$Ranking Cleveland Browns\' Head Coaches Since 1999$

Ranking Cleveland Browns' Head Coaches Since 1999

By Dan Williams

Ranking Cleveland Browns' Head Coaches Since 1999

Mike Pettine — In January, the Cleveland Browns named Mike Pettine as their eighth head coach since the franchise returned in 1999. The previous coaches have been unsuccessful in reviving the franchise, so let's take a look at who they are and their place in the Browns' futile history since 1999.

7. Terry Robiskie, 2004 (Interim)

Terry Robiskie

7. Terry Robiskie, 2004 (Interim)

Terry Robiskie — Robiskie was thrown into the mix when Butch Davis was forced to resign during the 2004 season. Robiskie lost his first five games as the Browns' coach, but was able to win the season finale against the Houston Texans in Week 17. He was retained as the Browns' WR coach following the 2004 season.

Record: 1-5, .167 %, no playoff appearances

6. Chris Palmer, 1999-2000

Chris Palmer

6. Chris Palmer, 1999-2000

Chris Palmer — Becoming the first head coach of the Browns in the new era would have been a tall task for any incoming coach, but Palmer's two seasons in Cleveland were dismal. Given a team of expansion draft players and rookies, Palmer's prior success with the newly-formed Jaguars didn't carry over to the expansion Browns. He was let go after the 2000 season, failing to make the new Browns relevant in the NFL.

Record: 5-27, .156 %, no playoff appearances

5. Pat Shurmur, 2011-2012

Pat Shurmur

5. Pat Shurmur, 2011-2012

Pat Shurmur — Shurmur's hiring before the 2011 season was a surprise for those familiar with the NFL. Shurmur was previously the offensive coordinator for a St. Louis Rams team that only averaged a little over 14 points per game. His Cleveland Browns fared worse and he was fired prior to the 2013 season, ending his uneventful reign in Cleveland.

Record: 9-23, .281 %, no playoff appearances

4. Rob Chudzinski, 2013

Rob Chudzinski

4. Rob Chudzinski, 2013

Rob Chudzinski — Growing up in Toledo, Chud's dream was to coach the Cleveland Browns. But that dream was shattered when he was abruptly fired after the 2013 season. Chud's lack of success could be attributed to the Browns' lack of a quarterback. Shuffling through three QBs throughout the season prevented any stability on offense and was the downfall of a team that was solid on defense.

Record: 4-12, .250 %, no playoff appearances

3. Eric Mangini, 2009-2010

Eric Mangini

3. Eric Mangini, 2009-2010

Eric Mangini — After his firing from the New York Jets, Mangini was hired to take over the Browns in 2009. Thought to be a great football mind coming from Bill Belichick's coaching tree, Mangini's stay in Cleveland was notorious for his alienation of the players he coached. Mangini was fired after consecutive 5-11 seasons.

Record: 10-22, .313 %, no playoff appearances

2. Romeo Crennel, 2005-2008

Romeo Crennel

2. Romeo Crennel, 2005-2008

Romeo Crennel — Crennel is the Browns' longest-tenured coach since they came back in 1999 and was able to put together one winning season in 2007 with a 10-6 record. However, the Browns were left out of the playoffs that year and suffered through three miserable seasons in '05, '06 and '08, totaling 14 wins and never finishing better than last place in the division.

Record: 24-40, .375 %, no playoff appearances

1. Butch Davis, 2001-2004

Butch Davis

1. Butch Davis, 2001-2004

Butch Davis — Davis is the Browns' winningest head coach since 1999. He was able to take a dreadful Cleveland team and instantly turn them into a competitor with a 7-9 record in 2001, earning two more wins than the previous two years combined. After leading the Browns to their sole playoff appearance in the new era in 2002, Davis posted five wins in 2003 and resigned 11 games into the 2004 season.

Record: 24-34, .414 %, 1 playoff appearance (0-1)

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Cleveland Browns

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