As legendary broadcaster Chris Berman would say, let us be the first (or the 99th) to wish you a Happy Halloween this Saturday. The Cleveland Browns are the NFL's premier orange team (the Bengals wish), and as such, October feels like a time the Browns should routinely dominate.
We're going to be taking a journey through the Browns' history in October and on Halloween itself, covering ghosts, monsters, and nightmares along the way. There's no turning back now, so buckle in and enjoy the ride.
In recent years, it feels as though the franchise has been providing a lot more tricks than treats when it comes to, you know, winning games. Thankfully, it appears as though the Browns got their head coaching hire right. Todd Monken — the AFC North's grim reaper — has the Browns at 5-2 and atop the division in what is the spookiest NFL storyline this season.
The Browns' Halloween history has all kinds of twists and turns
The Cleveland Browns and their relationship with October
As a franchise with a distinguished history, the Browns have played 321 games in the month of October, going 175-144-2 during that span. Their 0.548 win-loss percentage ranks seventh in the NFL. In those contests, they average 21.6 points per game, which ranks 11th. For some reason, that success doesn't quite extend to Halloween.
Cleveland has taken the field on the Day of the Dead seven times, going 3-4. Who could forget the terrifying 24-14 victory in 1954 over the New York Giants, or the heartbreaking 27-17 defeat in 1965 at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings? In all seriousness, the Browns' best Halloween memory simply has to be their 1999 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
As a quick refresher, 1999 was the reincarnated Browns' first season back in the NFL. They were struggling mightily at 0-7 when they traveled down to ghostly Louisiana for a matchup against the 1–5 Saints.
With just 21 seconds left in the game, Saints kicker Doug Brien knocked a 46-yard field goal through the uprights, giving New Orleans a two-point lead. The Browns started their drive at their own 25-yard line with 15 seconds remaining. An incompletion followed by a 19-yard completion from quarterback Tim Couch to wide receiver Leslie Shepherd set Cleveland up at their own 44-yard line in range for a Hail Mary attempt.
On that afternoon, the Browns' prayer was answered. Couch found wide receiver Kevin Johnson for a 56-yard touchdown with zeros on the clock. The Browns had their first win since their rebirth, and fans will never forget it.
Browns players who were born to terrorize (or doomed to fail)
The Browns have had three players born on Halloween who played in an official game for them. There are a few close calls that deserve mention as well. It's not certain if these players' Cleveland careers are proof that curses are real, but the evidence is nonetheless compelling.
October 30th birthdays: cornerback Ben Davis ('67–'73), linebacker Anthony Denman ('01), quarterback Ty Detmer ('99)
October 31st birthdays: linebacker B.J. Bello ('17), wide receiver Jordan Leslie ('17), offensive lineman Ross Verba ('01–'04)
November 1st birthdays: running back Henry Ford ('55)
Ben Davis was a legitimate force for the Browns in the late 60s and early 70s. In 1968, he was named a Second-Team All-Pro after racking up eight interceptions. He was a reliable starter for much of his tenure, and he is certainly the outlier of the group.
Ross Verba was a starter for some decent Browns teams, at least. Detmer is probably most notable for being the bridge quarterback the Browns expected to ride into the Tim Couch era. Never mind the fact that, in his first start of the season — the first of the new era — Cleveland lost 43-0 to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. He was benched after going 6-for-13 for 52 yards and an interception.
Needless to say, the Browns haven't brought in a player with a birthday in this range in nearly 10 years. Perhaps that's deliberate.
Cleveland Browns monster performances
Despite the way many talk about the franchise after struggling in modern times, the Browns are genuinely one of the most legendary franchises in NFL history. Not many franchises can claim they had one of the greatest passers, rushers, receivers, and pass rushers ever. Quarterback Otto Graham, running backs Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly, wide receiver Dante "Gluefingers" Lavelli, and EDGE rusher Myles Garrett are just the cream of the crop.
