Browns’ Best Draftees: Michael Dean Perry
What do you do when you are the ‘little’ brother of a man called refrigerator? You step out of his shadow and on to the gridiron and make your own legacy.
Michael Dean Perry was chosen by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft, 50th overall. At the time, the former Clemson Tiger stood 6’1” and tipped the scales at 285 lbs. He was just a little smaller than his older brother, the Chicago Bears legend, William “the refrigerator” Perry, 6’2” 350 lbs. Upon entering the NFL, Perry worked to build a name and a place for himself, apart from his brother.
His prowess at the defensive end position made Perry a six-time career Pro-Bowler, as well as one of the most popular Cleveland Browns players of his time. During his six years in Cleveland, Perry had 51.5 sacks while starting a total of 90 games.
Perry’s amiable personality made him a popular player in Cleveland. He was so popular that McDonald’s created a sandwich for the Cleveland market to honor Perry. The MDP was the largest sandwich on the menu at the time. Perry enjoyed his time in Cleveland, it is something he fondly remembers.
Michael Dean Perry is a good example of a successful Cleveland Browns draft pick, making him somewhat of a rare breed.
Image Credit Amazon.com
