Cleveland Browns: 30 greatest players in franchise history

Greatest players in Cleveland Browns history: 19. Hanford Dixon

Another early pick that worked in the Browns favor was Southern Mississippi’s Hanford Dixon. He played his entire career in Cleveland, which covered the 1981 season through 1989. During that time he made the Pro Bowl every year from 1986-1988 and was an All-Pro in 1987 and 1988.

Part of a talented secondary that included Frank Minnifield, Dixon is credited for starting the ‘Dawg Pound’ section in Browns stadium. The feisty corner used to bark at teammates and it would get the fans fired up. Of course, once he got the reaction, it only led to more gamesmanship out of Dixon.

Dixon is in the top-10 for all time picks in a Browns’ uniform and it could have been higher had opposing quarterbacks tested him more often. He was so talented and had such a reputation for making a play on the ball that teams usually just stayed away from his side of the field.

A true shut-down corner, Dixon is still a presence in Ohio as a broadcaster for not only Cleveland Browns football, but he’s also been seen calling high school games on Fox Sports Ohio.

Dixon also was a coach for the Cleveland Crush — now the Toledo Crush — of the Lingerie Football League.