The story of the Cleveland Browns through the years has been crammed with many highs and lows, and it’s simple to marvel how only one totally different resolution or play might need fully reshaped the path of the franchise. There are so many strikes, huge and small, that Browns followers naturally bear in mind as franchise-altering.
Let’s revisit a couple of of those ‘what if’ moments that might’ve modified every thing:
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3. What if the Browns drafted Julio Jones as an alternative of buying and selling that choose to the Atlanta Falcons?
In the 2011 NFL Draft, Cleveland held the 6th overall pick — the identical spot the place the Falcons ended up drafting Jones. They obtained a large haul of draft property in return; nevertheless, none of these picks was any impactful gamers. In truth, one of many picks turned out to be quarterback Brandon Weeden who actually struggled throughout his time in Cleveland. It is hard to see the ripple results of that choose when you concentrate on the improbable, Hall of Fame-level profession that Jones had.
2. What if Earnest Byner by no means fumbled in the 1987 AFC Championship Game
Probably probably the most notable and heartbreaking on-field second in Browns historical past was when Earnest Byner misplaced the ball on the 2-yard line in January of 1988 throughout the AFC Championship recreation. Had Byner scored in that second, the sport possible would’ve been tied with a few minute left in the sport. A win that day would’ve led to a Super Bowl look for Cleveland, and the narrative in regards to the Browns would’ve been perpetually modified.
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1. What if the Browns by no means moved to Baltimore in 1995?
Perhaps the largest ‘what if’ situation of all of them got here when the workforce was relocated to Baltimore. Since the Browns’ return to Cleveland in 1999, they’ve struggled to seek out constant success, and it’s simple to marvel if that might have been the case had the workforce by no means left in the primary place. Bill Belichick could have stayed on as the top coach of the Browns, and the workforce would’ve had a completely totally different basis and magnificence.
Let me know what you assume in the feedback – What are another of the largest ‘what if’ situations that might’ve modified every thing for the Browns?