20 Years Later, Art Modell Still Did The Browns Wrong

Skip to main contentCome Fan with UsThursday, February 12, 2026SBNation.com homepageSB NationSB Nation logoNotificationsNotifications

• The Feed
• Breakaway
• Betting
  • FanDuel Sportsbook Odds
  • FanDuel Daily Fantasy Sports
  • Betting Picks and Predictions
• NFL
  • Today's NFL Trivia
  • All NFL
  • Fantasy Football
  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Baltimore Ravens
  • Buffalo Bills
  • Carolina Panthers
  • Chicago Bears
  • Cincinnati Bengals
  • Cleveland Browns
  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Denver Broncos
  • Detroit Lions
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Houston Texans
  • Indianapolis Colts
  • Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Kansas City Chiefs
  • Las Vegas Raiders
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • Miami Dolphins
  • Minnesota Vikings
  • New England Patriots
  • New Orleans Saints
  • New York Giants
  • New York Jets
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Los Angeles Chargers
  • San Francisco 49ers
  • Seattle Seahawks
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Tennessee Titans
  • Washington Commanders
• NBA
  • All NBA
  • WNBA
  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New York Knicks
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards
• MLB
  • Today's MLB Trivia
  • All MLB
  • Arizona Diamondbacks
  • Atlanta Braves
  • Baltimore Orioles
  • Boston Red Sox
  • Chicago Cubs
  • Chicago White Sox
  • Cincinnati Reds
  • Cleveland Guardians
  • Colorado Rockies
  • Detroit Tigers
  • Houston Astros
  • Kansas City Royals
  • Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Milwaukee Brewers
  • Minnesota Twins
  • New York Mets
  • New York Yankees
  • Oakland Athletics
  • Philadelphia Phillies
  • Pittsburgh Pirates
  • San Diego Padres
  • San Francisco Giants
  • Seattle Mariners
  • St. Louis Cardinals
  • Tampa Bay Rays
  • Texas Rangers
  • Toronto Blue Jays
  • Washington Nationals
• CFB
  • All CFB
  • View team list
• CBB
  • Men’s CBB
  • Men’s Bracketology
  • Women’s CBB
  • View team list
• WNBA
  • All WNBA
  • Swish Appeal
  • Los Angeles Sparks
  • Minnesota Lynx
  • New York Liberty
  • Washington Mystics
• Soccer
  • Football Frenzy
  • All Soccer
  • English Premier League
  • Arsenal
  • Chelsea
  • Everton
  • Liverpool
  • Manchester City
  • Newcastle United
  • Tottenham Hotspur
  • Manchester United
  • German Bundesliga
  • Bayern Munich
  • Dortmund
  • Italian Serie A
  • AC Milan
  • Inter Milan
  • Juventus
  • AS Roma
  • Fiorentina
  • MLS
  • Spanish La Liga
  • Barcelona
  • Real Madrid
  • Atletico Madrid
  • Villarreal
  • Women’s Soccer
  • NWSL
  • Mexican Soccer
  • U.S. Soccer
  • Fantasy Soccer
  • View team list
• More

