Mount Rushmore of most hated figures in Cleveland Browns history

The Cleveland Browns have a long history that dates all the way back to 1946 when they were still a part of the now-defunct All-American Football Conference. Following four years of dominance in this league, they joined the NFL when the AAFC folded.

They continued to perform well for several years in the early days of the NFL, but haven’t been as fortunate recently. Even with the struggles since 1999, there have been plenty of players and coaches that fans have loved to root for.

However, there have also been several hated figures in Cleveland’s history. Here we look at the top four with our Mount Rushmore of hated Cleveland Browns figures.

4. Braylon Edwards: Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver

There was a time when Braylon Edwards was a beloved member of this franchise. A former first-round pick, he had a remarkable season in 2007 when Cleveland finished with a record of 10-6. They were unable to make it to the postseason that year but the winning record was a welcome sight for a fan base that celebrated only one other winning campaign since the 1999 return before this.

Edwards had 80 receptions for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he went in the wrong direction after that and when fans grew frustrated, he snapped back. Edwards ignored the fact that his production fell off the face of the earth and instead claimed the fans hated him because he played for Michigan.

While it’s true that many Cleveland fans are also Ohio State fans, they’ve still shown love for Michigan players when they perform well — just ask Donovan Peoples-Jones. Edwards continued to chirp when he was sent to the Jets, and tried to talk trash upon his return to Cleveland, telling fans to bring their “damn popcorn.”

As if all this wasn’t enough, Edwards even punched a friend of LeBron James back when people in Cleveland still liked LeBron.

3. Hue Jackson: Former Cleveland Browns head coach

When Hue Jackson was hired in 2016, there were some high expectations. He had spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals and he had a lot of success in this role.

He did have some experience as a head coach, going 8-8 with the Oakland Raiders back in 2011. That tenure ended with Jackson throwing absolutely everyone he could under the bus after missing the playoffs — while ignoring the fact that he gave up way too much for Carson Palmer.

Cleveland believed Jackson learned from his time in Oakland but it was clear he didn’t.

He spent two and a half seasons with the Browns, although he never should have come back for those final eight games. After going 1-31 in two seasons, Jackson should have been replaced. Instead, they paired him with a general manager and offensive coordinator he didn’t want to work with in John Dorsey and Todd Haley.

Predictably, things went south in a hurry, and Jackson — as well as Haley — was fired at midseason. The team instantly improved but he continued to blame everyone not named Hue Jackson for his own demise.

In all, Jackson was 3-36-1 with the Browns but still gave them some memorable moments. He famously told Baker Mayfield he “won” a backup job, jumped in Lake Erie for going 0-16, and told his bosses to get out of his office after being fired.

2. Johnny Manziel: Former Cleveland Browns quarterback

In 2014, Cleveland had two of the worst Round 1 selections possible. First, they traded up for Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert at No. 8. He lasted just two seasons with the Browns before being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a mere sixth-round pick. Gilbert was there for one season and that was it for his NFL career.

As bad as that selection was, it paled in comparison to their second pick in that round. At No. 22 overall, the Browns added Johnny Manziel from Texas A&M. Johnny “Football” was supposed to bring a little swagger to the offense but instead, he brought drama and dysfunction.

There were reports that Manziel showed up to practice drunk, which shouldn’t be too surprising after seeing him act like a real-life Billy Madison for much of his time in the spotlight.

Whether it was using wads of cash as a cell phone or riding an inflatable swan while drinking, Manziel cared about partying ‚— not footballing.

With his lack of commitment, it didn’t take long for Manziel to lose the respect of his teammates. And for those who might have tried to look past his antics, they were turned off by his poor play.

In two seasons, Manziel went 2-6 as a starter while completing just 57 percent of his throws. He was done by 2015 and never sniffed an NFL field again. He did get to play a little in the CFL and is currently in the Fan Controlled League, which is quite the fall from grace.

1. Art Modell: Former Cleveland Browns owner

No Mount Rushmore of hated Cleveland Browns figures would be complete without adding Art Modell, one of the most despised men in Northeast Ohio.

Modell purchased the franchise in 1961 for $4 million and quickly frustrated fans. He had a rift with head coach Paul Brown and wound up firing him. And firing a guy who the team is named after rarely gets positive reviews.

Brown then headed to Cincinnati and helped found the Bengals — as a way to stick it to his former boss.

Of course, that was many years ago and eventually, Modell started to gain some respect as Cleveland began to build a competitive team again. But that all went out the window when he moved the team to Baltimore, where they became the Ravens.

In time, the NFL would return the franchise to Cleveland but this came after a lawsuit where the city sued Modell and his franchise. They wound up settling, which kept the history in the city and they were back in 1999 — although they were now a rebuilding team. Baltimore, on the other hand, won a Super Bowl in 2000 and 2012. As for the Browns, they have still never been to the Super Bowl.

Modell sold the Ravens in 2004 and passed away in 2012 at the age of 87. Even with more than a decade gone since he left this earth, there are still those in Cleveland that shudder at the mention of his name.

Not to mention, the Ravens and Bengals both wouldn’t exist if it had not been for Modell.

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