1988 Cleveland Browns season

The 1988 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 39th season with the National Football League.

1988 Cleveland Browns season
Owner	Art Modell
General manager	Ernie Accorsi
Head coach	Marty Schottenheimer
Home field	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Local radio	WWWE · WDOK
Results
Record	10–6
Division place	2nd AFC Central
Playoff finish	Lost Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Oilers) 23–24
Pro Bowlers	OLB Clay Matthews Jr. CB Hanford Dixon CB Frank Minnifield

Despite taking the Browns to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, head coach Marty Schottenheimer was fired at the end of the 1988 season. He left the Browns having compiled a record of 44–27 (a 62% winning percentage) with the team. (Schottenheimer would later go through a similar scenario with the San Diego Chargers: they fired him after the 2006 season, during which the Chargers posted a 14–2 record and then lost their first playoff game.) The Browns finished the season with a 10–6 record, tied for second place in the AFC Central with the Houston Oilers. The Browns were awarded second place by posting a better division record than the Oilers. The Browns clinched a playoff berth for the 4th straight season. In the playoffs, they lost to the Oilers in the Wild Card game, 24–23. As of 2023, this remains the last time the Browns swept the Steelers.

Offseason

NFL Draft

1988 Cleveland Browns draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	21	Clifford Charlton	OLB	Florida
2	50	Michael Dean Perry *	DT	Clemson
3	77	Van Waiters	OLB	Indiana
4	103	Anthony Blaylock	CB	Winston-Salem State
7	188	Thane Gash	S	East Tennessee State
8	216	J.J. Birden	WR	Oregon
9	244	Danny Copeland	DB	Eastern Kentucky
10	272	Brian Washington	DB	Nebraska
11	300	Hendley Hawkins	WR	Nebraska
12	328	Steve Slayden	QB	Duke
Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Personnel

Staff

1988 Cleveland Browns staff

Front office President and owner – Art Modell Executive vice-president of football operations – Ernie Accorsi Head coaches Head coach – Marty Schottenheimer Offensive coaches Quarterbacks – Marc Trestman Running backs – Joe Pendry Receivers – Richard Mann Tight ends – Ray Braun Offensive line – Howard Mudd

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Dave Adolph Defensive line – Tom Pratt Secondary – Bill Cowher Special assistant/defense – Darvin Wallis Special teams coaches Special teams – Kurt Schottenheimer Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Dave Redding

