The 2013 season was the Cleveland Browns' 61st in the National Football League (NFL) and their 65th overall. They failed to improve on their 5–11 record from 2012, finishing the year at 4–12, their sixth consecutive season with at least 11 losses. They also extended their franchise record playoff drought to 11 years. This was the first season under head coach Rob Chudzinski (who was later fired after the season) and new general manager Michael Lombardi (who was later fired in February 2014). This also marked the first full season under owner Jimmy Haslam. The Browns played all of their home games at the newly renamed FirstEnergy Stadium (formerly known as Cleveland Browns Stadium).
Offseason
Personnel changes
Front office changes On December 31, 2012, the Browns fired general manager Tom Heckert.
Coaching staff changes On December 31, 2012, the team fired head coach Pat Shurmur. In two seasons as Browns' head coach, Shurmur posted a record of 9–23, including a disappointing 2–10 mark within the division.
University of Oregon head coach Chip Kelly emerged as the favorite to replace Shurmur after a lengthy interview on January 4, however talks between the two sides broke down and Kelly decided to go to the Philadelphia Eagles.
On January 10, the Browns hired former Carolina Panthers' offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski as head coach. Chudzinski, who spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Panthers, also previously served as an assistant coach with the Browns and the San Diego Chargers.
Besides Chudzinski and Kelly, the Browns also interviewed former Arizona Cardinals' head coach Ken Whisenhunt and defensive coordinator Ray Horton, Syracuse University head coach Doug Marrone, Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien, Montreal Alouettes head coach and former Browns' assistant coach Marc Trestman, and Cincinnati Bengals' defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.
On January 17, the Browns hired former San Diego Chargers' head coach Norv Turner as offensive coordinator. Turner, who served as Chargers' head coach from 2007 to 2012, was also the head coach of the Washington Redskins (1994–2000) and Oakland Raiders (2004–2005), and has served as an NFL coach in some capacity since 1985. Turner replaces Brad Childress.
On January 17, the Browns also added Mike Sullivan as offensive line coach, Scott Turner, the son of Norv Turner, as wide receivers coach, and Brad Roll as strength and conditioning coach.
On January 18, the Browns hired Horton, who previously interviewed for the head coaching position, as defensive coordinator. Horton, a former defensive back, has served as the Cardinals' defensive coordinator the past two seasons.
Roster changes
Free agency Pos Player Tag Date signed 2013 team CB Sheldon Brown UFA WR Josh Cribbs UFA Oakland Raiders K Phil Dawson UFA March 19 San Francisco 49ers LB Auston English ERFA LB Scott Fujita UFA April 23 New Orleans Saints P Reggie Hodges UFA RB Brandon Jackson UFA Cleveland Browns QB Josh Johnson UFA March 21 Cincinnati Bengals LB Kaluka Maiava UFA March 13 Oakland Raiders WR Mohamed Massaquoi UFA April 5 Jacksonville Jaguars WR Jordan Norwood RFA Cleveland Browns RB Chris Ogbonnaya ERFA March 13 Cleveland Browns LB Juqua Parker UFA TE Alex Smith UFA April 16 Cincinnati Bengals LB Emmanuel Stephens ERFA SS Ray Ventrone UFA San Francisco 49ers TE Benjamin Watson UFA March 18Saints sign Ben Watson New Orleans Saints FB Eddie Williams RFA LS Christian Yount ERFA Cleveland Browns
Releases Pos Player Released Date signed 2013 team DE Frostee Rucker February 5 March 21Cardinals Sign DE Rucker Arizona Cardinals
Signings Pos Player Date signed 2012 team CB Kevin Barnes March 25 Detroit Lions TE Gary Barnidge March 13 Carolina Panthers DE Desmond Bryant March 13 Oakland Raiders QB Jason Campbell March 26 Chicago Bears TE Kellen Davis March 22 Chicago Bears K Shayne Graham April 15 Houston Texans OLB Quentin Groves March 13 Arizona Cardinals OLB Paul Kruger March 12 Baltimore Ravens P Spencer Lanning February 13 Sacramento Mountain Lions (UFL) CB Chris Owens March 22 Atlanta Falcons P Jake Schum March 29Browns Add Punter Jake Schum N/A RB Willis McGahee September 18 Denver Broncos
Trades On April 1, the Browns traded QB Colt McCoy and a 2013 sixth-round draft pick to the San Francisco 49ers for a fifth- and a seventh-round draft pick in 2013. On April 11, the Browns traded LB Emmanuel Acho to the Philadelphia Eagles for RB Dion Lewis. On April 26, the Browns traded a 2013 fourth- and fifth-round draft pick to the Miami Dolphins for WR Davone Bess and a fourth- and seventh-round draft pick in 2013. On September 18, the Browns traded RB Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts for a first-round pick in 2014.
2013 draft class
Notes The team forfeited its second-round selection (which would have been No. 39) after selecting wide receiver Josh Gordon in the 2012 Supplemental draft. The team acquired a 6th-round selection (No. 173) in a trade that sent safety David Sims and a 7th-round selection to the Philadelphia Eagles. The team acquired a 5th (No. 164) and 7th-round selection (No. 227) in a trade that sent quarterback Colt McCoy and a 6th-round selection (No. 173) to the San Francisco 49ers. The team acquired WR Davone Bess and a 4th (No. 111) and 7th (No. 217) round selection for a fourth (No. 104) and 5th (No. 164) round selection. The team traded its fourth-round selection (No. 111) to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2014 third-round selection. The team traded its fifth-round selection (No. 139) to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2014 fourth-round selection.
