The 1983 Cleveland Browns season was the team's 34th season with the National Football League.
Season summary
In a season which was eerily similar to the 1979 campaign, which was arguably the beginning of "The Kardiac Kids" period, seven contests were decided by seven points or less, with the Browns going 4–3. Like the '79 and '80 seasons, the Browns scored often and gave up almost as many points, with the Browns scoring 356 to their opponents' 342. Quarterback Brian Sipe, in his last season with the Browns before jumping to the USFL, had 26 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions, nearly the same ratio (28-to-26) he had had in 1979. It was a good way to go out for Sipe, who had lost his starting job to Paul McDonald late in the 1982 season and then re-gained it in the '83 training camp. Fullback Mike Pruitt, in his last great season with the Browns, rushed for 1,184 yards. And finally, in his last season in Cleveland before being traded to the Denver Broncos, wide receiver Dave Logan was second on the team in receptions with 37, but that was far behind the team-record 89 hauled in by Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome in a season that could be dubbed "The Kardiac Kids' Last Hurrah".
Offseason
NFL draft The following were selected in the 1983 NFL draft. 1983 Cleveland Browns draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes241Ron BrownWide receiver Arizona State368Reggie CampDefensive end California5122Bill ContzOffensive tackle Penn State6145Tim StrackaTight end Wisconsin6149Dave PuzzuoliNose tackle Pittsburgh7176Rocky BelkWide receiver Miami8209Mike McClearnGuard Temple10262Thomas HopkinsOffensive tackle Alabama A&M11288Boyce GreenRunning back Carson Newman College11305Howard McAdooLinebacker Michigan State12316Paul FarrenOffensive tackle Boston University
Undrafted free agents
+ 1983 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeTodd CampbellNose tackleWest Virginia
Personnel Staff / Coaches
Roster 1983 Cleveland Browns roster Quarterbacks 12 Rick Trocano 16 Paul McDonald 17 Brian Sipe
Running backs 25 Charles White (IR) 26 Dino Hall 30 Boyce Green 38 Johnny Davis 42 Dwight Walker 43 Mike Pruitt
Wide receivers 80 Willis Adams 83 Ricky Feacher 85 Dave Logan 88 Rocky Belk 89 Bobby Jones
Tight ends 81 Harry Holt 82 Ozzie Newsome 87 Tim Stracka Offensive linemen 54 Tom DeLeone C 61 Mike Baab C 63 Cody Risien T 64 Joe DeLamielleure G 68 Robert Jackson G 70 Thomas Hopkins T 73 Doug Dieken T 74 Paul Farren G 75 Bill Contz T
Defensive linemen 72 Dave Puzzuoli NT 79 Bob Golic NT 94 Elvis Franks DE 96 Reggie Camp DE 97 Thomas Brown DE 99 Keith Baldwin DE Linebackers 50 Tom Cousineau ILB 51 Eddie Johnson ILB 52 Dick Ambrose LB (IR) 55 Curtis Weathers OLB 56 Chip Banks OLB 57 Clay Matthews OLB 58 Scott Nicolas ILB 59 Dale Carver OLB
Defensive backs 21 Mike Whitwell FS 22 Clarence Scott SS 29 Hanford Dixon CB 31 Al Gross FS 40 Rod Perry CB 47 Larry Braziel CB 48 Lawrence Johnson CB 49 Clinton Burrell S (IR)
Special teams 7 Jeff Gossett P 9 Matt Bahr K 15 Steve Cox P
rookies in italics
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 September 4 Minnesota Vikings L 21–27 0–1 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 70,087 Recap 2 September 11 at Detroit Lions W 31–26 1–1 Pontiac Silverdome 60,095 Recap 3 Cincinnati Bengals W 17–7 2–1 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 79,700 Recap 4 September 25 at San Diego Chargers W 30–24 3–1 Jack Murphy Stadium 49,482 Recap 5 October 2 Seattle Seahawks L 9–24 3–2 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 75,446 Recap 6 October 9 New York Jets W 10–7 4–2 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 78,235 Recap 7 October 16 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 17–44 4–3 Three Rivers Stadium 59,263 Recap 8 October 23 at Cincinnati Bengals L 21–28 4–4 Riverfront Stadium 50,047 Recap 9 October 30 Houston Oilers W 25–19 5–4 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 68,851 Recap 10 November 6 at Green Bay Packers L 21–35 5–5 Milwaukee County Stadium 54,089 Recap 11 November 13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 20–0 6–5 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 56,091 Recap 12 November 20 at New England Patriots W 30–0 7–5 Sullivan Stadium 40,987 Recap 13 November 27 Baltimore Colts W 41–23 8–5 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 65,812 Recap 14 December 4 at Denver Broncos L 6–27 8–6 Mile High Stadium 70,912 Recap 15 December 11 at Houston Oilers L 27–34 8–7 Houston Astrodome 29,746 Recap 16 December 18 Pittsburgh Steelers W 30–17 9–7 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 72,313 Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 2 TV Network: NBC Announcers: Jay Randolph and Gene Washington Brian Sipe throws four touchdowns to lead the Browns to a 31-26 win at Detroit. Sipe becomes Cleveland's career leader, raising his TD total to 135 (surpassing Frank Ryan) with throws to Ricky Feacher, Mike Pruitt, Ozzie Newsome and Dave Logan. Pruitt also rushes for 137 yards.
Week 4 TV Network: NBC Announcers: Jay Randolph and Bob Chandler Harry Holt, a 25-year-old NFL rookie, catches a 48-yard touchdown pass from Sipe on Cleveland's fourth play of overtime as The Browns beat The Chargers, 30-24, at San Diego. Holt catches his first NFL touchdown after Matt Bahr forces overtime with a 32-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in regulation.
Week 6 TV Network: NBC Announcers: Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen Linebacker Tom Cousineau records 15 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery while leading Cleveland to a 10-7 win over the New York Jets. His interception stops a Jets drive at the Browns' 5-yard line and his fumble recovery stops New York at the Cleveland 9. The Browns' only touchdown is scored by wide receiver Bobby Jones on a 32-yard pass from Sipe.
Week 8 TV Network: NBC Announcers: Bob Costas, Bob Trumpy
The Browns lose a tough one at Cincinnati, 28-21, when Bengals' cornerback Ken Riley intercepts a Sipe pass and returns it 42 yards for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Riley's 60th career interception spoils a three-TD pass performance by Sipe.
Week 12 TV Network: NBC Announcers: Phil Stone, Reggie Rucker
After going eight seasons without a shutout, the Browns made it two straight with a 30-0 rout of the Patriots at Foxboro. One week after posting a 20-0 win over Tampa Bay, Pruitt runs for 136 yards and Matt Bahr kicks three field goals. The defensive star is linebacker Chip Banks, who returns an interception 65 yards for a touchdown and records two sacks. Cousineau and Hanford Dixon each intercept two passes.
Standings
Awards and records Brian Sipe, NFL Leader, Touchdown Passes (26), Tied with another player
References
External links 1983 Cleveland Browns at Pro Football Reference 1983 Cleveland Browns Statistics at jt-sw.com 1983 Cleveland Browns Schedule at jt-sw.com at DatabaseFootball.com