The summer of '99 was one to remember for Cleveland
In 1999 the Cleveland Browns became the NFL's 31st team when they were reinstated into the league following their relocation controversy. They returned to the NFL for the first time since the 1995 season, following a temporary deactivation. The relocation situation established the Baltimore Ravens.
That summer was truly one to remember for a city that had seriously missed its football.
Municipal Stadium was falling apart, causing Cleveland to lose the Browns
Before the Browns returned, they were banished from Cleveland. The cause of this was the fact that their home, Cleveland Municipal Stadium, had become something of an embarrassment.
Cleveland Municipal Stadium aerial shot taken shortly after being built, 1932 https://t.co/Q24raDqxyi
The conditions described in ESPN writer Jake Trotter's piece commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Browns back in 2020 were stunning: outhouses for the suit-sporting stadium announcers, non-functional shelves in the locker-rooms and painted infield dirt on the football field due to a lack of grass.
Art Modell was not happy that his stadium's revitalization wasn't being prioritized by the city government, and as he was having financial difficulties, he decided to take the Browns to Baltimore and rename them the Ravens.
As Cleveland radio personality Tony Rizzo relayed, it was also partly to spite his constituents:
"Art was in deep, deep debt. He had to have his wife take out a loan just to sign Andre Rison. He wanted to stick it to the people that were not playing ball with him on that new stadium."
That was not lost on Jim Donovan, a longtime Cleveland sportscaster who has been the Browns radio play-by-play announcer since 1999:
"It was the most amazing sucker punch I've ever seen a city take in regards to a sports team. Because it was a haymaker that just coldcocked the town out of the blue."
The incident caused the team's sponsors to essentially rebel and pull their advertisements in and around the stadium. This caused an ugly, post-fallout scene, according to former Browns front office executive Phil Savage:
"It basically looked like the stadium had been on fire. And of course, it was a morgue atmosphere. And we got beat and just sort of staggered through the rest of the year."
Former Browns fullback Kevin Mack, who played all nine seasons of his career in Cleveland between 1985-1993, couldn't comprehend the move to Baltimore, calling it mind-blowing:
"It basically looked like the stadium had been on fire. And of course, it was a morgue atmosphere. And we got beat and just sort of staggered through the rest of the year."
Cleveland fought hard to keep the Browns name and franchise
While Modell was successful in moving Cleveland's NFL team, the name and logo did not go to Baltimore. The City of Cleveland was successful in keeping the Browns as their own, if there ever was to be a return under new ownership. Baltimore, which was once the home of the Baltimore Colts, became the home of the Baltimore Ravens.
When they did return in 1999, the Browns were not the same franchise or anything close. All the talent was in Baltimore and Cleveland struggled mightily.
Jim Donovan recalled the disappointment fans had when they realized that this was not the same Browns they had remembered:
"We obviously were very naive, but I think everybody just kind of felt they were going to pick up right where they left off. [New owner] Al Lerner was a billionaire, everybody knew that he would spend a great deal of money."
He continued:
"And there was this 49ers influence [in the front office] with Carmen Policy and Dwight Clark. At least to the eye, everything said, this is going to be easy. And that soon ended in the opener against the Steelers when they got absolutely flattened [in a 43-0 loss]. And I think at that point, everyone kind of went, this is going to be a lot harder than we thought."
Savage discussed the Browns' situation following their expansion draft in 1999 and their rebuilding efforts as a franchise to return to their former glory:
"When the Browns went back, they had like a full roll of string to get the kite in the air. Some of that string got used up the first few years and then more of it got used up. And with each successive regime, there's been less and less string to work with."
Browns fans weren't and still aren't patient though. The three years spent without their team in the mid-90s made even the most faithful restless, after they got to experience the heights of NFL glory ripped away in the blink of an eye.
twitter.com/CoryCleveland2…
Week 1 bro...The Browns are cursed because of the fan bases lack of patience and understanding. You cannot convince me otherwise. Everytime we have been in a position to win, all #Browns fans become super impatient and don’t understand that thing TAKE TIME TO GEL! 😐 twitter.com/CoryCleveland2…
Former Browns All-Pro running back Eric Metcalf believes the culture may never recover because of this:
"Everybody who has been there has definitely wanted to bring a winner to the city of Cleveland. But in wanting it so much, it's created a problem. Because there's never any stability in the organization. We don't win in two years, the coach is gone, new coach, new coordinators, new offense, new quarterback."
Even with the Browns' futility, their 1999 return was still worth it for Cleveland
Right now, the Browns probably own the crown for being the most dysfunctional franchise in the NFL. Particularly after signing a quarterback that sat out the entire 2021 season to a fully-guaranteed $230 million contract.
In 2020 they won their first postseason game since 1994 with Baker Mayfield under center, but the signal-caller seems destined to be leaving in the near future.
Even with all the frustration that the Browns have caused their fans over the years, they wouldn't change them for anything. The 2022 season is a promising one as the Browns have one of the most talented rosters in the entire NFL, but much depends on the potential suspension for new quarterback Deshaun Watson.
It will be great to see them play when the season kicks off later this year.