1987 Cleveland Browns season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 Cleveland Browns 1987 Marty Schottenheimer Lindy Infante Dave Adolph Ernie Accorsi Art Modell Cleveland Municipal Stadium 10–5 1st AFC Central Won Divisional Playoffs(vs. Colts) 38–21Lost AFC Championship(at Broncos) 33–38 T Cody RisienQB Bernie KosarFB Kevin MackNT Bob GolicOLB Clay Matthews, Jr.CB Frank MinnifieldCB Hanford DixonRS Gerald McNeil Browns seasons thumb|150px|A ticket for the AFC Championship game between the Browns and the Broncos. The 1987 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 38th season in the National Football League. Led by another 3,000-yard season from Bernie Kosar, the Browns captured their third-straight AFC Central crown. In the divisional playoffs, against the Indianapolis Colts at Municipal Stadium, the Browns routed the Colts 38–21 to advance to their second-straight AFC Championship game. For the second year in a row, the Browns were matched up against the Denver Broncos for a trip to Super Bowl XXII. The Browns fell behind early at Mile High Stadium, as the Broncos roared out to a big halftime lead. However, the Browns scored 30 points in the second half, and drove down the field in the late fourth quarter with a chance to score a game-tying touchdown. With 1:12 left in the game, RB Earnest Byner was stripped of the ball at the 2-yard line by Broncos' defensive back Jeremiah Castille in a play since dubbed The Fumble. Denver ran down the clock and took an intentional safety with 8 seconds left, and the Browns fell 38–33. Denver returned to the Super Bowl for a second straight year at the expense of the Browns. Offseason NFL draft 1987 NFL draft 1987 Cleveland Browns 1 5 Mike Junkin Linebacker Duke from San Diego no yes 2 32 Gregg Rakoczy Center Miami (FL) from San Diego no yes 3 80 Tim Manoa Fullback Penn State no yes no 3 82 Jeff Jaeger Kicker Washington no yes yes 6 165 Stephen Braggs Defensive back Texas no yes no 8 220 Steve Bullitt Linebacker Texas A&M no no no 10 276 Frank Winters Center Western Illinois no yes yes 11 303 Larry Brewton Defensive back Temple no no no no Personnel Staff 1987 Cleveland Browns President and owner – Art Modell Executive vice-president of football operations – Ernie Accorsi Director of player personnel – Chip Falivene Head coach – Marty Schottenheimer Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks – Lindy Infante Running backs – Joe Pendry Receivers – Richard Mann Tight ends – Charlie Davis Offensive line – Howard Mudd Defensive coordinator – Dave Adolph Defensive line – Tom Pratt Secondary – Bill Cowher Special Assistant/Defense – Darvin Wallis Special teams – Kurt Schottenheimer Strength and conditioning – Dave Redding http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/history/assistant.php All-Time Assistant Coaches ClevelandBrowns.com July 31, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20080522125743/http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/history/assistant.php May 22, 2008 NFL replacement players After the league decided to use replacement players during the NFLPA strike, the following team was assembled: 1987 Cleveland Browns replacement rosterQuarterbacks 11 Jeff Christensen -- Homer Jordan -- Joe Pizzo -- Karlton Walton Running backs 47 Mike Crawford 35 Stacey Driver -- Corey Gilmore 33 Kirk Jones -- George Landry 42 Larry Mason -- Calvin Pierce Wide receivers 87 Clayton Beauford -- Terry Bell -- Stanley Carraway 22 Perry Kemp -- Mike McDade 28 Steve Pierce 84 Keith Tinsley 85 David Verser 89 Louis Watson -- Arthur Williams -- Ray Williams Tight ends 83 Donnie Echols 80 Chris Kelley 81 Derek Tennell Offensive linemen -- John Askin 73 Keith Bosley 62 Mike Katolin -- Barry Lee 66 Dave Sparenberg 50 Mike Teifke 71 Ralph Van Dyke 64 Blake Wingle Defensive linemen 94 Robert Brannon 75 Alex Carter -- Scott Cooper 98 Aaron Moog -- Morgan Roane 79 Mike Rusinek 91 Darryl SimsLinebackers 92 Dave Butler 59 James Capers 55 Tim Crawford 52 David Grayson 58 Cliff Hanneman 97 Mike Kovaleski 57 Steve Nave 54 Jerry Parker 53 Tom Polley -- Dick Teets Defensive backs 25 Vincent Barnett 36 Vince Carreker 27 Brian Dudley -- Robert Goins 38 Alvin Horn -- Steve Lauter -- Earnest Moore 30 Billy Robinson 23 DeJuan Robinson 41 Troy Wilson -- Stacy Williams Special teams  4 Brian Franco K  3 Goran Lingmerth K  5 Dale Walters P Roster 1987 Cleveland Browns 18 Gary Danielson 19 Bernie Kosar 10 Mike Pagel 44 Earnest Byner 28 Herman Fontenot 34 Kevin Mack 42 Tim Manoa y 86 Brian Brennan 88 Reggie Langhorne 89 Gerald McNeil 84 Webster Slaughter 85 Clarence Weathers 83 Glen Young wide receiver 82 Ozzie Newsome 81 Derek Tennell y 61 Mike Baab C 74 Paul Farren T/G 69 Dan Fike G 65 Darryl Haley G/T 73 Gregg Rakoczy y G/C 63 Cody Risien T 70 Larry Williams American football G 60 Al Baker DE 91 Sam Clancy DE 79 Bob Golic NT 78 Carl Hairston DE 95 Marlon Jones American football DE 72 Dave Puzzuoli NT 90 Darryl Sims DE 56 David Grayson American football OLB 53 Anthony Griggs ILB 94 Rusty Guilbeau OLB 51 Eddie Johnson linebacker ILB 59 Mike Johnson linebacker ILB 57 Clay Matthews OLB 52 Nick Miller linebacker