The 1986 Cleveland Browns season was the team’s 37th season with the National Football League. The death of Don Rogers, a promising young defensive back who was preparing to enter his third season in the NFL, cast a black cloud over the team as it prepared for the 1986 season.
Cleveland won their first postseason game since 1969, and for the first time in franchise history, the Browns reached the AFC Championship Game, where they would eventually fall to the Denver Broncos, in the game famous for “The Drive.” It would be the first of three AFC Championship games that the Browns would reach in four seasons, all losses to Denver.
Season summary The 1986 Browns finished 12–4 to not only win the division again, but also set a franchise record for regular-season victories in the NFL in addition to securing home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.
In one of the most pulsating games in club history, the Browns edged the New York Jets 23–20 in double-overtime in the divisional playoffs. Then, in maybe the most disappointing contest in team annals, the Browns lost to the Denver Broncos by that same score in OT in the AFC Championship Game as quarterback John Elway orchestrated what has become known as The Drive. The Browns were involved in six contests decided by three points or less, and eight decided by six points or less. There were two OT games – in consecutive weeks, no less – when the Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 37–31 and the Houston Oilers 13–10, both in Cleveland. That win started the Browns on a five-game winning streak to end the season, and it was also part of a stretch in which they won eight of nine contests.
There were several other big games in addition to the two OT affairs. The Browns beat the Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium for the first time in 16 tries, 27–24. They defeated Miami 26–16 on Monday Night Football, extracting some revenge for their loss to the Dolphins in the divisional playoffs the year before. They wound up clinching the AFC Central crown by going to Cincinnati in the next-to-last game and winning soundly, 34–3. The Bengals finished in second place at 10–6 but did not make the playoffs.
Kosar's career really took off in 1986, as he threw for 3,854 yards and seventeen touchdowns with just ten interceptions for an 83.8 quarterback rating. Wide receiver Brian Brennan, who led the way with 55 receptions and six scores, was one of seven Browns to catch 28 or more passes. The backfield combo of FB Kevin Mack and HB Earnest Byner battled injuries for much of the year. That, along with the increased emphasis on passing, caused the rushing numbers to go way down. As a team, the Browns got just 1,650 yards, with Mack rushing for a team-leading 665. He did, however, run for ten scores.
Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield were among the top cornerbacks in the league, leading a defense that excelled down the stretch, limiting the last four opponents to 17 or fewer points.
Offseason NFL draft
Undrafted free agents
+ 1986 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeValdez BaylorRunning backMinnesotaJon CadeDefensive EndLouisvilleReggie CarrDefensive EndJackson StateMansel CarterDefensive tackleNotre DameEddie ColemanWide receiverFairmont StateKyle CollinsRunning backAuburnJoe CostelloLinebackerCentral Connecticut StateMike CurtinSafetyYaleStacey DriverRunning backClemsonTom EmmonsTackleOregon StateRicky GannKickerTexas TechPaul HannaNoses TacklePurdueMark HarperCornerbackAlcorn State Troy HillCornerback-SafetyPittsburghEnis JacksonCornerbackMemphis StateGary KalisGuardAkronRalph MaloneDefensive EndGeorgia TechAdrian McBrideSafety-Wide receiverMissouriDavid MorrillNoses TackleOhio StateKurt NormanLinebackerHillsdaleCliff ReidRunning backAppalachian StateTony RussoTackleUTEPBill SchickCenterWisconsinMike SianoTight end-Wide receiverSyracuseHarry SkipperCornerback South CarolinaJeremiah SnowdenRunning backMississippi Valley StateJim TaitTight endSyracuseLouis WatsonWide receiverMississippi Valley StateClint WilsonTight endPittsburghOthell WilsonCB-SVirginia
Personnel Staff
Roster
Regular season Cleveland opened the regular season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears. While the Browns played well in scoring 31 points against the feared Chicago defense, they surrendered a season-high 41 points in a losing effort. The team responded well and won four of the next five games, including wins against divisional rivals Houston and Pittsburgh. The win against Pittsburgh snapped a losing streak for the Browns of sixteen games at Three Rivers Stadium.
After a week seven loss at home against the Green Bay Packers, the Browns won eight of their last nine regular season games to capture the AFC Central division title and finish the year with a franchise-record 12 wins (against 4 losses).
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 7 at Chicago Bears L 31–41 0–1 Soldier Field 66,030 Recap 2 September 14 at Houston Oilers W 23–20 1–1 Houston Astrodome 46,049 Recap 3 Cincinnati Bengals L 13–30 1–2 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 78,779 Recap 4 September 28 Detroit Lions W 24–21 2–2 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 72,029 Recap 5 October 5 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 27–24 3–2 Three Rivers Stadium 57,327 Recap 6 October 12 Kansas City Chiefs W 20–7 4–2 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 71,278 Recap 7 October 19 Green Bay Packers L 14–17 4–3 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 76,438 Recap 8 October 26 at Minnesota Vikings W 23–20 5–3 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 59,133 Recap 9 November 2 at Indianapolis Colts W 24–9 6–3 Hoosier Dome 57,962 Recap 10 Miami Dolphins W 26–16 7–3 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 77,949 Recap 11 November 16 at Los Angeles Raiders L 14–27 7–4 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 65,461 Recap 12 November 23 Pittsburgh Steelers W 37–31 (OT) 8–4 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 76,452 Recap 13 November 30 Houston Oilers W 13–10 9–4 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 62,309 Recap 14 December 7 at Buffalo Bills W 21–17 10–4 Rich Stadium 42,213 Recap 15 December 14 at Cincinnati Bengals W 34–3 11–4 Riverfront Stadium 58,062 Recap 16 December 21 San Diego Chargers W 47–17 12–4 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 68,505 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Season summary Week 8 at Vikings
Week 15
Pro-Football-Reference.com
Standings
Best Performances Bernie Kosar, November 10, 1986, 401 passing yards vs. Miami DolphinsNFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, , p. 439 Bernie Kosar, November 23, 1986, 414 passing yards vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Postseason
The first round opponent for the Browns in the playoffs was the New York Jets. In a marathon game that lasted over four hours, the Browns won their first playoff game in 18 years, 23–20, on a 27-yard Mark Moseley field goal in double overtime.