Navigation Drawer

• Login / Sign Up

closeCloseSearch

• VideoWatch
• PodcastListen
• In Five GamesPlay

• The Feed
• Breakaway
• BettingExpand
  • FanDuel Sportsbook Odds
  • FanDuel Daily Fantasy Sports
  • Betting Picks and Predictions
• NFLExpand
  • Today's NFL Trivia
  • All NFL
  • Fantasy Football
  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Atlanta Falcons
  • Baltimore Ravens
  • Buffalo Bills
  • Carolina Panthers
  • Chicago Bears
  • Cincinnati Bengals
  • Cleveland Browns
  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Denver Broncos
  • Detroit Lions
  • Green Bay Packers
  • Houston Texans
  • Indianapolis Colts
  • Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Kansas City Chiefs
  • Las Vegas Raiders
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • Miami Dolphins
  • Minnesota Vikings
  • New England Patriots
  • New Orleans Saints
  • New York Giants
  • New York Jets
  • Philadelphia Eagles
  • Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Los Angeles Chargers
  • San Francisco 49ers
  • Seattle Seahawks
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
  • Tennessee Titans
  • Washington Commanders
• NBAExpand
  • All NBA
  • WNBA
  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New York Knicks
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards
• MLBExpand
  • Today's MLB Trivia
  • All MLB
  • Arizona Diamondbacks
  • Atlanta Braves
  • Baltimore Orioles
  • Boston Red Sox
  • Chicago Cubs
  • Chicago White Sox
  • Cincinnati Reds
  • Cleveland Guardians
  • Colorado Rockies
  • Detroit Tigers
  • Houston Astros
  • Kansas City Royals
  • Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Milwaukee Brewers
  • Minnesota Twins
  • New York Mets
  • New York Yankees
  • Oakland Athletics
  • Philadelphia Phillies
  • Pittsburgh Pirates
  • San Diego Padres
  • San Francisco Giants
  • Seattle Mariners
  • St. Louis Cardinals
  • Tampa Bay Rays
  • Texas Rangers
  • Toronto Blue Jays
  • Washington Nationals
• CFBExpand
  • All CFB
  • View team list
• CBBExpand
  • Men’s CBB
  • Men’s Bracketology
  • Women’s CBB
  • View team list
• WNBAExpand
  • All WNBA
  • Swish Appeal
  • Los Angeles Sparks
  • Minnesota Lynx
  • New York Liberty
  • Washington Mystics
• SoccerExpand
  • Football Frenzy
  • All Soccer
  • English Premier League
  • Arsenal
  • Chelsea
  • Everton
  • Liverpool
  • Manchester City
  • Newcastle United
  • Tottenham Hotspur
  • Manchester United
  • German Bundesliga
  • Bayern Munich
  • Dortmund
  • Italian Serie A
  • AC Milan
  • Inter Milan
  • Juventus
  • AS Roma
  • Fiorentina
  • MLS
  • Spanish La Liga
  • Barcelona
  • Real Madrid
  • Atletico Madrid
  • Villarreal
  • Women’s Soccer
  • NWSL
  • Mexican Soccer
  • U.S. Soccer
  • Fantasy Soccer
  • View team list
• UFCExpand
  • MMA Fighting
  • MMA Fight Schedule
  • MMA Mania
• NHLExpand
  • All NHL
  • Boston Bruins
  • Carolina Hurricanes
  • Colorado Avalanche
  • New Jersey Devils
  • New York Islanders
  • Pittsburgh Penguins
• Golf
• F1
• Wrestling
• Boxing
• Secret Base Video
• Podcasts
• Newsletters
• Features
• Communities
• Product Updates & Ideas

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Threads
• Instagram
• Youtube
• RSS
• TikTok

SB NationSB Nation logo20 years later, Art Modell still did the Browns wrongNotificationsNotifications

• NFL

20 years later, Art Modell still did the Browns wrong

This is the 20-year anniversary of former Browns owner Art Modell announcing that he was moving the franchise to Baltimore.

by Alex ReimerOct 11, 2015, 3:00 PM UTC

• Facebook
• Link

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Twenty years after being involved in a major relocation controversy, it's fortuitous that the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens are playing each other this week, even though as AFC North rivals they meet twice a year.

This week, much of the conversation around the NFL this week revolved around relocation. NFL owners met Wednesday to discuss the efforts to move a team to Los Angeles, and it appears increasingly likely the league will return to the nation’s entertainment capital within the next couple of years.

Though the situation will undoubtedly be messy if/when the Rams, Chargers or Raiders abandon their current markets for LA's glitzier pastures, it's unlikely it will become quite as unhinged as the 1995 season in Cleveland. Sports teams are more than cash cows for billionaire owners -- they're public trusts. Few historical examples embody that more clearly than how Browns fans reacted when owner Art Modell announced in November 1995 he was transporting the franchise to Baltimore the following year.

Why did Modell move the Browns?

Like almost every relocation story, Modell’s dissatisfaction with the Browns’ lack of revenue spurred the move to Baltimore. The Browns shared Cleveland Stadium with the Indians for more than two decades, but then the Indians opened up a brand new new ballpark, Jacobs Field, in 1994. Modell operated Cleveland Stadium, so he lost a tenant when the Indians moved out.

The lack of revenue was too much for Modell to bear, and he announced midway through the 1995 season he was abandoning Cleveland for Baltimore. The NFL allowed Modell to retain the contracts of all players and team personnel.

How did Cleveland react?

U-G-L-Y. Browns fans wore “Muck Fodelll” shirts for the duration of the ‘95 campaign, and many high-profile companies –– including McDonald’s, Continental Airlines and Revco –– pulled their sponsorship. The city of Cleveland also partnered with fans in a lawsuit.