ILB 50 Lucius Sanford OLB 36 Stephen Braggs y CB 29 Hanford Dixon CB 24 Ray Ellis American football SS 27 Al Gross American football FS 23 Mark Harper American football CB 31 Frank Minnifield CB 37 Chris Rockins SS 22 Felix Wright FS  9 Matt Bahr K  8 Jeff Jaeger y K 11 Lee Johnson punter P 64 Frank Winters y LS 43 Tony Baker running back, born 1964 RB IR 16 Albert Bell American football y WR IR 77 Rickey Bolden T IR 97 Steve Bullitt y LB IR 96 Reggie Camp DE IR 71 Dave Cullity y T IR 35 Will Hill defensive back y S IR 48 D. D. Hoggard CB IR 54 Mike Junkin y LB IR -- Steve Lawrence defensive back y S PUP 40 Aaron Sam y RB IR 66 Dave Sparenberg G IR -- Robert Stallings tight end TE IR 38 George Swarn y RB IR 87 Travis Tucker TE IR  5 George Winslow American football y P IR Schedule Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 13 at New Orleans Saints L 21–28 0–1 Louisiana Superdome 59,900 Recap 2 September 20 Pittsburgh Steelers W 34–10 1–1 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 79,543 Recap 3 September 28 Denver Broncos canceled 1–1 Cleveland Municipal Stadium NFL strike 4 October 4 at New England Patriots W 20–10 2–1 Sullivan Stadium 14,830 Recap 5 October 11 Houston Oilers L 10–15 2–2 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 38,927 Recap 6 October 18 at Cincinnati Bengals W 34–0 3–2 Riverfront Stadium 40,179 Recap 7 October 26, 1987 Los Angeles Rams W 30–17 4–2 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 76,933 Recap 8 November 1 at San Diego Chargers L 24–27 4–3 Jack Murphy Stadium 55,381 Recap 9 November 8 Atlanta Falcons W 38–3 5–3 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 71,135 Recap 10 November 15 Buffalo Bills W 27–21 6–3 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 78,409 Recap 11 November 22 at Houston Oilers W 40–7 7–3 Houston Astrodome 51,161 Recap 12 November 29 at San Francisco 49ers L 24–38 7–4 Candlestick Park 60,248 Recap 13 December 6 Indianapolis Colts L 7–9 7–5 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 70,661 Recap 14 December 13 Cincinnati Bengals W 38–24 8–5 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 77,331 Recap 15 December 20 at Los Angeles Raiders W 24–17 9–5 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 40,275 Recap 16 December 26, 1987 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 19–13 10–5 Three Rivers Stadium 56,394 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Game summaries Week 9: vs. Atlanta Cleveland Browns 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 9: Atlanta Falcons at Cleveland Browns – Game summary November 8 1:00 p.m. EST Falcons 0 3 0 0 Browns 0 14 21 3 Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio 71,135 54 °F °C 1 or, relative humidity 48%, wind 13 mph km/h knots Bob McElwee CBS Tim Brant (play–by–play) and Hank Stram (color commentator) First quarter No scoring plays Second quarter CLE (6:50) – Slaughter 54 yard pass from Kosar (Jaeger kick) Browns 7, Falcons 0 CLE (11:04) – Mack 1 yard rush (Jaeger kick) Browns 14, Falcons 0 ATL (15:00) – Luckhurst 42 yard field goal Browns 14, Falcons 3 Third quarter CLE (4:05) – Byner 3 yard rush (Jaeger kick) Browns 21, Falcons 3 CLE (8:59) – Byner 5 yard rush (Jaeger kick) Browns 28, Falcons 3 CLE (12:45) – Byner 4 yard pass from Kosar (Jaeger kick) Browns 35, Falcons 3 Fourth quarter CLE (9:41) – Jaeger 38 yard field goal Browns 38, Falcons 3 Top passers ATL – Scott Campbell 15/22, 169 yds, 1 INT CLE – Bernie Kosar 13/23, 192 yds, 2 TD Top rushers ATL – Gerald Riggs 16 carr, 93 yds CLE – Kevin Mack 18 carr, 52 yds, 1 TD Top receivers ATL – Aubrey Matthews 5 rec, 70 yds CLE – Earnest Byner 4 rec, 40 yds, 1 TD Turnovers ATL – 2 CLE – 1 Postseason 1987–88 NFL playoffs Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Divisional January 9, 1988 Indianapolis Colts (3) W 38–21 1–0 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 78,586 Recap AFC Championship January 17, 1988 at Denver Broncos (2) L 33–38 1–1 Mile High Stadium 75,993 Recap AFC Divisional Game Cleveland Browns 2;text-align:center; autocollapse AFC Divisional Game: Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns – Game summary January 9, 1988 12:30 p.m. EDT Colts 7 7 0 7 Browns 7 7 7 17 Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio 16 °F °C 1 or, relative humidity 71%, wind 5 mph km/h knots Red Cashion NBC Boxscore AFC Championship game Cleveland Browns 2;text-align:center; autocollapse AFC Championship game: Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos – Game summary January 17, 1988 4 p.m. EDT Browns 0 3 21 9 Broncos 14 7 10 7 Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado 29 °F °C 1 or, relative humidity 63%, wind 8 mph km/h knots Jim Tunney NBC Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen Boxscore Standings References External links 1987 Cleveland Browns at Pro Football Reference (Profootballreference.com) 1987 Cleveland Browns Statistics at jt-sw.com 1987 Cleveland Browns Schedule at jt-sw.com 1987 Cleveland Browns at DatabaseFootball.com Cleveland Category:Cleveland Browns seasons Category:AFC Central championship seasons Cleveland Browns