CLEVELAND, Ohio – Welcome to Cleveland, rookies! That’s what I usually say when I begin this annual Cleveland Browns 101 course.

This year is a bit different. I’m not sure when you will actually arrive in Cleveland, so let’s call this distance learning.

You no doubt have a lot on your minds. You have to acclimate yourself to the NFL without physically being in an NFL facility or around other players. There are plays to remember and Zoom calls to navigate.

There is also a franchise to learn about.

You’re forgiven if you don’t know a lot about the Browns beyond Baker Mayfield or Odell Beckham Jr. Their championship legacy came before Super Bowls. But don’t worry. I’m here to help. So here’s a crash course on what every Browns rookie should know about the team by the time they arrive in Cleveland.

Why are they called the Browns?

A fan contest was held to decide the name after the team was founded in 1946 as a member of the All-America Football Conference. The most popular submission was “Browns” in recognition of head coach Paul Brown. He was well known at that time, having coached at Ohio State and Massillon (Ohio) Washington High School. Brown didn’t like the idea of having the team named after him, so “Panthers” was selected. But it was ultimately rejected due to its ties to an earlier franchise. So “Browns” it was.

In hindsight, it was a good choice. Paul Brown is the father of modern football. He was the first to use game film, the first to use a playbook, and even invented the single-bar facemask. Brown was later part of the ownership group that founded the Bengals, and he coached the team for eight years. The Bengals still play in Paul Brown Stadium, and Massillon is home to Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

Oh, and that Brownie elf you’ll see on a lot of Browns merchandise? It was a marketing tool in the 1940s. It re-emerged when throwback apparel became popular. There’s even an elf mascot on game days.

A front page of The Plain Dealer the day after the Browns win the 1964 NFL title.

Were the Browns ever really good?

The Browns were formed in 1946 in the All-American Football Conference (AAFC) and played in a championship game each year through 1955 (winning seven). That included winning the 1950 NFL title in their first year in the league. The Browns had just two losing records through their first 30 years of existence. They won their most recent NFL title in 1964.

They reached the playoffs each season from 1985-89, a run that included three AFC Championship games. Their last playoff appearance was the 2002 AFC Wild Card Game. Their last winning season was in 2007 (10-6).

The covering is pulled off the bronze statue of former Cleveland Browns quarterback great Otto Graham during the 2019 unveiling ceremony.cleveland.com

What’s with those statues outside FirstEnergy Stadium?

That's Jim Brown and Otto Graham.

Brown is often regarded as the greatest running back of all time. He played nine years in the NFL, retired as the league’s all-time leading rusher, and was part of Cleveland’s last major sports championship (1964 NFL title) before the Cavaliers broke the drought in 2016.

Graham was the Browns’ first quarterback, leading the team to 10 straight championship games between the AAFC and NFL. Brown (32) and Graham (14) are two of five players to have their numbers retired by the Browns, and both are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Former Browns players Damarious Randall (right) and Jabrill Peppers celebrate Randall's interception with the Dawg Pound in 2018.The Plain Dealer

What is the Dawg Pound?

Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield were cornerbacks for the Browns in the mid-1980s when Dixon began calling the defense “Dawgs.” Barking ensued.

Once fans got wind of that, the section behind one of the end zones at old Municipal Stadium became the Dawg Pound, featuring costumed characters and the occasional dog biscuit projectile.

When the new stadium (now known as FirstEnergy Stadium) was built prior to the 1999 season, the team made sure a new Dawg Pound was included.

While the existence of the original Dawg Pound was downplayed by the franchise, it has been embraced by the team over the last 20 years, with stadium signs, merchandise, mascots and dog themes during pregame introductions.

Didn't the Browns move at some point?

Yes. Sort of.

Former team owner Art Modell moved the franchise after the 1995 season for reasons involving the condition of Municipal Stadium. Once in Baltimore, the team became the Ravens. It's worth watching ESPN's "Believeland" documentary for more on the back story.

It’s also worth noting that Bill Belichick was the Browns’ head coach when Modell moved the team. Contrary to popular belief, the Browns didn’t fire Belichick.

Cleveland was without a football team until 1999, when the city got an expansion franchise, but was allowed to keep the Browns' name, colors and history.

Steelers fans at FirstEnergy Stadium have had more to cheer about than Browns fans. (John Kuntz, cleveland.com)

Who is the Browns' biggest rival?

The Steelers.

Yes, the Bengals are also in Ohio, and there’s the connection with the Ravens, but the Steelers have always been enemy No. 1.

The rivalry was born mostly out of proximity and similarities between the cities. But this hasn’t been a competitive series in a long time. Ben Roethlisberger has the most wins of any quarterback to play in FirstEnergy Stadium, and is 11-2-1 lifetime in Cleveland.

Much to the frustration of Browns fans, Steelers fans are all over Northeast Ohio, and have been known to infest FirstEnergy Stadium when Pittsburgh visits.

The Browns’ Week 11 win against the Steelers last season was their first since 2014. The Browns haven’t won at Pittsburgh since 2003.

A Browns fan sign references Red Right 88 during a playoff game in 1987.

What is Red Right 88, The Drive, The Fumble?

Misery gets a name here.

Red Right 88 was part of the play call that resulted in a late-game interception in the 1980 playoffs, ending the run of a Browns team dubbed the Kardiac Kids.

The Drive was John Elway’s 98-yard, fourth-quarter drive to tie the Browns in the 1986 AFC Championship game, which the Broncos won with a field goal in OT.

The Fumble was a fourth-quarter error by Browns running back Earnest Byner near the goal line with 1:12 remaining in the 1987 AFC Championship game, denying the Browns the tying score.

Despite the Browns’ pre-Super Bowl era dynasty, those three plays dominate the franchise’s legacy.

How did the Browns go 0-16?

Former GM Sashi Brown decided to tear down the roster in 2016 to the studs before building it back up. The result was the most inexperienced team in the NFL. Add in an extraordinary run of quarterback injuries, and the Browns went 1-31 over two seasons.

In 2016, the Browns had halftime leads in six games. They missed a winning field goal attempt as time expired early in season before losing in overtime. It was their best chance to win until they actually won on Christmas Eve (against the Chargers). Three quarterbacks started at least three games, and five quarterbacks played in at least one game.

In 2017, rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer started 15 games as the Browns were the youngest team in the NFL. They held halftime leads just three times, lost in overtime twice and had just one fourth-quarter lead.

The Browns’ last chance for a 2017 win was against the Steelers, who had already clinched a playoff berth and sat many starters for the Week 17 game. The Browns trailed 28-24 and faced fourth-and-2 at the Steelers’ 27 in the final two minutes when a Kizer pass was dropped by Corey Coleman.

A week later, Browns fans held a parade outside FirstEnergy Stadium to commemorate the winless season.

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New Browns jerseys for 2020: Here’s where you can order the new Cleveland Browns jerseys online, including jerseys for quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

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