The 2011 season was the Cleveland Browns' 59th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 63rd overall. They were eliminated from playoff contention in Week 14 and ultimately finished with a 4–12 record, one win less than in 2010 season, when they finished 5–11 and placed third in the AFC North. This season marked the second season under the leadership of team president Mike Holmgren and general manager Tom Heckert, as well as the first season under head coach Pat Shurmur. The Browns played all of their home games at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.
Off-season
Personnel changes On January 3, 2011, one day after the 2010 season, the Browns fired head coach Eric Mangini. In two seasons with the Browns, Mangini had a record of 10–22 and a disappointing 2–10 record against division opponents.
On January 13, the team hired former St. Louis Rams' offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur to replace Mangini as head coach. Shurmur served as the Rams' offensive coordinator from 2009–2010, and was an offensive assistant with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999–2008. This is his first opportunity as an NFL head coach.
On January 21, Shurmur made his first addition to the coaching staff, by hiring Dick Jauron as defensive coordinator. Jauron, who most recently served as the Philadelphia Eagles' secondary coach, has served as defensive coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 1995–98, head coach of the Chicago Bears from 1999–2003, and head coach of the Buffalo Bills from 2006–09. Jauron replaces Rob Ryan, who became the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys.
On January 25, the Browns hired Chris Tabor as special teams coordinator. Tabor most recently served as the Chicago Bears' assistant special teams coach from 2008–2010. Tabor replaces Brad Seely, who became the special teams coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers.
On January 31, the Browns added four new coaches to their staff. The Browns hired former Oakland Raiders defensive line coach Dwaine Board as defensive line coach, former Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Billy Davis as linebackers coach, former University of Miami offensive coordinator Mark Whipple as quarterbacks coach, and former NFL wide receiver Mike Wilson as wide receivers coach.
The rest of the Browns' position coaches were retained from Mangini's staff. The Browns have not hired an offensive coordinator, as Shurmur intends to call the offensive plays for the team.
Scheme Changes This season marks the Browns' transition into the West Coast Offense of Coach Pat Shurmur and the 4–3 defense of defensive coordinator Dick Jauron.
Roster changes
Free Agency Pos. Player 2011 Team Signed DE Titus Adams UFA RB Mike Bell UFA Lions August 9 OLB Marcus Benard ERFA Browns July 29 ILB Titus Brown ERFA Browns August 3 ILB Blake Costanzo UFA 49ers August 3 K Phil Dawson UFA Browns July 29QBJake DelhommeUFATexansNovember 29 SS Abram Elam UFA Cowboys August 3 TE Greg Estandia UFA ILB D'Qwell Jackson UFA Browns March 3 DE Jayme Mitchell UFA Browns August 1 TE Evan Moore ERFA Browns July 29 FS Sabby Piscitelli UFA Chiefs August 4 DE Derreck Robinson UFA Browns July 31 OLB Matt Roth UFA Jaguars August 12 DE Brian Schaefering ERFA Browns July 29 TE Alex Smith UFA Browns August 1 DE Robaire Smith UFA FS Nick Sorensen UFA WR Chansi Stuckey UFA Cardinals July 29 ILB Jason Trusnik UFA Dolphins July 29 FB Lawrence Vickers UFA Texans August 3 QB Seneca Wallace UFA Browns March 3 G Floyd Womack UFA Cardinals July 31 CB Eric Wright UFA Lions July 31 G Billy Yates UFA Browns July 29 Player re-signed by Browns F The Browns placed the franchise tag on Dawson
Pos. Player Released 2011 Team Signed LB Eric Alexander July 28 LB Eric Barton February 9 LB David Bowens February 9 DE Kenyon Coleman February 9 Cowboys July 29 QB Jake Delhomme July 28 TE Tyson DeVree July 28 Colts July 31 DT Shaun Rogers February 9 Saints March 1 TE Robert Royal February 9 T John St. Clair February 9
Signings Pos. Player 2010 Team Signed RB Brandon Jackson Packers July 29 P Richmond McGee Bears August 3 CB Dmitri Patterson Eagles August 2 FS Usama Young Saints July 29
Trades
Date Trade Partner(s) Player(s) Traded Player(s) Acquired Notes July 29 St. Louis Rams 2012 conditional 7th round Draft Pick G John Greco
2011 Draft class
Round Pick Player Position College Signed Notes 1 21 Phil Taylor Defensive tackle Baylor August 2From Kansas CityOn Day 1 of the draft, after trading with Atlanta (see below) the Browns traded their 1st and 3rd round picks (Nos. 27 and 70, used to select Jon Baldwin and Justin Houston, respectively) to the Kansas City Chiefs for their first round selection (No. 21, used to select Phil Taylor) 2 37 Jabaal Sheard Defensive end Pittsburgh July 29 59 Greg Little Wide receiver North Carolina July 29From AtlantaOn Day 1 of the draft, the Browns traded their 1st round pick (No. 6, used to select Julio Jones) to the Atlanta Falcons for their 1st (No. 27, traded to Kansas City), 2nd (No. 59, used to select Greg Little), and 4th (No. 124, used to select Owen Marecic) round picks, as well as the Falcons' first and fourth round picks in 2012. 4 102 Jordan Cameron Tight end USC July 29 124 Owen Marecic Fullback Stanford July 29From Atlanta 5 137 Buster Skrine Cornerback Chattanooga July 29 150 Jason Pinkston Offensive tackle Pittsburgh July 29From NY Giants via MinnesotaOn day 3 of the draft, the Browns traded their two 6th round picks (Nos. 168 and 170, used to select DeMarcus Love and Mistral Raymond, respectively) to the Minnesota Vikings for their fifth round pick (No. 150, used to select Jason Pinkston). 7 248 Eric Hagg Safety Nebraska July 29Compensatory selection
The Browns did not have a 3rd or 6th round selection. The Browns traded their original 7th round selectionIn March 2010, the Browns traded their seventh round selection (No. 209, later traded to Detroit) to the Seattle Seahawks for QB Seneca Wallace but later received a new 7th round selection as a compensatory pick.
