Top 10 all-time best Cleveland Browns players since ’99

No. 8 all-time Cleveland Browns player since 1999 – Tim Couch, QB

Tim Couch was the first quarterback that the Browns drafted when they came back in 1999. He didn’t register the most wins or have the best stats but he did enough and was respected for the hard work he put into trying to gain respectability for his franchise.

Many now suggest that Couch could have had a longer and more productive career if he was taken care of more in those early years. Couch was often hurt, tackled, sacked, and running for his life because the Browns didn’t invest enough in an offensive line that would protect their team’s quarterback.

For his career, his stats weren’t overly impressive, but he played in Cleveland for five seasons which is a much longer Cleveland quarterback life than so many that came after him. He ended up having a 22-37 record. He threw for 11,131 yards 64 touchdowns and 67 interceptions. He did help his 2002 team make a run to the playoffs as he was 8-6 that year but suffered another injury that sidelined him for the playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Despite not winning a lot of games he still had several highlights in his career that will be remembered fondly by fans. In the inaugural 1999 season, he led a brilliant comeback as he threw a “Hail Mary” pass that caught for a touchdown as they stunned the New Orleans Saints 21-16.

He went on to have 11 game-winning drives in his career. In another terrific comeback in 2002, Couch led his Browns back from being down 28-14 in a game against the Tennessee Titans to win in overtime 31-28.

Through it all Couch did a lot to help this new franchise get off the ground. He was a gritty player and will be looked at kindly by Browns historians.