CLEVELAND -- Why would anyone want to take part in a “parade” for an NFL team that went 0-16
To wash away the memory of the worst season in the history of the Cleveland Browns' franchise, that's why.
An estimated crowd of between 2,500 and 3,200 Browns fans lined the streets around FirstEnergy Stadium for “The Perfect Season Parade, 2.0” on Saturday afternoon.
“We're supporting the fans,” said Matt, a member of the Twin Cities Browns Backers that made a 14.5-hour drive from Minneapolis for the event. “These fans are die-hards, and they deserve a better team, somebody that really stands up, salutes the flag and goes out there and plays to win, not just about the money.”
Matt was not alone in his support of the fans, as fellow Twin Cities Browns Backer, Barry LeBlanc, made the trek to Cleveland to participate in the parade.
“I'm supporting the Browns fans,” LeBlanc said.
“That's the best thing about the Browns, the fan base. They never give up. We're always here for them. There's never been a blackout date. We have 193 people strong in Browns Backers Club 43 in the Twin Cities in Minneapolis, and we're up there every Sunday rooting them on.”
Owners of the longest playoff drought in the NFL, the Browns have posted a league-worst 1-31 record over the last two seasons.
With last Sunday's 28-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field, the Browns joined the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only teams in NFL history to finish a season 0-16. The Browns have not won on a Sunday afternoon since December 13, 2015, and their 33 straight Sunday losses are an NFL record.
Additionally, during the 2017 season, the Browns set the record for the worst 28-game stretch in NFL history, as they bested the previous mark of 2-26 set by the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 1976-1977 seasons with a 1-27 mark that got four losses worse since Week 13.
Over the last four-plus years, the Browns have gone 4-49, and the record has not been much better since Dee and Jimmy Haslam officially purchased the team in October of 2012.
In five seasons under the Haslams' majority ownership, the Browns have posted an NFL-worst 15-65 record. Factoring in the remaining games of the 2012 season after the sale was approved at an NFL Owners Meeting in Chicago, the Browns have gone 19-70.
“It's only going to get better from here, we hope,” LeBlanc said. “There's next year.”