Standouts of Browns' past, including 1980 NFL MVP quarterback Brian Sipe, wide receivers Amari Cooper and Josh Gordon, do-it-all man Eric Metcalf, and cornerback Frank Minnifield, have put together monstrous performances that made history.
Below, you'll find several Browns single-game franchise records. In these games, these players weren't just scary; they were inevitable.
Most Passing Yards in a Game:
1. Jameis Winston (497) – 12/2/2024 vs. Denver Broncos
2. Josh McCown (457) – 10/11/2015 vs. Baltimore Ravens
3. Brian Sipe (444) – 10/25/1981 vs. Baltimore Colts
Most Passing TDs in a Game:
1. Otto Graham (6) – 10/14/1949 vs. Los Angeles Dons
T-2. Derek Anderson, Kelly Holcomb, Baker Mayfield, Bill Nelson, Frank Ryan, Brian Sipe (5)
Most Rushing Yards in a Game:
1. Jerome Harrison (286) – 12/20/2009 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
T-2. Jim Brown (237) – 11/24/1957 vs. Los Angeles Rams
T-2. Jim Brown (237) – 11/19/1961 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Most Rushing TDs in a Game:
1. Jim Brown (5) – 11/1/1959 vs. Baltimore Colts
T-2. Jim Brown, Dub Jones, Leroy Kelly, Jamal Lewis (4)
Most Receiving Yards in a Game:
1. Amari Cooper (265) – 12/24/2023 vs. Houston Texans
2. Josh Gordon (261) – 12/1/2013 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Josh Gordon (237) – 11/24/2013 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Most Receiving TDs in a Game:
1. Dante Lavelli (4) – 10/14/1949 vs. Los Angeles Dons
T-2. Pete Brewster, Jordan Cameron, Gary Collins, Braylon Edwards, Steve Heiden, Calvin Hill, Edgar Jones, Dante Lavelli, Eric Metcalf, Larry Poole, Ray Renfro, Reggie Rucker, Mac Speedie (3)
Most Interceptions in a Game:
T-1. Ron Bolton, Tom Colella, Hanford Dixon, Ross Fichtner, Bobby Franklin, Anthony Henry (twice), Tommy James (twice), Frank Minnifield, Stevon Moore, Bernie Parrish (3)
Most Sacks in a Game:
1. Myles Garrett (5.0) – 10/26/2025 vs. New England Patriots
2. Myles Garrett (4.5) – 9/26/2021 vs. Chicago Bears
T-3. Andra Davis, Myles Garrett (4.0)
One of the beauties of the Browns franchise is the random nooks and crannies from which some of their most incredible performances emerged. Jameis Winston's near-500-yard day came in a double-digit loss, largely due to the fact that he threw three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. After the game, Winston said he was "praying for the Lord to deliver [him] from pick-sixes." You can't make that up.
Then there's the fact that Jim Brown holds two of the highest single-game rushing totals in team history. He's a Hall of Famer; it makes sense. But Jerome Harrison went ballistic and ran for nearly 300 yards, despite the fact that he didn't even reach 1,700 career rushing yards. Sometimes it's just your day, I guess.
For me, though, my mind can't comprehend the level Josh Gordon was on in 2013. For Gordon to set a record against the Steelers of all teams and then break it the next week by more than 20 yards defies conventional wisdom. Did the Jaguars miss the last memo — that this guy was kind of, like, a problem?
It doesn't even matter that the Browns lost the game. Gordon will forever have an ownership stake in the Jacksonville Jaguars franchise for that. The biggest "what if?" player in Browns history will unfortunately leave us wondering for the rest of time what might have been if he hadn't gotten into trouble.
In any case, the Browns dodged a Halloween assignment this year by virtue of the calendar. While you're out trick-or-treating, the Browns will be in a hotel game planning to secure a win in Pittsburgh for the first time in over 20 years.
Here's to hoping they bring some spooky energy with them and sweep the stinky towel wavers in their home stadium.
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