Browns’ Best Draftees: Brian Sipe
In Cleveland, great even good quarterbacks are hard to come by. If you’re a football fan, then you probably know all about the Browns recent quarterback problems. Things were not always this way. We actually had some great field generals in past like Otto Graham and Bernie Kosar, but I’m here to talk about Brian Sipe.
Sipe was selected in the 13th round (330th overall) in the 1972 draft. You don’t expect a player taken that low to have a dramatic impact on a franchise and it wouldn’t start out that way either.
Sipe rode the pine with no action until 1974 when he started his first game. He started just seven games over the next two seasons and didn’t see much success (two touchdowns, 10 interceptions).
In 76, an opening day injury to Mike Phipps paved the way for Brian Sipe to take over the starting role and led them to a 9-5 record.
Sipe was at the helm for the Kardiac Kids in 1979 and 1980 leading Cleveland to eight comeback victories and 11 game-winning fourth-quarter drives. In 1980, he led the Browns to the playoffs for the first time since 1972. They ended up losing to the Oakland Raiders (Red Right 88), but Sipe received numerous honors. He was named the NFL MVP and AFC Offensive Player of the Year.
Brian Sipe is one of the great draft picks in Cleveland Browns history. He is the franchise leader with 23,713 passing yards. He is tied with Otto Graham with 57 wins and his 154 touchdowns rank second only behind Graham’s 174.
Watch a Brian Sipe tribute video: Click Here
About Author
