@icecube said:

@dutch-oven said:

Kevin Mack: Great 80s RB, had a 1000 yard rushing season with Byner in his rookie season of 1985, got busted for cocaine during the 1989 season. 

Earnest Byner: Great all-around RB in the same era as Mack, I always remember him being dirty with his jersey untucked. Sadly remembered mostly for his fumble in the '87 AFC Championship Game. 

Bernie Kosar: When Cleveland was a punchline, Kosar orchestrated a way to get to Cleveland. Career derailed due to injuries.

Michael Dean Perry: Very athletic DT who was a far superior player to his more famous brother.

Hanford Dixon: One of the best CBs of the 80s, came up with "Dawg Pound". 

Frank Minnifield: Probably a notch below Dixon in talent, but still a great corner. 

Webster Slaughter: The most dynamic WR of the Kosar era, I remember him painting his shoes orange during the '89 season.

Eric Metcalf: Dynamic playmaker who was a highlight machine. Never will forget his two punt return TDs to beat the Steelers.

Mike Johnson: Quietly one of the best LBs the Browns have ever had.

Leroy Hoard: Had a really good run in the playoff season of 1994. Made a ton of big plays that season. 

Tommy Vardell: Tried hard, but was pretty much a bust. 

Eric Turner: Helluva safety, Rest in Peace. 

Tom Cousineau: Ohio State LB who was an absolute bust for the Browns. 

The guys highlighted  made up the core of players who should have gone to the Super Bowl at least once in the mid to late 80s.

The others came later in the 90s. 

@ibleedbrown said:

These were the players of my formative years, my baptizing into Browns fandom. I know most of them pretty well and will pick and choose nuggets of interest for some of them.

Kevin Mack: one of my earliest memories of a player that dealt with a drug suspension. Cocaine l believe. And l recall when he came back from the suspension he played like a beast, like he had something to prove.

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Didn't he run over one of the better Steelers of those days? Woodson? I recall a video of Rod saying Mack was one player who he was afraid to tackle. And Rod was no Dieon Sanders; he liked contact and tackling. But not Mack.

Bernie Kosar: love that guy. My personal gold standard of what a good Browns QB should look like since l don’t remember the ones before him. At one point held the record for consecutive passes without an Int. Does he still? And man did he look like a goofy mofo when he ran with the ball. 

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Sipe was the only Browns' QB who I recall who was decent before Bernie. His #'s were nothing special for these days, but he used to pull out a lot of wins in the last 2 minutes. 

Michael Dean Perry: lil bro of the fridge. My recollection is he had a wicked first step and could time the snap well. I remember plays the ball was mid air to the QB snd he’s splitting Olinemen on the way to the QB.

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He had a nice burst and was a disrupter. Better than more famous brother.

Frank Minnifield: Mighty Minni my aunt called him. Dude was good.

Webster Slaughter: part of the best trio the Browns had in my lifetime, threatened only by the group we have now. I work with Webster’s cousin Ernie. Real nice guy, and plays guitar.

Eric Metcalf: lightening in a bottle. Damn he was fun to watch when he was going good.

Tommy Vardell: Touchdown Tommy Vardell. The high hopes we had for him. I seem to recall he was a Christian Science guy and it was a big deal when he had to settle for western medicine fairly early in his career when he got hurt.

Kevin Mack: one of my earliest memories of a player that dealt with a drug suspension. Cocaine l believe. And l recall when he came back from the suspension he played like a beast, like he had something to prove.

Bernie Kosar: love that guy. My personal gold standard of what a good Browns QB should look like since l don’t remember the ones before him. At one point held the record for consecutive passes without an Int. Does he still? And man did he look like a goofy mofo when he ran with the ball. 

Michael Dean Perry: lil bro of the fridge. My recollection is he had a wicked first step and could time the snap well. I remember plays the ball was mid air to the QB snd he’s splitting Olinemen on the way to the QB.

Frank Minnifield: Mighty Minni my aunt called him. Dude was good.

Webster Slaughter: part of the best trio the Browns had in my lifetime, threatened only by the group we have now. I work with Webster’s cousin Ernie. Real nice guy, and plays guitar.

Eric Metcalf: lightening in a bottle. Damn he was fun to watch when he was going good.

Tommy Vardell: Touchdown Tommy Vardell. The high hopes we had for him. I seem to recall he was a Christian Science guy and it was a big deal when he had to settle for western medicine fairly early in his career when he got hurt.

@dutch-oven said:

Kevin Mack: Great 80s RB, had a 1000 yard rushing season with Byner in his rookie season of 1985, got busted for cocaine during the 1989 season. 

Earnest Byner: Great all-around RB in the same era as Mack, I always remember him being dirty with his jersey untucked. Sadly remembered mostly for his fumble in the '87 AFC Championship Game. 

