BEREA, Ohio -- For the second time in a year, Jason Pinkston is grateful to be alive after what he felt was a near brush with death.

Last year, it was a life-threatening blood clot in one of the Browns guard's lungs that caused him to miss the final 10 games of the season. This time, it was the Browns' team plane landing at Cleveland Hopkins Airport Sunday night in winds so fierce that all commercial flights had been grounded.

"It was terrifying,'' Pinkston told cleveland.com. "It was the real thing. The weather was so bad. We were coming in to land and (the pilot) had to go kind of fast to balance it out and we came down and we hit on two wheels. The (left) wing was literally three feet from hitting the ground.

"We're actually pretty lucky to be alive right now, to be honest. We really escaped one. We got away with one last night.''

The Browns were prepared to bus home from Cincinnati following their 41-20 loss because of the severe weather -- including heavy rains and wind gusts up to 50 mph -- but the team, United Airlines and the airport determined it was safe to make the approximately 45-minute flight home.

"I'm sure the conditions were stressful for our pilots, who did a phenomenal job,'' said team spokesman Zak Gilbert. "It's important to note that neither our team nor United Airlines would've given us clearance to depart if our safety was in jeopardy. The airport also gave us clearance to land."

While the Browns were en route, Cleveland Hopkins halted all commercial flights because of the severe winds and rain. The "ground stop'' was issued at about 6:25 p.m. and lasted until about 8:19 p.m. The Browns landed at about 6:30 p.m., according to Gilbert.

Before landing, the plane dipped from side to side, and just as it was about to touch down, a wind gust forced the left wing sharply toward the ground, according to several players.

"There were a bunch of screams," said Pinkston. "You could hear everyone screaming on the plane. It was pretty real. I screamed, because I was sitting right over (left) wing. My window was open and I saw the whole thing."

Defensive lineman Billy Winn was as scared as Pinkston.

“Billy was shaking like a little girl," kidded Paul Kruger.

Explained Winn: "Holy cow -- I swear the wing was a couple feet from the ground. At the last second it was dead quiet right before the landing. We’re going to land and it got real quiet and I heard this big gust of wind and it went like that (a tilting motion with his hand) and came back and we recovered. We had a great pilot. A fantastic pilot. Bless his heart for getting here safely.”

Gilbert said there were some "whoas" and some sighs of reliefs, but doesn't recall anyone screaming. He confirmed that the plane was off-center when it landed, but said he's experienced worse.

One passenger said it was his worst landing ever, but that overall it wasn't that bad.

"If they said it wasn’t that bad they’re lying to you," said Winn. "It was a little rough."

For Pinkston -- who hates to fly -- it was so bad that he prayed the whole way home.

"I talked to the plane the entire way," he said. "I talked to some family members who have passed away, just to guide us."

When he landed, he rushed home to his baby daughter, Martha Jane.

"I held her for a good 30 minutes, just kissing her, telling her I love her," he said. "That's how scary it was. That's how close it was.

"If that wing would've hit the ground, it would've been a whole different story."

He added, "The people around the team and the coaches, we really realize how fortunate we are that it didn't take a turn for the worse. I tweeted some things, but I don't think people really understand how close it was. You can ask any player that was on the plane, coach, anybody.

"It's not one of those stories that 'oh someone's exaggerating.' There's no exaggeration there. What I said is 100 percent true."

But not everyone was petrified. Coach Rob Chudzinski said he was engrossed in watching film, and Gilbert said he worked on stats up until the landing.

Tight end Jordan Cameron was unfazed.

"Everyone was freaking out,'' he said. "I didn't think it was that bad. There was some turbulence, but it wasn’t too serious. At least I thought so. Some guys were calling their moms after the flight."

Linebacker Brandon Magee was so afraid to fly in the harsh weather that he opted to take the bus home with the equipment guys.

"I wish I would've gotten on the bus," said Pinkston. "I went to the cockpit afterwards. I shook (the pilot's) hand and I thanked both of them, and I think they did a good job, because it was close to rolling over."

Receiver Davone Bess was more in the Pinkston-Winn camp.

"It was pretty bad, but we're here today to talk about it and can thank the man upstairs,'' said Bess.

Snapper Christian Yount added, "I know there were a lot of people who are scared to fly. It was a short ride. I don't think it was a big deal. It was interesting."

Winn used to love to fly in college, but has come to hate it.

"I guess I kind of accepted the reality I’m not invincible anymore," he said. "It kind of got me. … I do my whole ritual, whatever it might be. I tap my leg, tap my foot. … One of the trainers was putting his hands up in the air like it was a roller coaster. I told him 'if you do that next to me, I’ll probably throw you in the aisle.'"

Despite all the turbulence, Winn knew they'd okay.

"One of my friends here is a pilot,'' said Winn. "He was telling me the tests they put those planes through. He said they bend the wings up to try to get them to touch. He said you don’t have to worry about the wings. They’re one of the most durable things you’ll ever see.''

After putting Martha Jane back down, Pinkston stayed up until two or three in the morning, rattled by the experience.

"(It) put things in perspective,'' he said. "You've really got to be thankful for being alive."

Same thing he was saying at this time last year.