1950 Cleveland Browns season

1950 Cleveland Browns season
Head coach	Paul Brown
Home field	Cleveland Stadium
Local radio	WERE
Results
Record	10–2–0
Division place	1st NFL American
Playoff finish	Won NFL Championship (1)
Pro Bowlers	Tony Adamle, FB Otto Graham, QB Lou Groza, T/K Weldon Humble, G Marion Motley, FB Mac Speedie, E Bill Willis, LB
AP All-Pros	Marion Motley Mac Speedie
← 1949 Browns seasons 1951 →

1 2 3 4 Total Packers 7 0 0 0 7 • Browns 14 10 7 7 38 Date: August 14 Location: Glass Bowl, Toledo, Ohio Game attendance: 10,000 Source: Plain Dealer

Scoring summary 1 GNB Ted Cook pass from Earl Girard (Ted Fritsch kick) GNB 7–0 1 CLE Dub Jones 62-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) 7–7 1 CLE Dante Lavelli 51-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) CLE 14–7 2 CLE Lou Groza 10-yard field goal CLE 17–7 2 CLE Dante Lavelli 18-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) CLE 24–7 3 CLE Don Phelps 87-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) CLE 31–7 4 CLE Rex Bumgardner touchdown (Lou Groza kick) CLE 38–7

Scoring summary
1		GNB	Ted Cook pass from Earl Girard (Ted Fritsch kick)	GNB 7–0
1		CLE	Dub Jones 62-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick)	7–7
1		CLE	Dante Lavelli 51-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 14–7
2		CLE	Lou Groza 10-yard field goal	CLE 17–7
2		CLE	Dante Lavelli 18-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 24–7
3		CLE	Don Phelps 87-yard rush (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 31–7
4		CLE	Rex Bumgardner touchdown (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 38–7

1 2 3 4 Total Colts 7 0 0 0 7 • Browns 14 3 3 14 34 Date: August 19 Location: Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati Game attendance: 22,500 Source: Plain Dealer

Scoring summary 1 CLE Dub Jones 18-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) CLE 7–0 1 BAL Billy Stone 100-yard kickoff return (Rex Grossman kick) 7–7 1 CLE Otto Graham 1-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) CLE 14–7 2 CLE Lou Groza 23-yard field goal CLE 17–7 3 CLE Lou Groza 42-yard field goal CLE 20–7 4 CLE Dom Moselle 5-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) CLE 27–7 4 CLE Tom O'Malley 2-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) CLE 34–7

Scoring summary
1		CLE	Dub Jones 18-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 7–0
1		BAL	Billy Stone 100-yard kickoff return (Rex Grossman kick)	7–7
1		CLE	Otto Graham 1-yard rush (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 14–7
2		CLE	Lou Groza 23-yard field goal	CLE 17–7
3		CLE	Lou Groza 42-yard field goal	CLE 20–7
4		CLE	Dom Moselle 5-yard rush (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 27–7
4		CLE	Tom O'Malley 2-yard rush (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 34–7

1 2 3 4 Total Lions 0 0 0 14 14 • Browns 21 0 7 7 35 Date: August 25 Location: Rubber Bowl, Akron, Ohio Game attendance: 23,670 Source: Plain Dealer

Scoring summary 1 CLE Dub Jones 24-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) CLE 7–0 1 CLE Otto Graham 1-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) CLE 14–0 1 CLE Rex Bumgardner 8-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) CLE 21–0 3 CLE Marion Motley 41-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) CLE 28–0 4 DET Dan Sandifer 2-yard rush (Doak Walker kick) CLE 28–7 4 DET John Panelli 2-yard rush (Doak Walker kick) CLE 28–14 4 CLE Rex Bumgardner 7-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) CLE 35–14

Scoring summary
1		CLE	Dub Jones 24-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 7–0
1		CLE	Otto Graham 1-yard rush (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 14–0
1		CLE	Rex Bumgardner 8-yard rush (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 21–0
3		CLE	Marion Motley 41-yard rush (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 28–0
4		DET	Dan Sandifer 2-yard rush (Doak Walker kick)	CLE 28–7
4		DET	John Panelli 2-yard rush (Doak Walker kick)	CLE 28–14
4		CLE	Rex Bumgardner 7-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 35–14

