg Pound Daily
FanSided

Cleveland Browns: 1950 the best year in franchise history?

By Steven Kubitza

Sep 21, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns helmet on the field before a game against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 21, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns helmet on the field before a game against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Schwane-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Were the 1950 Cleveland Browns the best team in franchise history?

The Cleveland Browns have not won a playoff game since the 1994 season, but the franchise was one of the best in the NFL when the league was still in its infancy.

The Browns joined the NFL in 1950 after four seasons in the All-America Football Conference, winning all four of the AAFC’s championships before the league folded in 1949.

The Browns didn’t skip a beat after joining the NFL in 1950, finishing the year with a victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL Championship Game.

The championship was the first of four for the Browns, but this initial one may have been the most impressive.

A video from FanSided went so far to claim that is was not only the best team in franchise history, but one of the greatest in NFL history.

The claim is bold as it is hard to compare eras in professional football, or sports in general, due to the distinct differences in the game as time has gone on.

The NFL only had 13 teams in 1950, making it a bit easier to reach the championship game. This doesn’t diminish the 1950 title for the Browns, but calling them the greatest team in franchise history, and one of the best in NFL history, may be too bold of a claim.

The team was certainly one of the greatest of its era, but comparing them to the 1986 or 1987 Browns is just not logical. Otto Graham and Bernie Kosar played different styles of football in leagues that would be unrecognizable if the two were to switch places.

Regardless, a team winning the championship during its first season in a new league is impressive, and deserves to be recognized. It is just a shame the best team in franchise history, whether that be a team from the 1950s or the 1980s, played so long ago.

Browns fans are now hoping Hue Jackson can lead this franchise in a championship direction the same way Paul Brown did all those years ago.

Next: Which new receivers makes the greatest impact?

Who do you think is the best team in franchise history?

Home/Browns News