Eight days later, the Browns hosted the Denver Broncos to determine the AFC Championship and a trip to Pasadena, California to face the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. In a repeat of the Browns' playoff game from the previous week, the game was, once again, undecided at the end of regulation with both teams having scored 20 points. Even though the Browns had star defensive players like Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield, the Broncos offense would not give up. The Broncos forced overtime on a 98-yard possession at the end of the fourth quarter that culminated in a game-tying touchdown and later became known simply as "The Drive". The Browns received the ball to begin the overtime period, but were forced to punt after running only three plays. The Broncos then took possession and ultimately scored the game winning points on a 33-yard field goal by Rich Karlis to send Denver to the Super Bowl.
Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap Division January 3, 1987 New York Jets (4) W 23–20 1–0 Cleveland Municipal Stadium Recap AFC Championship January 11, 1987 Denver Broncos (2) L 20–23 1–1 Cleveland Municipal Stadium Recap
AFC Divisional Playoffs
Thirty-eight-year-old Browns kicker Mark Moseley, a former Washington Redskin whom Cleveland had talked out of retirement to replace the injured Matt Bahr less than two months earlier, made the game-winning 27-yard field goal after 2:02 elapsed of the second overtime period, making this the third longest game in NFL history and giving Cleveland their first postseason win since 1969.
After Mosely missed a 46-yard field goal attempt on Cleveland's opening possession, the Jets scored first on their third drive of the game with an 82-yard drive. Quarterback Pat Ryan started it off with a 28-yard completion to Al Toon and finished it with a 42-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Wesley Walker on a flea-flicker play. Cleveland responded with Kosar completing passes to Ozzie Newsome for gains of 21 and 23 yards as he led the team 98 yards to score on his 37-yard completion to running back Herman Fontenot. Midway through the second quarter, Jeff Gossett's 39-yard punt pinned New York back on their 4-yard line. The Jets were unable to get a first down with their drive and to make matters worse, a 3rd down sack on Ryan by a gang of Browns defenders knocked him out of the game. New York's punt gave Cleveland the ball at midfield, and they were able to take advantage of the field position, as Kosar's 25-yard completion to fullback Kevin Mack set up a 38-yard Mosely field goal that gave the Browns a 10–7 lead. The Jets, now led by Ken O'Brien, responded with less than two minutes left in the half on a last-second field goal drive to tie the game, featuring his season-long 16-yard run on fourth down and four to keep the drive alive.
Cleveland had to punt on the opening drive of the third quarter, and Kurt Sohn gave the Jets great field position with a 9-yard return to the Browns 41-yard line. New York then drove to a 37-yard Pat Leahy field goal to break the tie. Cleveland responded with a drive to the Jet's 26-yard line, but it ended with no points on another missed field goal attempt by Moseley. Early in the fourth quarter, the Browns drove to the New York 3-yard line, only to come up empty when Russell Carter intercepted a pass from Kosar in the end zone. Then after a punt, Kosar's next pass attempt was intercepted again, this time by Jerry Holmes, which set up Freeman McNeil's 25-yard touchdown run on the next play to give his team a 20–10 lead with 4:14 left in regulation. This led Jets announcer Charley Steiner to prematurely declare, "The Jets are gonna win this football game!"
But the Browns then drove 68 yards to score on Mack's 1-yard touchdown run with 1:57 left on the clock, on a drive that was aided by a roughing the passer penalty on Mark Gastineau that nullified an incompletion on second down and 24 from Cleveland's 18-yard line. After a failed onside kick attempt, the Browns stopped New York on two consecutive runs and then sacked O'Brien on a quarterback draw, bringing up 4th down on the Brown's 48-yard line. Then they got another lucky break when a punt that would have pinned them inside their 10-yard line was called back by a Jets holding penalty. On the second punt, Gerald McNeil returned the ball 10 yards to the Browns 32 with 53 seconds on the clock and no timeouts left. Following a 26-yard pass interference penalty on Carl Howard, Kosar completed a 37-yard pass to wide receiver Webster Slaughter on the Jets 5-yard line with 37 seconds to go. However, the Browns hurt themselves with excessive celebration after the catch, costing them several seconds before Kosar could break them up and get his team back to the line of scrimmage. The clock ran down to 15 seconds before the next snap, in which Kosar threw a pass that was broken up and nearly intercepted by Carter. Now with 11 seconds and no timeouts remaining, the Browns decided to play for overtime and had Moseley kick a game-tying 22-yard field goal.