# 2024 Cleveland Browns season
The 2024 [Cleveland Browns](https://www.edgepedia.org/cleveland-browns) season was the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league) franchise's 72nd season, a collapse from the previous year's playoff run to a 3-14 record, last place in the [AFC North](https://www.edgepedia.org/afc-north), driven by quarterback Deshaun Watson's season-ending Achilles injury and one of the league's least productive offenses.[1](https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/team/cleveland-browns-58/2024) • [2](https://apnews.com/article/eadeac2774f60f1a0b3490f979c3684e) Kevin Stefanski, the two-time AP Coach of the Year, remained head coach throughout, and general manager Andrew Berry, whose extension was announced in June 2024, ran the front office.[3](https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/andrew-berry-and-kevin-stefanski-sign-contract-extensions-with-the-browns) • [4](https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-coaching-cycle-examining-league-hot-seats-current-openings-with-two-weeks-left-in-regular-season)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Final record | 3-14, last in the AFC North; point differential of 245 scored, 380 allowed after Week 16[1](https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/team/cleveland-browns-58/2024) • [5](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/standings.cgi?week=16&year=2024) |
| Defining injury | Watson ruptured his right Achilles tendon in the first half of the Week 7 loss to Cincinnati, ending his season; the Browns were 1-6 and had lost five straight[2](https://apnews.com/article/eadeac2774f60f1a0b3490f979c3684e) |
| Quarterback aftermath | Dorian Thompson-Robinson or Jameis Winston was to take over as starter; Thompson-Robinson injured a finger on his throwing hand in the same game[2](https://apnews.com/article/eadeac2774f60f1a0b3490f979c3684e) |
| Coaching stability | Despite a 3-12 slide with two weeks left, the team had no plans to move on from Stefanski[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-coaching-cycle-examining-league-hot-seats-current-openings-with-two-weeks-left-in-regular-season) |
| Key acquisition | WR Jerry Jeudy acquired from Denver for 2024 fifth- and sixth-round picks (Nos. 136 and 203), then signed a three-year extension worth up to $58 million with $41 million guaranteed[6](https://www.nfl.com/news/2024-nfl-free-agency-tracker-latest-signings-trades-contract-info-for-all-32-teams) |
| Draft position | Without a first-round pick in 2024, traded to Houston as part of the Watson deal[7](https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/01/16/browns-season-flacco-chubb) |
| Season opener | Lost 33-17 at home to Dallas on Sunday, September 8[8](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2024/by-team/cleveland-browns) |
## Offseason changes
The Browns entered 2024 after an 11-6 season in which they reached the playoffs despite losing Watson, running back [Nick Chubb](https://www.edgepedia.org/nick-chubb), and right tackle [Jack Conklin](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-conklin) to season-ending injuries and starting four quarterbacks; Stefanski won his second AP Coach of the Year and defensive coordinator [Jim Schwartz](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-schwartz) won Assistant Coach of the Year after guiding the league's No. 1 ranked defense.[9](https://apnews.com/article/ec8e5dfb847a1007e8cb965934be5511) The playoff run ended with a 45-14 wild-card loss to Houston, and Cleveland entered the offseason without a first-round pick, which had gone to the Texans in the Watson trade.[7](https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/01/16/browns-season-flacco-chubb)
**New offensive coordinator.** On February 5, 2024, the Browns announced [Ken Dorsey](https://www.edgepedia.org/ken-dorsey) as offensive coordinator. Dorsey had spent five seasons with the [Buffalo Bills](https://www.edgepedia.org/buffalo-bills), first as quarterbacks coach (2019), then passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2021), and offensive coordinator from 2022 through 2023; in his first season coordinating, the Bills finished second in the NFL in total offense at 397.6 yards per game and 28.4 points per game.[10](https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/ken-dorsey-named-browns-offensive-coordinator) Stefanski cited Dorsey's work with top quarterbacks, including [Josh Allen](https://www.edgepedia.org/josh-allen) and Cam Newton.[10](https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/ken-dorsey-named-browns-offensive-coordinator)
**Free agency and trades.** [Cleveland](https://www.edgepedia.org/cleveland) signed quarterback [Jameis Winston](https://www.edgepedia.org/jameis-winston) to a one-year deal with a $4 million base and $8.7 million max value, quarterback [Tyler Huntley](https://www.edgepedia.org/tyler-huntley), and running backs D'Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines.[6](https://www.nfl.com/news/2024-nfl-free-agency-tracker-latest-signings-trades-contract-info-for-all-32-teams) In March the team acquired Jerry Jeudy from the Broncos for 2024 fifth- and sixth-round picks and signed him to a three-year extension worth up to $58 million, including $41 million guaranteed.[6](https://www.nfl.com/news/2024-nfl-free-agency-tracker-latest-signings-trades-contract-info-for-all-32-teams) • [11](https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/transactions/2024) In June, Berry and Stefanski signed contract extensions.[3](https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/andrew-berry-and-kevin-stefanski-sign-contract-extensions-with-the-browns)
## The Watson injury and quarterback carousel
Cleveland opened the season with five losses in six games, falling to Dallas (33-17), the Giants (21-15), the Raiders (20-16), Washington (34-13), and [Cincinnati](https://www.edgepedia.org/cincinnati) (21-14), with the lone win coming at Jacksonville, 18-13, in Week 2.[8](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2024/by-team/cleveland-browns) In the Week 7 loss to the Bengals, Watson ruptured his right [Achilles tendon](https://www.edgepedia.org/achilles-tendon) while running; an MRI the next day confirmed the rupture, and the team said he would have surgery and miss the rest of the season with a full recovery expected.[2](https://apnews.com/article/eadeac2774f60f1a0b3490f979c3684e) It was the second straight year Watson failed to finish the season as Cleveland's starter.[2](https://apnews.com/article/eadeac2774f60f1a0b3490f979c3684e)