Roster

1988 Cleveland Browns roster

	Quarterbacks 19 Bernie Kosar 10 Mike Pagel 12 Don Strock Running backs 43 Tony Baker 44 Earnest Byner 28 Herman Fontenot KR 34 Kevin Mack 42 Tim Manoa FB Wide receivers 86 Brian Brennan 88 Reggie Langhorne 89 Gerald McNeil PR 84 Webster Slaughter 85 Clarence Weathers 83 Glen Young KR Tight ends 82 Ozzie Newsome 81 Derek Tennell		Offensive linemen 77 Rickey Bolden T 74 Paul Farren T 69 Dan Fike G 66 Tony Jones G/T 73 Gregg Rakoczy C 63 Cody Risien T 70 Larry Williams G 64 Frank Winters C/LS Defensive linemen 91 Sam Clancy DE 79 Bob Golic DT 78 Carl Hairston DE 95 Marlon Jones DE 92 Michael Dean Perry DT 99 Darryl Sims DE		Linebackers 58 Clifford Charlton OLB 56 David Grayson OLB 51 Eddie Johnson ILB 59 Mike Johnson ILB 54 Mike Junkin ILB 57 Clay Matthews OLB 50 Van Waiters LB Defensive backs 36 Stephen Braggs CB 29 Hanford Dixon CB 30 Thane Gash SS 23 Mark Harper CB 35 Will Hill SS 31 Frank Minnifield CB 48 Brian Washington SS 22 Felix Wright FS Special teams 9 Matt Bahr K 4 Max Runager P		Reserve lists 87 JJ Birden WR (PUPTooltip Physically unable to perform) 24 Anthony Blaylock CB (IRTooltip Injured reserve) 72 Charles Buchanan DE (IRTooltip Injured reserve) 39 Danny Copeland S (IRTooltip Injured reserve) 18 Gary Danielson QB (IRTooltip Injured reserve)  8 Jeff Jaeger K (IRTooltip Injured reserve) -- Jeff Modesitt TE (IRTooltip Injured reserve) 75 Chris Pike DT (IRTooltip Injured reserve) 38 George Swarn RB (IRTooltip Injured reserve) Practice squad None 47 active, 9 inactive Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	September 4	at Kansas City Chiefs	W 6–3	1–0	Arrowhead Stadium	55,654	Recap
2	September 11	New York Jets	L 3–23	1–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	74,434	Recap
3	September 19	Indianapolis Colts	W 23–17	2–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	75,148	Recap
4	September 25	at Cincinnati Bengals	L 17–24	2–2	Riverfront Stadium	54,943	Recap
5	October 2	at Pittsburgh Steelers	W 23–9	3–2	Three Rivers Stadium	56,410	Recap
6	October 9	Seattle Seahawks	L 10–16	3–3	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	78,605	Recap
7	October 16	Philadelphia Eagles	W 19–3	4–3	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	78,787	Recap
8	October 23	at Phoenix Cardinals	W 29–21	5–3	Sun Devil Stadium	61,261	Recap
9	October 30	Cincinnati Bengals	W 23–16	6–3	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	79,147	Recap
10	November 7	at Houston Oilers	L 17–24	6–4	Houston Astrodome	51,467	Recap
11	November 13	at Denver Broncos	L 7–30	6–5	Mile High Stadium	75,806	Recap
12	November 20	Pittsburgh Steelers	W 27–7	7–5	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	77,131	Recap
13	November 27	at Washington Redskins	W 17–13	8–5	RFK Stadium	51,604	Recap
14	December 4	Dallas Cowboys	W 24–21	9–5	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	77,683	Recap
15	December 12	at Miami Dolphins	L 31–38	9–6	Joe Robbie Stadium	61,884	Recap
16	December 18	Houston Oilers	W 28–23	10–6	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	74,610	Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Postseason

See also: 1988–89 NFL playoffs

Round	Date	Opponent (seed)	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
Wild Card	December 24	Houston Oilers (5)	L 23–24	0–1	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Recap

Game summaries

Week 1

1 2 3 4 Total • Browns 0 3 0 3 6 Chiefs 0 3 0 0 3 Date: September 4 Location: Arrowhead Stadium Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 55,654 Game weather: 65 °F or 18.3 °C; wind 13 miles per hour (21 km/h; 11 kn) Referee: Jim Tunney Television network: NBC

Scoring summary Q2 KC Lowery 33-yard field goal KC 3–0 Q2 CLE Bahr 19-yard field goal Tie 3–3 Q4 CLE Bahr 38-yard field goal CLE 6–3

Week 9

1 2 3 4 Total Bengals 0 10 3 3 16 • Browns 3 7 10 3 23 Date: October 30 Location: Cleveland Municipal Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game weather: 38 °F or 3.3 °C; wind 9 miles per hour (14 km/h; 7.8 kn) Referee: Dick Jorgensen TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen

Scoring summary Q1 CLE Bahr 34-yard field goal CLE 3–0 Q2 CIN Fulcher 16-yard interception return (Breech kick) CIN 7–3 Q2 CLE Manoa 2-yard run (Bahr kick) CLE 10–7 Q2 CIN Breech 19-yard field goal Tie 10–10 Q3 CLE Bahr 39-yard field goal CLE 13–10 Q3 CLE Fontenot 1 yard blocked punt return (Bahr kick) CLE 20–10 Q3 CIN Breech 32-yard field goal CLE 20–13 Q4 CLE Bahr 29-yard field goal CLE 23–13 Q4 CIN Breech 22-yard field goal CLE 23–16

Week 14

1 2 3 4 Total Cowboys 0 14 0 7 21 • Browns 7 3 0 14 24 Date: December 4 Location: Cleveland Municipal Stadium Game start: 1:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 77,683 Game weather: 35 °F or 1.7 °C; wind 16 miles per hour (26 km/h; 14 kn) Referee: Jerry Seeman TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz and Kenny Stabler

