- The 1980 Browns team is nicknamed the "Kardiac Kids" because 13 of 16 games are decided in the last two minutes, 12 of the 16 games are decided by 7 points or less, and 7 of 16 games are decided by 3 points or less
- The Browns start the season 0-2, then 2-3, and then win eight of their next nine games, and nine of their last eleven games to finish 11-5
- Some of the "Kardiac" games are Green Bay where the Packers go up 21-13 in the 4th quarter on a 26 yard Lynn Dickey touchdown pass to James Lofton. 28 seconds later, after he throws a 50 yard pass to running back Calvin Hill, Sipe hits Ozzie Newsome for a 19 yard touchdown pass making it 21-20. With 16 seconds to go in the game and the Browns facing a third down and twenty, Sipe hits Dave Logan with a 46 yard touchdown pass and the Browns win 26-21. Pittsburgh leads the Browns 26-14 in the 4th quarter until Greg Pruitt catches a 7 yard TD pass from Sipe and a few minutes later Ozzie Newsome catches an 18 yard TD pass from Sipe to go up 27-26. The Steelers still have two drives left in the game. The first is stopped by a Ron Bolton interception. Their final drive is ended when the Browns tackle Steeler receiver Jim Smith after a 34 yard pass from Cliff Stoudt on the Steelers 47 yard line as time runs out. Even the Browns losses are of a "Kardiac" nature as the Browns are up on the Minnesota Vikings 23-15 with 2:18 to go in the game when Sipe throws an interception. Five plays later with 1:35 left to play Vikings quarterbaack Tommy Kramer throws a 12 yard touchdown pass to Ahmad Rashad. The Vikings try an onside kick but the Browns recover it. After three plays and a costly Cody Risien penalty the Browns punt the ball to the Vikings with 14 seconds to go in the game. The Vikings run a successful hook-n-ladder pass play from their own 20 yard line that goes for 34 yards to the Browns 46. With four seconds left Kramer throws a 46 yard Alley-Oop pass (now called a Hail Mary) to Ahmad Rashad for the victory. I cannot believe what I just saw as I am watching the game on TV. They are the Kardiac Kids indeed!
- I attend the final regular season game against the Bengals in Cincinnati. To win the division the Browns have to win this game. Where I and my friends are sitting there are twenty of us Browns fans for every Bengals fan. The Bengals go up 10-0 in the 2nd quarter. Then Brian Sipe hits Reggie Rucker for a 42 yard touchdown pass and Don Cockroft kicks a 26 yard field goal to make it 10-10 at halftime. In the third quarter Ray Griffin (Archie Griffin's brother) returns a Sipe pass 52 yards to put the Bengals up 17-10. Then Sipe hits Ricky Feacher for a 35 yard touchdown pass and after a Ron Bolton interception hits Feacher again with a 34 yard touchdown pass to give the Browns a 24-17 lead. With 14 seconds remaing in the third quarter Bengal quarterback Jack Thompson (who had started in place of the injured Ken Anderson) throws a 59 yards touchdown pass to Pat McInally to tie the score 24-24. After going back and forth during the 4th quarter the Browns finally drive down to the Bengals 5 yard line with 1:25 left in the game. Failing to get in the end zone Don Cockroft kicks a 22 yard field goal (the Bengals waste a timeout trying to ice Cockroft) to give the Browns the lead 27-24. The Bengals return the kickoff to their own 32 yard line and Kenny Anderson takes over as their quarterback. On third down and seven Anderson hits Steve Kreider for 32 yards to the Browns 43 and I am getting extremely nervous in the stands. Next Anderson throws a 9 yard pass to Dan Ross to the Browns 34 with 11 seconds to go in the game. His next pass is incomplete and stops the clock with 4 seconds left. His final pass is to Kreider who is tackled at the Browns 11 by Ron Bolton as time runs out. I can't believe it but the Browns "Kardiac" regular season ends with them becoming AFC Central Division champions. I drive back to the Columbus area and go to a Buzzards Nest record store to buy playoff tickets. They tell me they don't have them so I have to watch the playoff game on TV.