But perhaps no quote better encapsulates the rage Cleveland residents felt at the time than this offering from one Browns fan who purchased Modell’s toilet at an auction: “I wanted to see where Art Modell made all of his bad business decisions,” the fan said.

Salt in the wound

The especially cruel detail about the Browns leaving Cleveland in 1995 is that they were supposed to be really good. Like, Super Bowl contender good (Sports Illustrated predicted the Browns would be playing for the Lombardi Trophy that season). Head coach Bill Belichick led the Browns to a playoff appearance in 1994, and they started off the '95 campaign with a 3-1 record before dropping their next three contests. The losing persisted after Modell made his announcement, and Cleveland finished the gut-wrenching season with a 5-11 record.

The following spring, the Ravens selected both Ray Lewis and Jonathan Ogden in the first round of the draft. They won the Super Bowl just four years after leaving Cleveland. The Browns, meanwhile, have only posted two winning seasons since they were reactivated in 1999.

The Browns have never even made a Super Bowl appearance. They haven’t won an NFL championship since 1964, the last time a Cleveland pro sports team has won a title.

Polar opposites

Over the last 16 years, the Ravens have been one of the most successful franchises in the NFL whereas the Browns have been one of the worst. Baltimore has won 10 or more games nine times in that span, and made the playoffs on 10 occasions. The Ravens' most recent Super Bowl title came three years ago when they ousted the San Francisco 49ers. The Browns haven't even won a playoff game in that span.

Head-to-head, it’s even more brutal for the Browns, who have lost to their rivals 13 of the last 14 times. Overall, the Ravens hold a 24-8 edge in the series.

But though the two teams have gone in completely opposite directions since the move, they both stand at 1-3 this season. The Ravens are coming off an overtime win against the Steelers, largely thanks to two missed fourth-quarter field goals from Pittsburgh kicker Josh Scobee and questionable play calling from Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. The Browns, conversely, lost to the Chargers after San Diego's kicker Josh Lambo sent a 34-yarder through the uprights as time was expiring. (Lambo missed his first attempt, but in classic Browns fashion, they were flagged as offsides on the play.)

Whichever team wins Sunday will keep its playoff hopes alive, whereas the loser will likely have to start thinking about spending January on the golf course. Recent history says the Ravens will triumph and the Browns will fall, but given the timing of Sunday’s game, maybe the stars will align for Cleveland. It would be a welcome change of pace for Browns fans, who have had to watch their new team sputter over the last 16 years while the club that never should’ve left wins at a high level.

See More:

• NFL

SB Nation Daily Roundup

A daily roundup of all your sports news

Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.Advertiser Content From

This is the title for the native ad

More in NFL

Feb 11FromField GullsSeahawks expected to promote from within to replace Klint KubiakFeb 10Super Bowl logo conspiracy reveals the game in 2027Feb 10Day after Super Bowl is finally a holiday in 2027Feb 9The Patriots’ transient luck was always too good to be trueFeb 9Jake Paul’s Bad Bunny criticism was so stupid even he flip-flopped on itFeb 9Sam Darnold avoided ghosts to become a Super Bowl-winning QBNFLFromField GullsFeb 11NFLFromField GullsFeb 11Seahawks expected to promote from within to replace Klint KubiakBy Mookie AlexanderNFLFeb 10NFLFeb 10Super Bowl logo conspiracy reveals the game in 2027

CONSPIRACY TIME.

By James DatorNFLFeb 10NFLFeb 10Day after Super Bowl is finally a holiday in 2027

The day after the Super Bowl is finally a day off in 2027.

By Ricky O'DonnellNFLFeb 9NFLFeb 9The Patriots’ transient luck was always too good to be trueBy Oliver FoxNFLFeb 9NFLFeb 9Jake Paul’s Bad Bunny criticism was so stupid even he flip-flopped on it

Breaking: Jake Paul isn’t too smart

By James DatorNFLFeb 9NFLFeb 9Sam Darnold avoided ghosts to become a Super Bowl-winning QB

Sam Darnold came full circle to win the Super Bowl.

By Mark SchofieldAdvertiser Content From

This is the title for the native ad

The Latest

Feb 11Olympics medal count: Team USA tracker for every gold, silver, and bronzeFeb 11Neal Shipley’s ace shows the power of TGLFeb 11Olympics speed skating results: Team USA star sets record to outlast competitorsFeb 11Super Bowl halftime show predictions for 2027, featuring Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, and moreFeb 11F1 testing: Alpine’s rear wing stands out on the first dayFeb 11F1 testing: James Vowles hails ‘strong’ start for Williams