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Cleveland Browns: 15 greatest moments in team history

By Randy Gurzi

14 Nov 1999: Dylan McCutcheon #33of the Cleveland Browns celebrates with teammate Earl Little #20 during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Browns defeated the Steelers 16-15. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport
14 Nov 1999: Dylan McCutcheon #33of the Cleveland Browns celebrates with teammate Earl Little #20 during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Browns defeated the Steelers 16-15. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport /
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Brian Sipe Cleveland Browns
SAN DIEGO – SEPTEMBER 25: Quarterback Brian Sipe #17 of the Cleveland Browns throws a pass under the protection of offensive tackle Cody Risien #63 during a game against the San Diego Chargers at Jack Murphy on September 25, 1983 in San Diego, California. The Browns won 30-24 in overtime. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images) /

Greatest moments in Cleveland Browns history: 9. The Kardiac Kids of 1980

Looking at the overall record of the Cleveland Browns in 1980, you would think they had a rather dominant year. They finished with a mark of 11-5 and had the NFL MVP under center in Brian Sipe. The 31-year-old Sipe had the best season of his career as he was good on 60.8 percent of his passing attempts. Sipe also set the record for most touchdown passes in a season for the Browns with 30, and yardage with 4,132.

To date, he’s also the only Cleveland quarterback to ever top the 4,000-yard mark. Thanks to the emergence of Baker Mayfield under center, that could change shortly, but entering 2019 Sipe is the only one to do so in the orange and brown.

Even with his accolades and the overall record, the 1980 season was anything but easy for the Browns. Head coach Sam Rutigliano was leading the team for his third season, but easily aged by about a decade thanks to the close finishes this team was involved in. Nine of the 11 wins for Cleveland came by one touchdown or less, and they excelled at the comeback win — which led to the nickname of ‘Kardiac Kids’.

Week 7 was one of those wins that started things off as Sipe hit a touchdown to Dave Logan with less than 20 seconds to play for a five-point win over the Green Bay Packers. One-score wins followed in Week 8, 9, 10, and 15  as they knocked off the Steelers, Bears, Steelers again,  Oilers, and Vikings in those respective games. They then won their division with a last-minute field goal over their in-state rivals — the Cincinnati Bengals.

Sadly, the season ended on one of the more painful plays in Cleveland history as Sipe threw an interception in their playoff loss to the Oakland Raiders. That play went down as the infamous ‘Red Right 88’ and cost the Browns one of their best chances at ever winning a Super Bowl.

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