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1979 Cleveland Browns
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Record: 9-7-0, Finished 3rd in AFC Central Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 359 points (22.4/g), 9th of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 352 points (22.0/g), 20th.
Differential of 7 points (0.4/g), 15th.
Expected W-L: 8.2-7.8.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential -12 (-0.8/g), 26th.
Coached by Sam Rutigliano (9-7-0)
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1979 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Brian Sipe | 30 | 5 | 16 | 286 for 535, 3,793 yards, 28 td, 26 int, & 45 rushes for 178 yards and 2 td | Cleveland Browns / 13th / 330th pick / 1972 |
| RB | Calvin Hill | 32 | 10 | 0 | 53 rushes for 193 yards, 1 td, & 38 catches for 381 yards and 2 td | Dallas Cowboys / 1st / 24th pick / 1969 |
| RB | Greg Pruitt | 28 | 6 | 0 | 62 rushes for 233 yards, 0 td, & 14 catches for 155 yards and 1 td | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 30th pick / 1973 |
| FB | Mike Pruitt* | 25 | 3 | 16 | 264 rushes for 1,294 yards, 9 td, & 41 catches for 372 yards and 2 td | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 7th pick / 1976 |
| WR | Dave Logan | 25 | 3 | 16 | 59 catches for 982 yards, 7 td | Cleveland Browns / 3rd / 65th pick / 1976 |
| WR | Reggie Rucker | 32 | 9 | 0 | 43 catches for 749 yards, 6 td | |
| TE | Ozzie Newsome | 23 | 1 | 16 | 55 catches for 781 yards, 9 td, & 1 rush for 6 yards and 0 td | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 23rd pick / 1978 |
| LT | Doug Dieken | 30 | 8 | 16 | Cleveland Browns / 6th / 142nd pick / 1971 |
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| LG | Cody Risien | 22 | Rook | 10 | Cleveland Browns / 7th / 183rd pick / 1979 |
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| C | Tom DeLeone* | 29 | 7 | 16 | Cincinnati Bengals / 5th / 106th pick / 1972 |
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| RG | Robert E. Jackson | 26 | 4 | 16 | ||
| RT | Henry Sheppard | 27 | 3 | 16 | Cleveland Browns / 5th / 130th pick / 1976 |
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| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Lyle Alzado | 30 | 8 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Denver Broncos / 4th / 79th pick / 1971 |
| LDT | Mickey Sims | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 110th pick / 1977 |
| NT | Mickey Sims | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 110th pick / 1977 |
| RDT | Jerry Sherk | 31 | 9 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 47th pick / 1970 |
| RDE | Jack Gregory | 35 | 12 | 0 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Cleveland Browns / 9th / 139th pick / 1966 |
| LOLB | Charlie Hall | 31 | 8 | 16 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Cleveland Browns / 3rd / 68th pick / 1971 |
| LLB | Charlie Hall | 31 | 8 | 16 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | Cleveland Browns / 3rd / 68th pick / 1971 |
| LILB | Dick Ambrose | 26 | 4 | 14 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Cleveland Browns / 12th / 290th pick / 1975 |
| MLB | Dick Ambrose | 26 | 4 | 14 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Cleveland Browns / 12th / 290th pick / 1975 |
| RILB | Robert L. Jackson | 25 | 1 | 5 | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 17th pick / 1977 |
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| RLB | Clay Matthews | 23 | 1 | 16 | 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 12th pick / 1978 |