1 2 3 4 Total Bears 7 3 0 13 23 • Browns 7 10 0 10 27 Date: September 1 Location: Cleveland Stadium Game attendance: 51,076 Source: Plain Dealer

Scoring summary 1 CHI Jim Keane pass from Johnny Lujack (Johnny Lujack kick) CHI 7–0 1 CLE Rex Bumgardner 2-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) 7–7 2 CHI George Blanda field goal CHI 10–7 2 CHI Lou Groza 30-yard field goal 10–10 2 CLE Dub Jones pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) CLE 17–10 4 CLE Ken Carpenter 79-yard punt return (Lou Groza kick) CLE 24–10 4 CLE Lou Groza 21-yard field goal CLE 27–10 4 CHI Ken Kavanaugh pass from Johnny Lujack (Johnny Lujack kick) CLE 27–17 4 CHI Ken Kavanaugh pass from Johnny Lujack (kick failed) CLE 27–23

Scoring summary
1		CHI	Jim Keane pass from Johnny Lujack (Johnny Lujack kick)	CHI 7–0
1		CLE	Rex Bumgardner 2-yard rush (Lou Groza kick)	7–7
2		CHI	George Blanda field goal	CHI 10–7
2		CHI	Lou Groza 30-yard field goal	10–10
2		CLE	Dub Jones pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 17–10
4		CLE	Ken Carpenter 79-yard punt return (Lou Groza kick)	CLE 24–10
4		CLE	Lou Groza 21-yard field goal	CLE 27–10
4		CHI	Ken Kavanaugh pass from Johnny Lujack (Johnny Lujack kick)	CLE 27–17
4		CHI	Ken Kavanaugh pass from Johnny Lujack (kick failed)	CLE 27–23

1 2 3 4 Total Steelers 7 3 7 14 31 • Browns 7 17 14 3 41 Date: September 4 Location: War Memorial Stadium, Buffalo, New York Game attendance: 15,259 Source: Plain Dealer

Scoring summary 1 PIT Jerry Shipkey 1-yard rush (Joe Geri kick) PIT 7–0 1 CLE Rex Bumgardner 35-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) 7–7 2 CLE Marion Motley 13-yard pass from Otto Graham (Lou Groza kick) CLE 14–7 2 PIT Joe Geri 37-yard field goal CLE 14–10 2 CLE Mac Speedie rush (Lou Groza kick) CLE 21–10 2 CLE Lou Groza 30-yard field goal CLE 24–10 3 CLE Emerson Cole 21-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) CLE 31–10 3 PIT Jerry Shipkey 1-yard rush (Joe Geri kick) CLE 31–17 3 CLE Bill Boedeker 65-yard rush (Lou Groza kick) CLE 38–17 4 PIT Howard Hartley 35-yard interception return (Joe Geri kick) CLE 38–24 4 PIT Bobby Gage 64-yard pass from Joe Gasparella (Joe Geri kick) CLE 38–31 4 CLE Lou Groza field goal CLE 41–31

The 1950 Cleveland Browns season was the team's first in the National Football League (NFL) after playing the previous four years in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), which folded after the 1949 season. The Browns finished the regular season with a 10–2 win–loss record and beat the Los Angeles Rams to win the NFL championship. It was Cleveland's fifth consecutive championship victory, the previous four having come in the AAFC.

Cleveland added 12 new players to its roster before the season began, several of whom came from other AAFC teams that had dissolved as part of a selective merger of the Browns, the Baltimore Colts and the San Francisco 49ers into the NFL in 1949. They included guard Abe Gibron, who went on to a 10-year football career, and Len Ford, a defensive end who had a Hall of Fame career with the Browns. The team's top draft choice was halfback Ken Carpenter.

After winning all five of their preseason games, the Browns faced the two-time defending champion Philadelphia Eagles in their first regular-season game. Many sportswriters and owners considered the Browns inferior despite their success in the AAFC, calling them the dominant team in a minor league, but Cleveland defeated Philadelphia 35–10, the first of 10 victories on the season. Cleveland's only two losses came against the New York Giants, with whom the team shared a 10–2 record at the end of the regular season.

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