The backup situation compounded the problem: Thompson-Robinson injured a finger on his throwing hand after replacing Watson, leaving Stefanski to choose between him and Winston for the game against Baltimore.[2](https://apnews.com/article/eadeac2774f60f1a0b3490f979c3684e) An Axios analysis in November placed Watson at the center of the team's struggles, noting not only his poor play but a contract with $92 million in guaranteed money that limited roster flexibility; Watson had signed a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract in 2022.[12](https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/11/18/cleveland-browns-team-franchise-haslams-watson-season) • [7](https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/01/16/browns-season-flacco-chubb) In December, the NFL closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Watson, saying there was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy; Watson, who had denied the allegations, ended the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row.[13](https://apnews.com/article/c3b88a274089a07eba9daa4a67663833)
## Course of the season
Cleveland's only wins after the opener came in a three-week stretch. A 29-24 home victory over Baltimore in Week 8 lifted the Browns to 2-6, and a 24-19 Thursday-night win over [Pittsburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/pittsburgh) in Week 12 brought them to 3-8.[8](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2024/by-team/cleveland-browns) Cleveland then lost its final five games, closing with a 35-10 defeat at Baltimore on Saturday, January 4, to finish 3-14.[8](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2024/by-team/cleveland-browns) • [1](https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/team/cleveland-browns-58/2024)
Injuries continued to shape the roster. Chubb, who had opened the season on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury, was placed on injured reserve with a foot injury on December 18.[11](https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/transactions/2024) Mike Vrabel, hired as a coaching and personnel consultant after Tennessee fired him, effectively became the offensive line coach, a role the team would need to refill if he left in the 2025 coaching cycle.[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-coaching-cycle-examining-league-hot-seats-current-openings-with-two-weeks-left-in-regular-season)
## Front-office and stadium disputes
The season also carried off-field friction. In October 2024 the Browns sued the city of Cleveland over the Modell Law, the ordinance designed to prevent the team's move out of the city, amid a planned relocation to a new suburban stadium; the law traces to Art Modell's move of the franchise to Baltimore after the 1995 season.[14](https://apnews.com/article/c1d2624a8e7f0da4a4241fd9f075defe)
## Aftermath
Despite the 3-12 record with two weeks remaining, the Browns had no plans to part with Stefanski, whose adjusted contract confirmed his return in 2025; the team planned to bring in competition at quarterback, since neither Winston nor Thompson-Robinson had capitalized on the opportunity after Watson's injury.[4](https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-coaching-cycle-examining-league-hot-seats-current-openings-with-two-weeks-left-in-regular-season) Stefanski's all-time regular-season record through 2025 stood at 45-56.[15](https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/history/head-coaches)
## References
1. [Cleveland Browns 2024 Scores, Stats, Schedule, Standings, StatMuse](https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/team/cleveland-browns-58/2024)
2. [Deshaun Watson's season is ended by a ruptured Achilles tendon, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/eadeac2774f60f1a0b3490f979c3684e)
3. [Browns extend GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns](https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/andrew-berry-and-kevin-stefanski-sign-contract-extensions-with-the-browns)
4. [NFL coaching cycle: Examining league hot seats, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-coaching-cycle-examining-league-hot-seats-current-openings-with-two-weeks-left-in-regular-season)
5. [NFL Standings As Of Week 16 of 2024, Pro-Football-Reference](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/standings.cgi?week=16&year=2024)
6. [2024 NFL free agency tracker, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/news/2024-nfl-free-agency-tracker-latest-signings-trades-contract-info-for-all-32-teams)
7. [Browns season ends with Flacco's future in doubt, Axios Cleveland](https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/01/16/browns-season-flacco-chubb)
8. [NFL 2024 Cleveland Browns Schedule, NFL.com](https://www.nfl.com/schedules/2024/by-team/cleveland-browns)
9. [NFL Awards Live Updates, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/ec8e5dfb847a1007e8cb965934be5511)
10. [Ken Dorsey named Browns offensive coordinator, Cleveland Browns](https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/ken-dorsey-named-browns-offensive-coordinator)
11. [Browns Season Transactions 2024, Cleveland Browns](https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/transactions/2024)
12. [State of the Browns: A team as frustrating as ever, Axios Cleveland](https://www.axios.com/local/cleveland/2024/11/18/cleveland-browns-team-franchise-haslams-watson-season)
13. [NFL ends investigation into sexual assault allegations against Browns QB Deshaun Watson, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/c3b88a274089a07eba9daa4a67663833)
14. [Browns sue city of Cleveland over 'Modell Law', AP News](https://apnews.com/article/c1d2624a8e7f0da4a4241fd9f075defe)
15. [Browns Head Coach History, Cleveland Browns](https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/history/head-coaches)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › National Football League › NFL teams and franchises › NFL team seasons 2020 to present*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license