Preseason
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 August 8 St. Louis Rams W 27–19 1–0 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 2 August 15 Detroit Lions W 24–6 2–0 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 3 August 24 at Indianapolis Colts L 6–27 2–1 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 4 August 29 at Chicago Bears W 18–16 3–1 Soldier Field Recap
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 September 8 Miami Dolphins L 10–23 0–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 2 September 15 at Baltimore Ravens L 6–14 0–2 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 3 September 22 at Minnesota Vikings W 31–27 1–2 Mall of America Field Recap 4 September 29 Cincinnati Bengals W 17–6 2–2 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 5 Buffalo Bills W 37–24 3–2 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 6 October 13 Detroit Lions L 17–31 3–3 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 7 October 20 at Green Bay Packers L 13–31 3–4 Lambeau Field Recap 8 October 27 at Kansas City Chiefs L 17–23 3–5 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 9 November 3 Baltimore Ravens W 24–18 4–5 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 10 Bye 11 November 17 at Cincinnati Bengals L 20–41 4–6 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 12 November 24 Pittsburgh Steelers L 11–27 4–7 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 13 December 1 Jacksonville Jaguars L 28–32 4–8 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 14 December 8 at New England Patriots L 26–27 4–9 Gillette Stadium Recap 15 December 15 Chicago Bears L 31–38 4–10 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 16 December 22 at New York Jets L 13–24 4–11 MetLife Stadium Recap 17 December 29 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 7–20 4–12 Heinz Field Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Miami Dolphins
The Browns opened their 2013 season at home against the Dolphins. The Dolphins struck first in the first quarter when Caleb Sturgis kicked a 45-yard field goal for a 3–0 lead. They increased their lead in the 2nd quarter when Sturgis nailed a 49-yard field goal for a 6–0 lead. The Browns got on the board and took the halftime lead 7–6 after Jordan Cameron caught a 7-yard TD pass from Brandon Weeden. The Dolphins retook the lead in the 3rd quarter when Brian Hartline caught a 34-yard TD pass from Ryan Tannehill to make the score 13–7. The Browns came within 3 as Billy Cundiff kicked a 39-yard field goal for a 13–10 game. In the 4th quarter, the Phins sealed the game as Daniel Thomas ran for a 1-yard TD for a 20–10 game followed up by Sturgis kicking a 36-yard field goal.
With the loss, the Browns start the season 0–1 and pick up their 9th straight regular season opening loss.
Week 2: at Baltimore Ravens
After a tough loss at home, the Browns traveled to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. The Browns scored all the points in the first half; both of them with field goals in both quarters from Billy Cundiff from 21 yards out in the first quarter and 51 yards out in the 2nd making the score 3–0 and eventual halftime score 6–0. The Ravens got on the board in the 3rd quarter as Bernard Pierce ran for a 5-yard TD to take the lead 7–6. In the 4th quarter, the Ravens moved ahead by 8 as Joe Flacco found Marion Brown on a 5-yard TD pass for a final score of 14–6.
With the loss, the Browns dropped to 0–2. The team also lost their 11th straight game against the Ravens.
Week 3: at Minnesota Vikings
After a tough road loss, the Browns traveled northwest to take on the Vikings. The Vikes would score first as AP ran for a 2-yard TD for a 7–0 lead. The Browns managed to tie it as 2nd-string QB Brian Hoyer found Josh Gordon on a 47-yard TD pass for a 7–7 game. The Browns took the lead in the 2nd quarter as Hoyer found Jordan Cameron for a 19-yard TD pass and a 14–7 lead. The Vikes tied the game as Christian Ponder ran for a 6-yard TD to make the score 14–14. The Browns moved back into the lead as Billy Cundiff kicked a 38-yard field goal for a 17–14 lead and increased it with a trick play as Spencer Lanning found Cameron on an 11-yard TD pass for increasing the score to 24–14. Blair Walsh managed to get the Vikes within 7 after he kicked a 43-yard field goal for a 24–17 halftime lead. After the break, Ponder ran for another TD from 8 yards out tying the game 24–24. They retook the lead in the 4th quarter as Walsh nailed a 30-yard field goal for a 27–24 lead. Hoyer found Cameron with less than a minute left in the game for a final score of 31–27.
With the win, not only did the Browns improve to 1–2, but they also snapped a 7-game losing streak against NFC teams.
Week 4: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
After a tough win over the Vikings, the Browns returned home for a game against the Bengals in Round 1 of the Battle of Ohio. In the first quarter, the Browns scored first as Brian Hoyer found Jordan Cameron on a 2-yard pass for a 7–0 lead. In the second quarter, the Bengals scored when Mike Nugent nailed a 25-yard field goal for the eventual halftime score of 7–3. In the third quarter, the Browns scored a field goal of their own when Billy Cundiff nailed one from 51 yards out giving them a 10–3 lead. The Bengals once again came within 4 as Nugent kicked another field goal from 46 yards out for a 10–6 game. In the fourth quarter, it was all Browns as Hoyer found Chris Ogbonnaya on a 1-yard pass for the eventual final score of 17–6.
With the win, the Browns improved to 2–2.
Week 5: vs. Buffalo Bills