5 Cleveland Browns quarterbacks who were not as bad as we thought
Tim Couch led the Browns to the playoffs in year four
Tim Couch led the Browns to the playoffs in year four of their return as an expansion team, but was injured and unable to throw at the NFL after the 2002 season. Leading an expansion team to the playoffs in their fourth year was not easy, and Couch surpassed all reasonable expectations up to 2002.
What failed was his throwing shoulder. His offensive coordinator, Bruce Arians — you know him, the same Bruce Arians that coached Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccanneers to the Super Bowl this year — had this to say when asked who the most misunderstood player was that he ever coached as quoted by Peter King in Sports Illustrated in 2014:
"“Tim Couch. Hell of a player. Tim was no bust. It kills me when people call him a bust. His arm was just so torn up he couldn’t play anymore. He would have been a real good one.”"
People should listen to the likes of Bruce Arians.
After leading the NFL in sacks with 56, then getting injured in 2000 and following up with another 50 sack season, Couch was pretty good in his fourth season.
It’s not like the Browns were mega-talented on offense, with the main targets being Kevin Johnson and Quincy Morgan, who had both been second round draft picks. William Green, was the tailback and provided 3.7 yards per carry an 887 rushing yards. Tim Couch proved he was capable by getting the team into the playoffs, with help from backup Kelly Holcomb.
Couch was never able to throw effectively after that year, however. We are not exactly sure when the injury happened, but we do know that eventually Couch was forced to have surgery to repair a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff. Those are two very serious shoulder injuries, either one which is considered career-threatening. Couch just really did not throw as well in 2003 as he had been able to throw a year earlier.
Couch tried to play through the injuries, but the shoulder got worse. At the time, it might not have been obvious how bad it was until the surgeon opens him up and takes a look inside. Hence, the spin on it was that career backup Kelly Holcomb was emerging as a legit NFL starter and displacing Couch. After the 2004 season, Couch went under the knife for a torn labrum and a torn rotator cuff. He would never recover his former ability.
Ridiculing a player who gets injured is despicable, particularly a quarterback who had great success but lost it after suffering a major injury to his throwing shoulder. Particularly a player who leads the NFL in sacks behind an expansion team’s offensive line.
Trivia fact: The number of offensive linemen drafted by the Browns in 1999: Zero.
The Browns did sign free agents Dave Wohlabaugh and Roman Oben, but they stopped at two linemen. In 2000, they finally drafted another one in the sixth round. In 2001, they drafted a lineman in the seventh round. No wonder they gave up so many sacks. What were the Browns thinking? If you are going to draft the franchise quarterback, you have to have the offensive line immediately. There may be other team needs, but the quarterback has to be protected. Or if you cannot protect him, then the coach has to be forbidden to let the kid see the field.
Writers and fans who want to blame Couch for the weak expansion years of 1999, 2000, and 2001 are out of their mind. Does anyone believe that the Browns were a playoff team with the exception of the quarterback position?
However, the Browns were guilty of placing massive over-expectations on their quarterback from the get go. Their brain trust, led by Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark, two ex-49ers, had in mind that they were going to find the next Joe Montana. Why they thought it was okay to let him get smashed to bits is hard to fathom.
Letting your quarterback take 50 sacks a season and then blaming him for being a bust when he gets injured is utterly without logic or merit. Fire the general manager and the coach. But do not blame the quarterback.