Undrafted free agents Pos. Player College Signed Cut OLB Derrick Addai Kentucky State July 29 August 3 G Dominic Alford Minnesota July 26 September 3 DT Kyle Anderson Georgetown College July 26 August 28 DT Andre Carroll Delaware State July 29 September 3 WR L.J. Castile Delta State July 29 September 3 CB James Dockery Oregon State July 26 OLB Archie Donald Toledo August 3 September 3 DE Jabari Fletcher Appalachian State July 26 August 28 T Calton Ford Norfolk State July 29 September 3 TE Evan Frosch TCU July 29 September 3 CB Carl Gettis Missouri July 26 September 3 OLB Eric Gordon Michigan State August 3 September 3 CB Darian Hagan Cal July 29 August 28 LB Benjamin Jacobs Fresno State July 29 WR Chris Matthews Kentucky July 26 September 3 WR Juan Nunez Western Michigan July 26 August 28 T Jarrod Shaw Tennessee July 29 September 3 RB Armond Smith Union College July 29 OLB Brian Smith Notre Dame July 26 September 3 OLB Sidney Tarver Tennessee State July 26 September 3 QB Troy Weatherhead Hillsdale College* July 26 August 28 K Jeff Wolfert Missouri July 29 August 28 MLB Alex Wujciak Maryland July 26 August 3 * Weatherhead also played for the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League.
Uniform changes On June 16, it was announced that the Browns would be wearing white jerseys for all home games. The Browns had previously worn white at home during the 1950s–1980s and again in the early 2000s. Because the home team for all Browns' away games chose to wear their colored jersey, the Browns wore the same uniform for all 16 games for the first time in franchise history (although the Browns wore their brown jerseys for three preseason games).
Staff Cleveland Browns 2011 staff Front office Owner – Randy Lerner President – Mike Holmgren Executive vice president of business operations – Bryan Wiedmeier General manager – Tom Heckert Vice president of football operations – Mark Schiefelbein Vice president of football administration – Matt Thomas Director of player personnel – Jon Sandusky Director of college scouting – John Spytek
Head coaches Head coach – Pat Shurmur Assistant to the head coach – Luke Steckel
Offensive coaches Quarterbacks – Mark Whipple Running backs – Gary Brown Wide receivers – Mike Wilson Tight ends – Steve Hagen Offensive line – George Warhop Senior offensive assistant – Keith Gilbertson Offensive assistant – Chris Beake Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Dick Jauron Defensive line – Dwaine Board Linebackers – Billy Davis Defensive backs – Jerome Henderson Senior defensive assistant – Ray Rhodes Defensive assistant – Chuck Bullough
Special teams coaches Special teams coordinator – Chris Tabor Special teams assistant – Shawn Mennenga
Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Kent Johnston Assistant strength and conditioning – Rick Lyle
Roster
Preseason
Schedule The Browns' preseason schedule was announced on April 12, 2011. Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 Green Bay Packers W 27–17 1–0 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 2 Detroit Lions L 28–30 1–1 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 3 at Philadelphia Eagles L 14–24 1–2 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 4 at Chicago Bears L 14–24 1–3 Soldier Field Recap
Roster Moves After the third preseason game, all NFL teams had to reduce their rosters to 80 players. On August 28, The Browns released eight players, the majority of them being undrafted free agents.
After the final preseason game, all teams had to reduce their rosters to 53 players. The Browns released 25 players and placed two players – RB Brandon Jackson and G Eric Steinbach – on injured reserve. Notable players released include QB Jarrett Brown and DB Coye Francies.
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 September 11 Cincinnati Bengals L 17–27 0–1 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 2 September 18 at Indianapolis Colts W 27–19 1–1 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 3 September 25 Miami Dolphins W 17–16 2–1 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 4 October 2 Tennessee Titans L 13–31 2–2 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 5 Bye 6 October 16 at Oakland Raiders L 17–24 2–3 O.co Coliseum Recap 7 October 23 Seattle Seahawks W 6–3 3–3 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 8 October 30 at San Francisco 49ers L 10–20 3–4 Candlestick Park Recap 9 November 6 at Houston Texans L 12–30 3–5 Reliant Stadium Recap 10 November 13 St. Louis Rams L 12–13 3–6 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 11 November 20 Jacksonville Jaguars W 14–10 4–6 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 12 November 27 at Cincinnati Bengals L 20–23 4–7 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 13 December 4 Baltimore Ravens L 10–24 4–8 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 14 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 3–14 4–9 Heinz Field Recap 15 December 18 at Arizona Cardinals L 17–20 4–10 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 16 December 24 at Baltimore Ravens L 14–20 4–11 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 17 January 1 Pittsburgh Steelers L 9–13 4–12 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap
Note: Intra-divisional opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The Browns began the season with a division game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals struck first, with two Mike Nugent field goals and a Jermaine Gresham touchdown reception. Down 13–0, the Browns struck back, with Colt McCoy completing two touchdown passes to give Cleveland the lead at halftime. Phil Dawson gave the Browns an insurance field goal, but late in the fourth, Bengals backup QB Bruce Gradkowski caught the Browns defense slow out of the huddle and hit A. J. Green for a 41-yard touchdown that proved to be the game winner. With the 27–17 loss, the Browns started the season 0–1.
Week 2: at Indianapolis Colts