- The Oakland Raiders beat the Houston Oilers 27-7 in the Wildcard game. They play the Browns in Cleveland Municipal Stadium on Jamuary 4, 1981 in 2 degree weather with a wind chill of -20 degrees. Midway though the 2nd quarter Cleveland scores first on a 42 yard interception return of a Jim Plunkett pass by Ron Bolton. On the extra point attempt, Paul McDonald, the holder, said the snap was inside and low and Raider linebacker Ted Hendricks blocks Don Cockroft's kick and the score is 6-0. On the ensuing kickoff the Raiders drive 67 yards and score on a 1-yard touchdown by Mark van Eeghen with 18 seconds left in the half and go up 7-6. Three and a half minutes into the 3rd quarter Cockroft kicks a 30 yard field goal to give the Browns a 9-7 lead. Three minutes later the Browns try a 36 yard field goal but McDonald mishandles the snap and is tackled for an 11 yard loss. With 2:40 left in the 3rd quarter Cockroft kicks a 29 yard field goal to increase the Browns lead 12-7. The Raiders score on an 80 yard drive, during which the Browns have a costly offsides penalty by Elvis Franks on a play where they sacked Jim Plunkett. Mark van Eeghen scores his second touchdown on a one yard run and the Raiders lead 14-12 with 9:22 left in the game. The Browns next drive failed. They got the ball back on their own 25 yard line 4:39 to go in the game. Sipe fumbles and the Raiders recover. The Raiders go on a fourth and one at the Browns 15 but the defense stops them with 2:22 left. In eight plays Sipe and the offense move the ball to the Raiders 14 yard line. Mike Pruitt gains one yard leaving a second and nine from the 13. The Browns call a timeout. On the sideline head coach Sam Rutigliano and quarterback coach Jim Shofner decide to have Sipe throw a pass for the touchdown rather than run the ball again to set up a game-winning field goal. Sipe questions the call but returns to the huddle and calls the infamous "Red Right 88" pass play. The play is designed to go to receiver Dave Logan as he crosses in front of the linebackers but if the safety comes up then Sipe can throw to Reggie Rucker or Ozzie Newsome. Sipe chooses Newsome who is cutting across the back of the end zone but throws the ball slightly behind him and Raiders strong safety Mike Davis steps in front of him and intercepts the pass. Rutigiliano's call of that play instead of trying for the winning field is roundly criticized. He feels with the earlier blown field goals and extra point that kicking a field goal is not guaranteed. In the next game the Raiders beat the San Diego Chargers 34-27 for the AFC Championship and then defeat Dick Vermeil's Philadelphia Eagles 27-10 in the Super Bowl. The Kardiac Kids had played the whole season with the greatest heart I've ever seen. They never gave up and will always be considered one of the Browns most exciting teams
- In the enthusiam leading up to the playoffs and hopefully a Browns trip to the "Siper" Bowl, a novelty song titled "The Twelve Days of a Cleveland Browns Christmas" is released during the holiday season. Each day mentions a prominent Browns player
- Brian Sipe leads the NFL with a 91.4 Passer Rating
- Brian Sipe becomes only the third quarterback in NFL history (Joe Namath, Dan Fouts) to throw for 4,000 yards in a season. He passes for 4,132 yards
- Brian Sipe throws 30 touchdown passes breaking Frank Ryan's team record of 29 set in 1966
- Brian Sipe wins the NFL MVP award
- Mike Pruitt rushes for 1,000 yards for the second straight season
- Linebacker Bill Cowher's rookie season with the Browns
- Don Cockroft retires after 13 years with the Browns
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Browns Team Checklist 1981 Topps
football card |
NFL Passing Leaders 1981 Topps
#1 football card |
Reggie Rucker 1981 Topps
#9 football card |
Clarence Scott 1981 Topps
#29 football card |
Doug Dieken 1981 Topps
#49 football card |
Charles White Rookie 1981 Topps
#69 football card |
Charlie Hall 1981 Topps
#89 football card |
Johnny Evans 1981 Topps
#129 football card |
Jerry Sherk 1981 Topps
#149 football card |
Joe DeLamielleure 1981 Topps
#170 football card |
Ricky Feacher Rookie 1981 Topps
#196 football card |
Ron Bolton 1981 Topps
#221 football card |
Thom Darden 1981 Topps
#241 football card |
Mike Pruitt 1981 Topps
#260 football card |
Tom DeLeone 1981 Topps
#279 football card |
Dick Ambrose 1981 Topps
#298 football card |
Dave Logan 1981 Topps
#325 football card |
Brian Sipe 1981 Topps
#350 football card |
Calvin Hill 1981 Topps
#398 football card |
Greg Pruitt 1981 Topps
#415 football card |
Ozzie Newsome 1981 Topps
#435 football card |
Don Cockroft 1981 Topps
#458 football card |
Keith Wright Rookie 1981 Topps
#478 football card
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Lyle Alzado 1981 Topps
#505 football card
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Mike Pruitt Super Action 1981 Topps
#441 football card
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Brian Sipe Super Action 1981 Topps
#486 football card
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