Moments in NFL History: Cleveland Browns announce move to Baltimore

Browns fans have seen a lot.

The Fumble.

The Drive.

A T-shirt that reads: “We almost always almost win.”

While the organization repeatedly has bounced back, one pivotal moment in their history nearly brought an end to the organization as fans knew it: The Move.

On this date (Nov. 6) in 1995, Browns owner Art Modell announced during a news conference at Camden Yards in Baltimore that he had signed a deal to relocate the team from Cleveland for the 1996 season.

This, however, was not a typical “up and move” for a sports franchise. There were extensive talks between Modell, the National Football League and officials of the cities of Cleveland and Baltimore to settle on terms. Modell agreed to keep the Browns’ legacy in Cleveland, meaning that the team’s name, colors, history, records, awards and archives would not follow him to Baltimore.

The NFL categorized the move as a “deactivation.”

Because the franchise was deactivated, the Browns did not lose any of their illustrious history and were promised the team would not be inactive for more than three years and would receive a new stadium for either an expansion team or a team moving from another city.

On Modell’s side, he was able retain the contracts of all the players from the previous Cleveland roster. Longtime placekicker Matt Stover was the last remaining player on the Ravens who had made the move from Cleveland, playing in Baltimore until 2008.

Modell also changed the name of his holding company from Cleveland Browns, Inc. to Baltimore Ravens, Inc. One other person Modell brought with him: OZZIE NEWSOME. The Hall of Fame tight end worked in the front office under Modell in Cleveland, made the move to Baltimore and would go on to be general manager of the team from 2002-2018.

Football returned to Cleveland in 1999. The Browns came back as an expansion team, with Al Lerner granted ownership of the team. Since “reactivating,” the Browns have made the playoffs four times (2002, 2007, 2020, 2023) and have totaled one playoff win.

Modell struggled financially after the move, and after direction from the NFL sold the team to Steve Bisciotti. The Ravens have reached the playoff 15 times since 1999 and won Super Bowl XXXV and Super Bowl XLVII.

The compromise between the two franchises, which was considered a trailblazing move in professional sports, has been used as a template in other leagues:

• In 2005, the MLS San Jose Earthquakes moved to Houston to become the Houston Dynamo, leaving behind the team names, colors, logo and records. In 2008, the Earthquakes returned to the MLS.
• In 2008, the NBA Seattle SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City to become the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaving behind the SuperSonics’ name, logo, colors and effects for a potential successor.

Modell’s move to Baltimore, albeit controversial, helped set the foundation for the NFL as fans know it today. The move led to 12 new stadiums throughout the NFL, expansion to 32 teams in 2002 to even up conferences, realignment of divisions and preserving longstanding rivalries. While fans in Cleveland saw their team leave and not return for four seasons, the NFL as a whole benefited in many ways.