The 2021 season was the Cleveland Browns' 69th season as a member of the National Football League (NFL), their 73rd overall and their second under head coach Kevin Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry. The Browns finished 8–9, failing to improve upon their 11–5 record from 2020. Despite starting 3–1, they would go 5–8 in their last games, eliminating them from playoff contention in the process. For the 75th anniversary of the team's founding in 1946, the Browns introduced a commemorative logo in January to use for the season.
Offseason Re-signings Position Player Tag Date TE ERFA DE ERFA WR UFA WR RFA OLB UFA WR UFA K UFA LB UFA
Players added Position Player Tag 2020 Team Date DE Jadeveon Clowney UFA Tennessee Titans CB UFA Los Angeles Rams DT UFA Philadelphia Eagles S UFA Los Angeles Rams DT UFA DE UFA Las Vegas Raiders K waivers New York Jets OT UFA Dallas Cowboys DT UFA Los Angeles Chargers LB UFA Indianapolis Colts
Players lost Position Player Tag 2021 Team Date DE Release LB Release Houston Texans C Retired LB UFA WR UFA New England Patriots CB UFA Tennessee Titans SS UFA Las Vegas Raiders OT UFA Tennessee Titans CB UFA Houston Texans DE ERFA DT UFA Cincinnati Bengals G Release DT Release Minnesota Vikings S UFA WR UFA Houston Texans DT UFA Houston Texans CB Release Houston Texans DE UFA
Draft
2021 Cleveland Browns draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes 1 26 Greg Newsome II CB Northwestern 2 52 Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah LB Notre Dame From Bears via Panthers 3 91 Anthony Schwartz WR Auburn From Saints 4 110 James Hudson OT Cincinnati From Eagles 132 Tommy Togiai DT Ohio State 5 153 Tony Fields II LB West Virginia From Lions 169 Richard LeCounte S Georgia From Rams 6 211 Demetric Felton RB UCLA Pre-draft trades The Browns traded second- and third-round selections (59th and 89th overall) to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for second- and fourth-round selections (52nd and 113th overall). The Browns traded 2020 third- and seventh-round selections to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for a third-round selection (91st overall) and a 2020 third-round selection. The Browns traded DE Genard Avery to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a fourth-round selection (110th overall). The Browns traded fourth- and seventh-round selections (113th and 257th overall) to the Detroit Lions in exchange for a fifth-round selection (153rd overall) and a 2022 fourth-round selection. The Browns traded OL Austin Corbett to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a fifth-round selection (169th overall). The Browns traded a fifth-round selection (170th overall) to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for S Ronnie Harrison. The Browns traded 2020 fifth- and sixth-round selections to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a seventh-round selection (257th overall) and G Wyatt Teller. The Browns traded their original seventh-round selection to the Denver Broncos in exchange for FB Andy Janovich.
Undrafted free agents Player Position College Signed Cut Tre Harbison RB Charlotte May 3 Romeo McKnight DE Charlotte May 3 Emmanuel Rugamba CB Miami (OH) May 3 Kiondre Thomas CB Kansas State May 3 Marvin Wilson DT Florida State May 3
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 23–13 1–0 TIAA Bank Field Recap 2 August 22 New York Giants W 17–13 2–0 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 3 August 29 at Atlanta Falcons W 19–10 3–0 Mercedes Benz Stadium Recap
Regular season Schedule The Browns' 2021 schedule was announced on May 12.
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 12 at Kansas City Chiefs L 29–33 0–1 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 2 September 19 Houston Texans W 31–21 1–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 3 September 26 Chicago Bears W 26–6 2–1 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 4 October 3 at Minnesota Vikings W 14–7 3–1 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 5 October 10 at Los Angeles Chargers L 42–47 3–2 SoFi Stadium Recap 6 October 17 Arizona Cardinals L 14–37 3–3 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 7 Denver Broncos W 17–14 4–3 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 8 October 31 Pittsburgh Steelers L 10–15 4–4 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 9 November 7 at Cincinnati Bengals W 41–16 5–4 Paul Brown Stadium Recap 10 November 14 at New England Patriots L 7–45 5–5 Gillette Stadium Recap 11 November 21 Detroit Lions W 13–10 6–5 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 12 November 28 at Baltimore Ravens L 10–16 6–6 M&T Bank Stadium Recap 13 Bye 14 December 12 Baltimore Ravens W 24–22 7–6 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 15 Las Vegas Raiders L 14–16 7–7 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 16 December 25 at Green Bay Packers L 22–24 7–8 Lambeau Field Recap 17 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 14–26 7–9 Heinz Field Recap 18 January 9 Cincinnati Bengals W 21–16 8–9 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: at Kansas City Chiefs
With the loss, the Browns started their season at 0–1. The Browns failed to win in Week 1 for the 17th straight season.
Week 2: vs. Houston Texans
With the win, the Browns improved to 1–1.
Week 3: vs. Chicago Bears
With the win, the Browns improved to 2–1. The Browns' defense set franchise records for fewest yards allowed (47) and fewest net passing yards allowed (1). DE Myles Garrett set a franchise record with 4.5 sacks and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
Week 4: at Minnesota Vikings
This was Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski's first return to Minneapolis since leaving the Vikings in January 2020 to become the Browns head coach. Stefanski served as an assistant coach for the Vikings from 2006 to 2019.
