Cleveland Browns: Frank Ryan, the unsung hero
By Randy Gurzi
NFL Mocks released their greatest unsung hero in the history of all 32 NFL franchises and quarterback Frank Ryan made the cut for the Cleveland Browns
There are a lot of players from the Cleveland Browns storied history that get a lot of attention. Names like Otto Graham, Jim Brown, Paul Warfield and Lou Groza all often come to mind. These are the heroes who fans admire for their team’s winning history.
According to Erik Lambert of NFL Mocks, there’s an unsung hero who is often forgotten. That man is quarterback Frank Ryan, who played for the team from 1962 through 1968 and helped them win a championship in 1964.
While Lambert admits it was still Jim Brown’s team during this era, he also credits Ryan for helping the Browns defeat Johnny Unitas and the Baltimore Colts:
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"“Brown did have 114 yards on the day but it was Ryan who broke the game open, throwing three touchdown passes. Baltimore failed to respond in a 27-0 defeat. In the end, it wasn’t Brown who brought home the bacon. It was Ryan.” — Lambert, NFL Mocks"
Ryan was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Rams out of Rice in 1958. He was dealt to Cleveland in 1962 as a backup, but found himself in the starting lineup shortly after. He then led them to three-straight seasons with 10 wins and was 52-22-2 as a starter in his seven seasons with the Browns.
His best season came in 1966 when he had 2,974 yards passing with 29 touchdowns compared to 14 interceptions. That was his third-consecutive Pro Bowl season as well, which began in that championship year of 1964 when Ryan had an NFL-best 25 touchdown passes for Cleveland.
The veteran quarterback was released following the 1968 season after he battled shoulder injuries for a couple year.
He was signed as a backup to the Washington Redskins by the legendary Vince Lombardi. He would throw just five passes his final two seasons with Washington.
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Lambert is correct that Ryan is one of the greatest unsung heroes in the history of this storied franchise.