Watson enters the last year of his five year $230 million fully guaranteed contract with the Browns. Needless to say, the deal hasn’t exactly gone the way the Browns and their fans (including myself) have hoped. Watson was traded to the Browns in March of 2022 from the Texans. The Texans received a baffling THREE first round picks (all of which they flipped for talented players including CJ Stroud and Will Anderson Jr). In return, the Browns got Watson who garnered a 9-10 record, 3,365 total yards, 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a completion percentage of 61%. Watson missed multiple games each season, including all of 2025. Not to mention, Watson carried a horrific reputation with him due to his laundry list of sexual assault allegations. Needless to say, this has been the worst trade in NFL history. It cost Kevin Stefanski his job, wasted Nick Chubb’s prime, costed Myles Garrett his mental health, and set the Browns back at least five years. Will Watson finally put it all together and save his reputation? Or will he go down as an all time “what if” and man who had one of the worst falloffs in NFL history?
On May 8th, 2014, the Cleveland Browns traded up four spots to select Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel with the 22nd overall pick. The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner was the 2nd quarterback drafted in that year’s class, after UCF’s Blake Bortles stayed in Florida, being selected 3rd overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was a highly touted prospect, but many cited his off-field issues as a reason to pass on him. "I don't like his antics,” former head coach Barry Switzer said of Manziel. “I think he's an arrogant little prick. I've said that and I'll say it again." While Manziel was waiting to get drafted, he texted then-Browns quarterbacks coach Dowell Loggains that he wanted to "wreck the league" in Cleveland. Loggains showed that text to head coach Mike Pettine, leading to the decision to trade up for Manziel. Manziel appeared in 14 games for the Browns over two seasons, throwing for 1675 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. His work ethic was called into question by over 20 Browns sources, and Manziel made more headlines off the field than on it. These headlines, just with the Browns, include: - Being fined $12000 by the NFL for flipping the bird in a preseason loss to the Washington Redskins - Entered a treatment program - Threw a water bottle at a heckler during a golf tournament (and unsurprisingly missed) - Being pulled over for fighting in his car with his girlfriend, and admitting to having had alcohol earlier that same day - Partied in Texas during the Browns’ 2015 bye week - Rumored to have been in Las Vegas for the final game of the season, with the Browns confirming he missed a check-in on the morning of that game - Being dropped by his marketing agency - The Dallas Police Department opening a criminal investigation with a claim of domestic violence against his now ex-girlfriend - Dropped by his agent The Browns released Johnny Manziel on March 11th, 2016. By the end of April, Manziel was dropped by a second agent, lost his sponsorship with Nike, and was indicted by a Dallas grand jury on misdemeanor assault charges for the domestic violence incident.
The Cleveland Browns represent Northeast Ohio in the AFC North, playing at Huntington Bank Field (Cleveland Browns Stadium) on the shores of Lake Erie. The Browns embody Cleveland's blue-collar identity—tough, loyal, and resilient—with a fanbase that has endured more than its share of heartbreak without abandoning the team. The Dawg Pound, the stadium's famously raucous section, creates one of the NFL's most intimidating home environments when the team is competitive. Cleveland's orange and brown colors and classic uniforms connect the franchise to its storied past despite the complex history of the 1996 relocation. The Browns continue their pursuit of the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.
Founded in 1946 in the All-America Football Conference, the original Browns dominated professional football, winning four AAFC titles and four NFL championships including the 1964 title before the Super Bowl era. Paul Brown's innovations—from the facemask to film study to the modern offense—revolutionized the sport and made Cleveland a football powerhouse. The 1996 relocation to Baltimore devastated the city, which fought to keep the Browns name, colors, and history, resulting in a 1999 expansion team that inherited that legacy. Jim Brown remains one of football's greatest players, and the franchise's championship tradition—though predating the Super Bowl—is deeply cherished. Cleveland's unwavering loyalty through decades of struggle has made the Browns one of sports' most devoted fanbases.
Source: Claude