Scoring summary Q1 CLE Langhorne 73-yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick) CLE 7–0 Q2 DAL Clack 7-yard pass from Pelluer (Ruzek kick) Tie 7–7 Q2 CLE Bahr 25-yard field goal CLE 10–7 Q2 DAL Folsom 5-yard pass from Peuller (Ruzek kick) DAL 14–10 Q4 CLE Fontenot 14-yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick) CLE 17–14 Q4 CLE Weathers 36-yard pass from Kosar (Bahr kick) CLE 24–14 Q4 DAL Walker 4-yard run (Ruzek kick) CLE 24–21

Week 16

1 2 3 4 Total Oilers 10 6 7 0 23 • Browns 0 7 7 14 28 Date: December 18 Location: Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio Game start: 1:00 p.m. Game attendance: 74,610 Game weather: Snow; 20 °F or −6.7 °C; wind 13 miles per hour (21 km/h; 11 kn) Referee: Dick Jorgensen TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy

Scoring summary Q1 HOU Tony Zendejas 39-yard field goal HOU 3–0 Q1 HOU Domingo Bryant 36-yard interception return (Tony Zendejas kick) HOU 10–0 Q2 CLE Michael Dean Perry 10-yard fumble return (Matt Bahr kick) HOU 10–7 Q2 HOU Tony Zendejas 42-yard field goal HOU 13–7 Q2 HOU Tony Zendejas 35-yard field goal HOU 16–7 Q3 HOU Haywood Jeffires 7-yard pass from Warren Moon (Tony Zendejas kick) HOU 23–7 Q3 CLE Earnest Byner 2-yard pass from Don Strock (Matt Bahr kick) HOU 23–14 Q4 CLE Earnest Byner 2-yard run (Matt Bahr kick) HOU 23–21 Q4 CLE Webster Slaughter 22-yard pass from Don Strock (Matt Bahr kick) CLE 28–23

Standings

AFC Central
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Cincinnati Bengals(1)	12	4	0	.750	4–2	8–4	448	329	W1
Cleveland Browns(4)	10	6	0	.625	4–2	6–6	304	288	W1
Houston Oilers(5)	10	6	0	.625	3–3	7–5	424	365	L1
Pittsburgh Steelers	5	11	0	.313	1–5	4–8	336	421	W1

Playoffs

AFC wild card game

Houston Oilers 24, Cleveland Browns 23

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Oilers	0	14	0	10	24
Browns	3	6	7	7	23

at Cleveland Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Game time: 1:30 p.m. EST
• Game attendance: 74,977
• Referee: Jerry Seeman
• TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy

Oilers cornerback Richard Johnson's interception set up kicker Tony Zendejas' game-clinching 49-yard field goal with 1:54 left in the game. After the Browns scored first on a 33-yard field goal by Matt Bahr, Houston marched 91 yards to score on quarterback Warren Moon's 14-yard touchdown pass to running back Allen Pinkett. Then on Cleveland's next drive, Oilers defensive lineman Richard Byrd recovered quarterback Don Strock's fumble to set up Pinkett's 16-yard touchdown run. Bahr later made two field goals to cut Houston's lead, 14–9, before halftime. In the third quarter, backup quarterback Mike Pagel, who replaced an injured Strock, threw a 14-yard touchdown completion to wide receiver Webster Slaughter to put the Browns ahead, 16–14. However, the Oilers marched on a 76-yard drive that was capped with running back Lorenzo White's 1-yard rushing touchdown. After Johnson's interception and Zendejas' subsequent game-clinching 49-yard field goal, Slaughter caught a 2-yard touchdown reception to close out the scoring.

External links

• 1988 Cleveland Browns at Pro Football Reference (Profootballreference.com)
• 1988 Cleveland Browns Statistics at jt-sw.com
• 1988 Cleveland Browns Schedule at jt-sw.com
• 1988 Cleveland Browns at DatabaseFootball.com