| ROLB | Clay Matthews | 23 | 1 | 16 | 1 interception, 2 fumbles recovered | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 12th pick / 1978 |
| LCB | Ron Bolton | 29 | 7 | 16 | 3 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | New England Patriots / 5th / 124th pick / 1972 |
| RCB | Oliver Davis | 25 | 2 | 0 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 102nd pick / 1977 |
| SS | Clarence R. Scott | 30 | 8 | 16 | 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 14th pick / 1971 |
| FS | Thom Darden | 29 | 7 | 0 | 5 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 18th pick / 1972 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Don Cockroft | 34 | 11 | 0 | 17 of 29 field goals & 38 of 43 extra points | Cleveland Browns / 3rd / 55th pick / 1967 |
| P | Johnny Evans | 23 | 1 | 0 | 69 punts for a 41.2 average, 2 blocked | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 39th pick / 1978 |
| PR | Dino Hall | 24 | Rook | 0 | 29 punt returns for a 10.2 average and 0 td | |
| KR | Dino Hall | 24 | Rook | 0 | 50 kick returns for a 20.3 average and 0 td |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willis Adams | 23 | WR | 16 | 0 | 194 | 6-2 | Houston | 8/22/1956 | Rook | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 20th pick / 1979 |
| Lyle Alzado | 30 | DE-DT | 15 | 0 | 255 | 6-3 | Yankton | 4/3/1949 | 8 | Denver Broncos / 4th / 79th pick / 1971 |
| Dick Ambrose | 26 | LB | 15 | 14 | 235 | 6-0 | Virginia | 1/17/1953 | 4 | Cleveland Browns / 12th / 290th pick / 1975 |
| Ron Bolton | 29 | DB | 16 | 16 | 180 | 6-2 | Norfolk State | 4/16/1950 | 7 | New England Patriots / 5th / 124th pick / 1972 |
| Henry Bradley | 26 | NT-DT | 5 | 0 | 261 | 6-2 | Alcorn State | 9/4/1953 | Rook | San Diego Chargers / 9th / 237th pick / 1978 |
| George Buehler | 32 | G | 11 | 0 | 260 | 6-2 | Stanford | 8/10/1947 | 10 | Oakland Raiders / 2nd / 50th pick / 1969 |
| Clinton Burrell | 23 | DB | 16 | 0 | 192 | 6-1 | LSU | 9/4/1956 | Rook | Cleveland Browns / 6th / 151st pick / 1979 |
| Don Cockroft | 34 | K | 16 | 0 | 195 | 6-2 | Adams State | 2/6/1945 | 11 | Cleveland Browns / 3rd / 55th pick / 1967 |
| Thom Darden | 29 | DB | 16 | 0 | 195 | 6-2 | Michigan | 8/28/1950 | 7 | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 18th pick / 1972 |
| Oliver Davis | 25 | DB | 16 | 0 | 203 | 6-1 | Tennessee State | 8/29/1954 | 2 | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 102nd pick / 1977 |
| Tom DeLeone* | 29 | C | 16 | 16 | 248 | 6-2 | Ohio State | 8/13/1950 | 7 | Cincinnati Bengals / 5th / 106th pick / 1972 |
| Doug Dieken | 30 | T | 16 | 16 | 254 | 6-5 | Illinois | 2/12/1949 | 8 | Cleveland Browns / 6th / 142nd pick / 1971 |
| Rich Dimler | 23 | DT | 12 | 2 | 260 | 6-6 | USC | 7/18/1956 | Rook | Cleveland Browns / 5th / 124th pick / 1979 |
| Johnny Evans | 23 | P-QB | 16 | 0 | 197 | 6-1 | North Carolina State | 2/18/1956 | 1 | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 39th pick / 1978 |
| Ricky Feacher | 25 | WR | 16 | 0 | 174 | 5-10 | Miss. Valley State | 2/11/1954 | 3 | New England Patriots / 10th / 270th pick / 1976 |
| Dave Graf | 26 | LB | 16 | 0 | 215 | 6-2 | Penn State | 8/5/1953 | 4 | Cleveland Browns / 17th / 421st pick / 1975 |
| Jack Gregory | 35 | DE | 16 | 0 | 250 | 6-5 | Delta State,Tennessee-Chattanooga | 10/3/1944 | 12 | Cleveland Browns / 9th / 139th pick / 1966 |
| Charlie Hall | 31 | LB | 16 | 16 | 220 | 6-3 | Houston | 12/2/1948 | 8 | Cleveland Browns / 3rd / 68th pick / 1971 |