Bernie Kosar: When Cleveland was a punchline, Kosar orchestrated a way to get to Cleveland. Career derailed due to injuries.

Michael Dean Perry: Very athletic DT who was a far superior player to his more famous brother.

Hanford Dixon: One of the best CBs of the 80s, came up with "Dawg Pound". 

Frank Minnifield: Probably a notch below Dixon in talent, but still a great corner. 

Webster Slaughter: The most dynamic WR of the Kosar era, I remember him painting his shoes orange during the '89 season.

Eric Metcalf: Dynamic playmaker who was a highlight machine. Never will forget his two punt return TDs to beat the Steelers.

Mike Johnson: Quietly one of the best LBs the Browns have ever had.

Leroy Hoard: Had a really good run in the playoff season of 1994. Made a ton of big plays that season. 

Tommy Vardell: Tried hard, but was pretty much a bust. 

Eric Turner: Helluva safety, Rest in Peace. 

Tom Cousineau: Ohio State LB who was an absolute bust for the Browns. 

Spot on, Dutch. And Kosar did get them out of the doldrums. The Bernie-Marty era had them right there, 2 AFCC games. Could have won both. 

@dutch-oven said:

Jesus you've been extra "Gipperish" this week. 

You mean extra intelligent and insightful?

@icecube said:

 I'm doing this off the top of my head. 

Kevin Mack--and Leroy Kelly were the next best thing to JB that i never saw play as a Brown..dad said, "they weren't even close to JB skillset"..

Earnest Byner--smart workhorse.knew how to coil before contact.still can't image how terrible he felt..Only in Cleveland..we & he got over it..(with beers & tears)

Bernie Kosar-- lacked a laser in the strike zone..but god the man could work the edges where no defender was..

Dixon--Dad's 2nd jersey he gave me at Xmas..Ballhawk 1--the loudest barker of the Muni 

Minnifield--Dad's 1st jersey he bought for me at the Muni--Ballhawk 2

Webster Slaughter--still best WR name in the business..crazy long arms to cradle football 

Eric Metcalf--his high leg stride, never matched his crazy feet cuts. it was insane for a small man..great tearaway jerseys too..(or was that Pruitt?)

Eric Turner--never missed a 4 car trainwreck..so sad

Brian Brennan---Fearless, Gritty with the best small hands in the business..took a while, than came Wes Welker to Julian Edelman 

@orion said:

I became a Browns fan back when Christ was a kid...

Thoughts and prayers on him getting whacked by the Romans... 

@the-gipper said:

Not that far, that would likely be you.

Well ole Teddy tole me to look for that guy after I retired from the Rough Riders.?

@the-gipper said:

I go back  quite a bit further than just those "old" players..

Jesus you've been extra "Gipperish" this week. 

@texasag1969 said:

Jim Thorpe-Canton Bulldogs?

Not that far, that would likely be you.

@the-gipper said:

I go bakl quite a bit further than just those "old" players..

Jim Thorpe-Canton Bulldogs?

@icecube said:

So, I can't force anyone not to look up these old players on the net, but I am curious how much how many of you know about these past Browns. I'm doing this off the top of my head. 

What do you recall about these past players?

Kevin Mack

Earnest Byner

Bernie Kosar

Michael Dean Perry

Dixon

Minnifield

Webster Slaughter

Eric Metcalf

Mike Johnson

Leroy Hoard

Tommy Vardell

Eric Turner

Brian Brennan

Tom Cousineau 

I go back  quite a bit further than just those "old" players..

Earnest Byner: Great all-around RB in the same era as Mack, I always remember him being dirty with his jersey untucked. Sadly remembered mostly for his fumble in the '87 AFC Championship Game. 

Bernie Kosar: When Cleveland was a punchline, Kosar orchestrated a way to get to Cleveland. Career derailed due to injuries.

Michael Dean Perry: Very athletic DT who was a far superior player to his more famous brother.

Hanford Dixon: One of the best CBs of the 80s, came up with "Dawg Pound". 

Frank Minnifield: Probably a notch below Dixon in talent, but still a great corner. 

Webster Slaughter: The most dynamic WR of the Kosar era, I remember him painting his shoes orange during the '89 season.

Eric Metcalf: Dynamic playmaker who was a highlight machine. Never will forget his two punt return TDs to beat the Steelers.

Mike Johnson: Quietly one of the best LBs the Browns have ever had.

Leroy Hoard: Had a really good run in the playoff season of 1994. Made a ton of big plays that season. 

Tommy Vardell: Tried hard, but was pretty much a bust. 

Eric Turner: Helluva safety, Rest in Peace. 

Tom Cousineau: Ohio State LB who was an absolute bust for the Browns.