Cleveland Browns fans have always been an ecstatic fan base. They even have a nickname, “The Dawg Pound.” The fans are loud and devoted to their football team. Even when the team plays a bad game, the fans still show up the next game ready to cheer on their team. But, fans can only have so much hope for their team. Are the Cleveland Browns fans running out of hope for their team?
When the Cleveland Browns made it to the playoffs in 2023, fans were ecstatic–it had been three years since the team had gotten that far. Many thought that the playoffs were a turning point for the team. This was the Cleveland Browns chance to finally establish themselves as a good football team. Unfortunately, in their 2024 season, the Browns ended with a 3-14 record. This devastating season left fans shocked. As a long time Cleveland Browns fan, I can say I was beyond embarrassed to call myself a fan. I mean how do you go from an amazing season and making it to the playoffs to a 3-14 streak?
Now, in the 2025 season, the Cleveland Browns have continued their downgrade. Right now, they are sitting at a 3-11 record.
Since 2020, the team has had 12 quarterbacks: Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum, Nick Mullens, Jacoby Brissett, Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, P.J. Walker, Jeff Driskel, Jameis Winston, Dillon Gabriel and Shedur Sanders. Sanders is a rookie and he made some pretty big rookie mistakes at the most recent game against the Chicago Bears. He threw three interceptions and was sacked five times. These are normal rookie mistakes–the only problem is that they happen in a real game. Fans are relying on Sanders to lead the team to victory. Even though he is a rookie, he has to stop making plays like these.
One may fully blame the teams constant losing streak on the players entirely, but a large portion of that blame is to be put on the head coach and the owners of the team. Kevin Stefanski has led the Cleveland Browns down a detrimental path. He lacks the ability to revolutionize his play calling, he has hindered the offense, and he has continued the quarterback fiasco. He has been the head coach of the Cleveland Browns for six years now–he should be comfortable enough with his team to be making these calls.
The Haslams, the current owners of the Cleveland Browns, have caused coaching instability, lack of front-office communication and poor decision making when it comes to trades. One of the most notable mistakes that they have made is the trade for Deshaun Watson. According ON SI, in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns gave the Houston Texans six draft picks: first-round picks in 2022, 2023, and 2024, a third-round pick in 2023, and a fourth-round pick in both 2022 and 2024. In exchange, the Browns received Watson and a 2024 sixth-round pick. This trade is considered one of the worst trades in all of NFL history. Watson’s contract is a five year contract for $230 million, which according to Ideastream Public Media is the largest fully granted sum in NFL history. With this large of a contract, many thought Watson was going to help the Cleveland Browns become a better team. Instead, in a game against Cincinnati Bengals in 2024 he got a season ending injury. The Browns were forced to throw in a backup quarterback, and the rest of their season went downhill from there. He has not returned to play since his season ending injury. Now, the Cleveland Browns are stuck paying him $230 million dollars to a player who inst even plays. According to the New York Times, this contract has forced the team to “undergo multiple restructures to manage salary cap hits, which has restricted their spending flexibility on other players. This has led to a large and complicated financial commitment with a substantial dead cap charge if he is released, pushing a potential roster shakeup further into the future, likely after the 2026 season.” The overall decision ultimately backfired on the team, especially taking that he hasn’t stepped on the field since 2024.
At the end of the day, the Cleveland Browns do have good players on their team. There are just a lot of underlying issues. From the quarterback to the coach, major changes need to change on the team if the Cleveland Browns want a shot of having a good 2026 season. Unfortunately, for the fans, all they can do is wait and see how the 2026 season pans out.
