Most Famous Cleveland Browns Players

A deck by Blake Haney · 20 cards

The most renowned players ever to play for the Cleveland Browns, ranked by Wikipedia reach.

Don Shula

Don Shula is a American football player and coach (1930-2020).

Ernie Davis

Ernie Davis is a American football player (1939–1963).

Willie Davis

Willie Davis is a American football player (1934-2020).

Jamal Lewis

Jamal Lewis is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers and was selected fifth overall by the Ravens in the 2000 NFL draft. After spending his first seven seasons with the Ravens, Lewis signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns before the 2007 season and retired after the 2009 season.

Odell Beckham Jr.

Odell Beckham Jr. is a American football player (born 1992).

Myles Garrett

Myles Lorenz Garrett is an American professional football defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). Garrett played college football for the Texas A&M Aggies, receiving unanimous All-American honors in 2016, and was selected first overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2017 NFL draft. Garrett is the Browns' all-time sacks leader, playing for them for nine seasons before being traded to the Rams in 2026. Garrett was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and 2025 and has earned seven Pro Bowl and five first-team All-Pro selections. He holds the NFL single-season sack record with 23, which he set in 2025.

Nick Chubb

Nick Chubb is a American football player (born 1995).

Carl Nassib

Carl Nassib is a former American football player (born 1993).

Milt Campbell

Milt Campbell is a American decathlete (1933-2012).

Mark Rypien

Mark Robert Rypien is a Canadian-born former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons. He played college football for the Washington State Cougars and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the 1986 NFL draft. He was named Super Bowl MVP, doing so in Super Bowl XXVI with the Redskins. He also played for several other NFL teams. His nephew Brett plays in the NFL as a quarterback.

Ron Simmons

Ronald Kyle Simmons is an American former professional wrestler and football player. He is best known for his tenures in WWE and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) where he was the first ever African American WCW Champion. Prior to becoming a professional wrestler, Simmons played football as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL), Canadian Football League (CFL) and United States Football League (USFL) for four seasons during the 1980s.

Michael Bates

Michael Dion Bates is an American former two-sport athlete who gained fame as a sprinter who won an Olympic bronze medal in the 200-meter dash in 1992. He also played football as a kick returner in the National Football League (NFL), where he was a five-time Pro Bowl selection. He played college football for the Arizona Wildcats.

Vinny Testaverde

All-American college football player, professional football player, quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner

Robert Griffin III

Robert Lee Griffin III, nicknamed RGIII or RG3, is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons, most notably with the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the Baylor Bears, winning the Heisman Trophy as a senior, and was selected second overall by the Redskins in the 2012 NFL draft.

Ara Parseghian

Ara Parseghian is a American football player and coach (1923-2017).

Johnny Manziel

Johnny Manziel is a American football player (born 1992).

Lyle Alzado

Lyle Martin Alzado was an American professional football player who was a defensive end of the National Football League (NFL), famous for his intense and intimidating style of play.

Jason Campbell

Jason Campbell is a American football player (born 1981).

Jim Brown

James Nathaniel Brown was an American professional football player, civil rights activist, and actor. He played as a fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL) from 1957 to 1965. Widely considered one of the greatest running backs of all time, as well as one of the greatest players in NFL history, Brown was selected to a Pro Bowl and All-Pro team every season he was in the league, and was recognized as the AP NFL Most Valuable Player three times. Brown won an NFL championship with the Browns in 1964. He led the league in rushing yards in eight out of his nine seasons, and by the time he retired, he held most major rushing records. In 1999, he was named the greatest professional football player ever by The Sporting News and the Associated Press.

Otto Graham

Otto Everett Graham Jr. was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. Graham is regarded by critics as one of the most dominant players of his era and one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, having taken the Browns to league championship games every year between 1946 and 1955, making ten championship appearances, and winning seven of them. With Graham at quarterback, the Browns posted a record of 105 wins, 17 losses, and 4 ties, including a 9–3 win–loss record in the AAFC and NFL playoffs. Long-time New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, a friend of Graham's, once called him "as great of a quarterback as there ever was."