@dutch-oven said:

I know defenses were different back in the day but didn't Bill Willis play MLB? (or the version of it back in the 40s and 50s?)

Edit: Willis was a middle guard, which was another name for nose tackle. When defenses went from a 5-2 front to 4-3, the middle guard moved off the line and became the middle linebacker. 

So I'd go with Mike Johnson being the best MLB besides Costello. 

Compare that with the Bears, who have had 4 MLBs make the HOF:   Bill George,   Butkus, Singletary, Urlacher.

Can Schobert hang with the likes of  Costello, and Johnson and Johnson?

Of course, we did have Tom Cousineau.

@the-gipper said:

The thing is, the Browns have never had a Hall of Fame caliber  MLB.....and no LB at all that had played for the Browns has ever made the HOF. (overlooked Clay Matthews played OLB)

Costello may in fact have been the best MLB we have ever had.  Are there any other candidates? Who would they be?

I know defenses were different back in the day but didn't Bill Willis play MLB? (or the version of it back in the 40s and 50s?)

Edit: Willis was a middle guard, which was another name for nose tackle. When defenses went from a 5-2 front to 4-3, the middle guard moved off the line and became the middle linebacker. 

So I'd go with Mike Johnson being the best MLB besides Costello. 

Talked with Vince the longest of any of them.

@the-gipper said:

The thing is, the Browns have never had a Hall of Fame caliber  MLB.....and no LB at all that had played for the Browns has ever made the HOF. (overlooked Clay Matthews played OLB)

Costello may in fact have been the best MLB we have ever had.  Are there any other candidates? Who would they be?

I always loved Eddie "The Assassin" Johnson and Mike Johnson respectively...

The thing is, the Browns have never had a Hall of Fame caliber  MLB.....and no LB at all that had played for the Browns has ever made the HOF. (overlooked Clay Matthews played OLB)

Costello may in fact have been the best MLB we have ever had.  Are there any other candidates? Who would they be?

@nickers said:

We're past long overdue...

We had exciting chances in the Sipe and Kosar eras hopefully the group and coaches on the field now can be serious contenders in this century.

GO BROWNS forever!

@mjp28 said:

The 64 championship was when I was 14.

I was age one & missed the whole thing. I was the kid, looking for some meat & potatoes, not in a jar...Did you all have moving video of this guy back in the stone ages? All I see is still photos & one HOF speech video...btw, RIP to the unknown Vince #50...  Edit--and Get Well yourself mjp28 ?

@canton-mike said:

Sadly, the Browns' players I watched as a child are passing away.

RIP Vince.

Mike

Oh yes. They were bigger than life back then. The 64 championship was when I was 14.

God bless them all.

@dutch-oven said:

Now that I think of it, and watched a video to confirm it, it was Galen Fiss who made that open-field tackle on Moore, not Vince Costello. 

And it was defensive back Bernie Parrish who came up with the game plan vs the Colts, not Fiss. 

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2014/12/cleveland_browns_1964_champion_14.html

Yeah , that's it.. I couldn't think of his name.. Thanks..

@nickers said:

I think it was Galen Fiss who actually came up with the defensive game plan against the colts for that game..

Now that I think of it, and watched a video to confirm it, it was Galen Fiss who made that open-field tackle on Moore, not Vince Costello. 

And it was defensive back Bernie Parrish who came up with the game plan vs the Colts, not Fiss. 

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2014/12/cleveland_browns_1964_champion_14.html

@canton-mike said:

I remember that game & you are correct. Few gave us ANY chance in that game, but we took the challenge & SKUNKED 'em 27 zip! Costello always seemed to be there for the key plays. He was a "clutch player".

Mike

I think it was Galen Fiss who actually came up with the defensive game plan against the colts for that game..

Mike

As much that has been written about the Jets huge upset of the Colts in Super Bowl III, the Browns were huge underdogs in '64 too. 

Zombo said:

We are quickly losing the Great 1964 Champions.

Time for another generation of Champions...

Zombo

We're past long overdue...

RIP Vince.

Mike