| Dino Hall | 24 | RB | 11 | 0 | 165 | 5-7 | Rowan | 12/6/1955 | Rook | |
| Calvin Hill | 32 | RB | 14 | 0 | 227 | 6-4 | Yale | 1/2/1947 | 10 | Dallas Cowboys / 1st / 24th pick / 1969 |
| Gerald Irons | 32 | LB | 16 | 0 | 230 | 6-2 | Md-Eastern Shore | 5/2/1947 | 9 | Oakland Raiders / 3rd / 76th pick / 1970 |
| Robert E. Jackson | 26 | G-T-C | 16 | 16 | 255 | 6-2 | Duke | 4/1/1953 | 4 | |
| Robert L. Jackson | 25 | LB | 16 | 5 | 230 | 6-1 | Texas A&M | 8/7/1954 | 1 | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 17th pick / 1977 |
| Lawrence Johnson | 22 | DB | 16 | 0 | 204 | 5-11 | Wisconsin | 9/11/1957 | Rook | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 40th pick / 1979 |
| Ricky Jones | 24 | LB-DB | 16 | 0 | 211 | 6-1 | Tuskegee | 3/9/1955 | 2 | |
| Dave Logan | 25 | WR | 16 | 16 | 219 | 6-4 | Colorado | 2/2/1954 | 3 | Cleveland Browns / 3rd / 65th pick / 1976 |
| Clay Matthews | 23 | LB | 16 | 16 | 245 | 6-2 | USC | 3/15/1956 | 1 | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 12th pick / 1978 |
| Cleo Miller | 27 | RB | 16 | 3 | 207 | 5-11 | Ark-Pine Bluff | 9/5/1952 | 5 | |
| Mark Miller | 23 | QB | 2 | 0 | 176 | 6-2 | Bowling Green | 8/13/1956 | 1 | Cleveland Browns / 3rd / 68th pick / 1978 |
| Matt Miller | 23 | T-G | 16 | 0 | 270 | 6-6 | Colorado | 7/30/1956 | Rook | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 95th pick / 1979 |
| Pat Moriarty | 24 | RB | 16 | 0 | 195 | 6-0 | Georgia Tech | 5/19/1955 | Rook | |
| Ozzie Newsome | 23 | TE | 16 | 16 | 232 | 6-2 | Alabama | 3/16/1956 | 1 | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 23rd pick / 1978 |
| Greg Pruitt | 28 | RB | 6 | 0 | 190 | 5-10 | Oklahoma | 8/18/1951 | 6 | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 30th pick / 1973 |
| Mike Pruitt* | 25 | RB | 16 | 16 | 222 | 6-0 | Purdue | 4/3/1954 | 3 | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 7th pick / 1976 |
| Randy Rich | 26 | DB | 16 | 0 | 178 | 5-10 | New Mexico | 12/28/1953 | 2 | |
| Cody Risien | 22 | T-G | 16 | 10 | 269 | 6-7 | Texas A&M | 3/22/1957 | Rook | Cleveland Browns / 7th / 183rd pick / 1979 |
| Reggie Rucker | 32 | WR | 16 | 0 | 195 | 6-2 | Boston University | 9/21/1947 | 9 | |
| Clarence R. Scott | 30 | DB | 16 | 16 | 190 | 6-0 | Kansas State | 4/9/1949 | 8 | Cleveland Browns / 1st / 14th pick / 1971 |
| Henry Sheppard | 27 | G-T | 16 | 16 | 255 | 6-6 | SMU | 11/12/1952 | 3 | Cleveland Browns / 5th / 130th pick / 1976 |
| Jerry Sherk | 31 | DT-DE-NT | 10 | 0 | 258 | 6-4 | Oklahoma State | 7/7/1948 | 9 | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 47th pick / 1970 |
| Mickey Sims | 24 | DT-NT | 16 | 0 | 278 | 6-5 | South Carolina State | 3/5/1955 | 2 | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 110th pick / 1977 |
| Brian Sipe | 30 | QB | 16 | 16 | 195 | 6-1 | San Diego State | 8/8/1949 | 5 | Cleveland Browns / 13th / 330th pick / 1972 |
| John H. Smith | 23 | WR | 6 | 0 | 175 | 6-0 | Tennessee State | 1/27/1956 | Rook | Cleveland Browns / 10th / 261st pick / 1979 |
| Mike St. Clair | 26 | DE | 16 | 0 | 248 | 6-5 | Grambling State,Iowa Central | 9/2/1953 | 3 | Cleveland Browns / 4th / 99th pick / 1976 |
| Gerry Sullivan | 27 | T-C-G | 16 | 0 | 250 | 6-4 | Illinois | 1/15/1952 | 5 | Cleveland Browns / 7th / 171st pick / 1974 |
| Curtis Weathers | 23 | LB-TE | 16 | 0 | 224 | 6-5 | Mississippi | 9/16/1956 | Rook | Cleveland Browns / 9th / 241st pick / 1979 |
| Keith Wright | 23 | WR | 5 | 0 | 172 | 5-10 | Memphis | 1/30/1956 | 1 | Cleveland Browns / 5th / 122nd pick / 1978 |
| Team Total | 26.6 | 16 | 220.3 | 6-1.9 | 3.9 |