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1983 Cleveland Browns season
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NFL team season
August 2023
March 2026
Cleveland Browns 1983 Sam Rutigliano Art Modell Cleveland Municipal Stadium 9–7 2nd AFC Central Did not qualify LB Chip Banks Browns seasons
thumb | right | alt=Primay script logo used by the Cleveland Browns, 1975-1995 | Primay script logo used by the Cleveland Browns, 1975-1995
The 1983 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 34th season with the National Football League.
Season summary
In a season which was eerily similar to the 1979 campaign, which was arguably the beginning of "The Kardiac Kids" period, seven contests were decided by seven points or less, with the Browns going 4–3. Like the '79 and '80 seasons, the Browns scored often and gave up almost as many points, with the Browns scoring 356 to their opponents' 342. Quarterback Brian Sipe, in his last season with the Browns before jumping to the USFL, had 26 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions, nearly the same ratio (28-to-26) he had had in 1979. It was a good way to go out for Sipe, who had lost his starting job to Paul McDonald late in the 1982 season and then re-gained it in the '83 training camp. Fullback Mike Pruitt, in his last great season with the Browns, rushed for 1,184 yards. And finally, in his last season in Cleveland before being traded to the Denver Broncos, wide receiver Dave Logan was second on the team in receptions with 37, but that was far behind the team-record 89 hauled in by Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome in a season that could be dubbed "The Kardiac Kids' Last Hurrah".http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/history/year-by-year-results/1983.html Season summary and statistics at Cleveland Browns.com 2012-03-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20111025154123/http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/history/year-by-year-results/1983.html 2011-10-25 dead
Offseason
NFL draft
The following were selected in the 1983 NFL draft.
1983 Cleveland Browns draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes241Ron BrownWide receiver Arizona State368Reggie CampDefensive end California5122Bill ContzOffensive tackle Penn State6145Tim StrackaTight end Wisconsin6149Dave PuzzuoliNose tackle Pittsburgh7176Rocky BelkWide receiver Miami8209Mike McClearnGuard Temple10262Thomas HopkinsOffensive tackle Alabama A&M11288Boyce GreenRunning back Carson Newman College11305Howard McAdooLinebacker Michigan State12316Paul FarrenOffensive tackle Boston University1983 NFL Draft Listing – Pro-Football-Reference.com Pro-Football-Reference.com https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1983.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20090414204851/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1983.htm 2009-04-14 live 2009-07-27
Undrafted free agents
+ 1983 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeTodd CampbellNose tackleWest Virginia
Personnel
Staff / Coaches
1983 Cleveland Browns President and owner – Art Modell
Assistant to the president – Peter Hadhazy Head coach – Sam Rutigliano Offensive coordinator – Larrye Weaver
Offensive Backfield Coach - Joe Scanella
Running backs – Jim Garrett
Receivers – Joe Daniels
Offensive line – Howard Mudd Defensive coordinator – Marty Schottenheimer
Defensive line – Tom Pratt
Linebackers – Dave Adolph
Special assistant – Darvin Wallis Special teams – John Petercuskie Strength and conditioning – Dave Redding
Film Coordinator - Ed Ulinski
Athletic Trainer - Leo Murphy
Roster
1983 Cleveland Browns roster Quarterbacks
12 Rick Trocano
16 Paul McDonald
17 Brian Sipe
Running backs
25 Charles White (IR) 10px
26 Dino Hall
30 Boyce Green
38 Johnny Davis
42 Dwight Walker
43 Mike Pruitt
Wide receivers
80 Willis Adams
83 Ricky Feacher
85 Dave Logan
88 Rocky Belk
89 Bobby Jones
Tight ends
81 Harry Holt
82 Ozzie Newsome
87 Tim Stracka Offensive linemen
54 Tom DeLeone C
61 Mike Baab C
63 Cody Risien T
64 Joe DeLamielleure G
68 Robert Jackson G
70 Thomas Hopkins T
73 Doug Dieken T
74 Paul Farren G
75 Bill Contz T
Defensive linemen
72 Dave Puzzuoli NT
79 Bob Golic NT
94 Elvis Franks DE
96 Reggie Camp DE
97 Thomas Brown DE
99 Keith Baldwin DE Linebackers
50 Tom Cousineau ILB
51 Eddie Johnson ILB
52 Dick Ambrose LB (IR) 10px