With the win, the Browns improved to 3–1. This marked the Browns' sixth consecutive win over NFC opponents.
Week 5: at Los Angeles Chargers
With the loss, the Browns fell to 3–2. The Browns became the first team in NFL history to lose a game despite scoring 40+ points and having no turnovers. Such teams were previously 442–0.
Week 6: vs. Arizona Cardinals
With the loss, the Browns fell to 3–3. This loss ended a 6-game winning streak over NFC opponents and marked the first time the Browns lost consecutive games under head coach Kevin Stefanski. Starting quarterback Baker Mayfield left the game after aggravating a shoulder injury he suffered earlier in the season. Mayfield was ruled out for the following game, ending his streak of 51 consecutive starts at quarterback, the second longest stretch in franchise history (trailing only Brian Sipe's 70 consecutive starts from 1978–82).Baker Mayfield out for Thursday's game against Denver
Week 7: vs. Denver Broncos
With the win, the Browns improved to 4–3. RB D'Ernest Johnson was named the FedEx Ground Player of the week. Johnson, who was making his first career start in place of injured RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, had 22 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown, including several key runs to run out the clock and preserve the win.
Week 8: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
With the loss, the Browns fell to 4–4.
On November 5, the Browns announced their intentions to release WR Odell Beckham Jr.
Week 9: at Cincinnati Bengals
With the win, the Browns improved to 5–4. The 25-point margin of victory was the Browns' largest since 2003. RB Nick Chubb was named FedEx Ground Player of the Week. Chubb rushed for 137 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns.
Week 10: at New England Patriots
With the loss, the Browns fell to 5–5. The 38-point margin of defeat was the Browns' largest since 2005.
Week 11: vs. Detroit Lions
With the win, the Browns improved to 6–5. This win ended a four-game losing streak to the Lions, as this was the Browns first win over the Lions since 2001.
Week 12: at Baltimore Ravens
With the loss, the Browns went into their bye week at 6–6. The Browns' sixth loss on the season means they did not improve upon their 11–5 record from 2020.
Week 14: vs. Baltimore Ravens
With the win, the Browns improved to 7–6. During the game, Myles Garrett set the franchise record for most sacks in a season, with 15.
Week 15: vs. Las Vegas Raiders
After 25 Browns players and three coaches, including head coach Kevin Stefanski, tested positive for COVID-19 in the week leading up to the game, the game was postponed from its original date of December 18 to December 20.Amid COVID-19 outbreak, Browns vs. Raiders postponed until 5 p.m. Monday During this time, three players were able to test negative and be activated, but the majority of the infected players were ruled out. With starting QB Baker Mayfield and backup QB Case Keenum sidelined with the virus, third-string QB Nick Mullens made his first start with the Browns. Special teams coach Mike Priefer served as acting head coach for the game.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 7–7.
Week 16: at Green Bay Packers
This game marked the first time in franchise history that the Browns played on Christmas Day.
With the loss, the Browns fell to 7–8, and had 6 one-score game losses, the most in the NFL
Week 17: at Pittsburgh Steelers
On January 2, Cincinnati defeated Kansas City to clinch the AFC North title. This marks the Browns’ 29th consecutive season without winning a division title. With the Los Angeles Chargers’ win over Denver later that day, the Browns were eliminated from playoff contention.
With their 18th straight regular season loss in Pittsburgh, the Browns fell to 7–9. They finished 2–6 in away games.
Week 18: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
With the win, the Browns finished the season 8–9. They finished 6–3 in home games. The Browns swept the Bengals in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1994 and 1995.
Standings Division
Conference
Team leaders Regular season Category Player(s) Value Passing yards Baker Mayfield 3,010 Passing touchdowns Baker Mayfield 17 Rushing yards Nick Chubb 1,259 Rushing touchdowns Nick Chubb 8 Receptions Jarvis Landry 52 Receiving yards Donovan Peoples-Jones 597 Receiving touchdowns David Njoku 4 Points Chase McLaughlin 81 Kickoff return yards Anthony Schwartz 322 Punt return yards Demetric Felton 227 Tackles Anthony Walker Jr. 113 Sacks Myles Garrett 16.0 Forced fumbles 2 players tied 2 Interceptions 2 players tied 3 Pass deflections 2 players tied 10
Awards The following Browns were awarded for their performances during the season:
AFC Defensive Player of the Week/Month W/M Player Line 3 DE Myles Garrett 7 TKL, 4 TFL, 4.5 sacks
2022 Pro Bowl On December 20, it was announced that G Joel Bitonio, RB Nick Chubb, DE Myles Garrett, G Wyatt Teller, and CB Denzel Ward were named to the AFC Pro Bowl roster, with Bitonio and Garrett named as starters. This marks the fourth Pro Bowl selection for Bitonio, the third for Chubb and Garrett, the second for Ward, and the first for Teller.
References
External links 2021 Cleveland Browns at Pro Football Reference (Profootballreference.com) 2021 Cleveland Browns Statistics at jt-sw.com 2021 Cleveland Browns Schedule at jt-sw.com 2021 Cleveland Browns at DatabaseFootball.com