55 Curtis Weathers OLB
56 Chip Banks OLB
57 Clay Matthews OLB
58 Scott Nicolas ILB
59 Dale Carver OLB
Defensive backs
21 Mike Whitwell FS
22 Clarence Scott SS
29 Hanford Dixon CB
31 Al Gross FS
40 Rod Perry CB
47 Larry Braziel CB
48 Lawrence Johnson CB
49 Clinton Burrell S (IR) 10px
Special teams
7 Jeff Gossett P
9 Matt Bahr K
15 Steve Cox P
rookies in italics
Regular season
Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 4 Minnesota Vikings L 21–27 0–1 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 70,087 Recap 2 September 11 at Detroit Lions W 31–26 1–1 Pontiac Silverdome 60,095 Recap 3 September 15, 1983 Cincinnati Bengals W 17–7 2–1 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 79,700 Recap 4 September 25 at San Diego Chargers W 30–24 3–1 Jack Murphy Stadium 49,482 Recap 5 October 2 Seattle Seahawks L 9–24 3–2 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 75,446 Recap 6 October 9 New York Jets W 10–7 4–2 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 78,235 Recap 7 October 16 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 17–44 4–3 Three Rivers Stadium 59,263 Recap 8 October 23 at Cincinnati Bengals L 21–28 4–4 Riverfront Stadium 50,047 Recap 9 October 30 Houston Oilers W 25–19 5–4 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 68,851 Recap 10 November 6 at Green Bay Packers L 21–35 5–5 Milwaukee County Stadium 54,089 Recap 11 November 13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 20–0 6–5 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 56,091 Recap 12 November 20 at New England Patriots W 30–0 7–5 Sullivan Stadium 40,987 Recap 13 November 27 Baltimore Colts W 41–23 8–5 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 65,812 Recap 14 December 4 at Denver Broncos L 6–27 8–6 Mile High Stadium 70,912 Recap 15 December 11 at Houston Oilers L 27–34 8–7 Houston Astrodome 29,746 Recap 16 December 18 Pittsburgh Steelers W 30–17 9–7 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 72,313 Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 2
TV Network: NBC
Announcers: Jay Randolph and Gene Washington
Brian Sipe throws four touchdowns to lead the Browns to a 31-26 win at Detroit. Sipe becomes Cleveland's career leader, raising his TD total to 135 (surpassing Frank Ryan) with throws to Ricky Feacher, Mike Pruitt, Ozzie Newsome and Dave Logan. Pruitt also rushes for 137 yards.
Week 4
TV Network: NBC
Announcers: Jay Randolph and Bob Chandler
Harry Holt, a 25-year-old NFL rookie, catches a 48-yard touchdown pass from Sipe on Cleveland's fourth play of overtime as The Browns beat The Chargers, 30-24, at San Diego. Holt catches his first NFL touchdown after Matt Bahr forces overtime with a 32-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in regulation.
Week 6
TV Network: NBC
Announcers: Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Linebacker Tom Cousineau records 15 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery while leading Cleveland to a 10-7 win over the New York Jets. His interception stops a Jets drive at the Browns' 5-yard line and his fumble recovery stops New York at the Cleveland 9. The Browns' only touchdown is scored by wide receiver Bobby Jones on a 32-yard pass from Sipe.
Week 8
TV Network: NBC
Announcers: Bob Costas, Bob Trumpy
The Browns lose a tough one at Cincinnati, 28-21, when Bengals' cornerback Ken Riley intercepts a Sipe pass and returns it 42 yards for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Riley's 60th career interception spoils a three-TD pass performance by Sipe.
Week 12
TV Network: NBC
Announcers: Phil Stone, Reggie Rucker
After going eight seasons without a shutout, the Browns made it two straight with a 30-0 rout of the Patriots at Foxboro. One week after posting a 20-0 win over Tampa Bay, Pruitt runs for 136 yards and Matt Bahr kicks three field goals. The defensive star is linebacker Chip Banks, who returns an interception 65 yards for a touchdown and records two sacks. Cousineau and Hanford Dixon each intercept two passes.
Standings
Awards and records
Brian Sipe, NFL Leader, Touchdown Passes (26), Tied with another player
References
External links
1983 Cleveland Browns at Pro Football Reference
1983 Cleveland Browns Statistics at jt-sw.com
1983 Cleveland Browns Schedule at jt-sw.com
1983 Cleveland Browns at DatabaseFootball.com
Cleveland
Category:Cleveland Browns seasons
Cleveland Browns