A year to forget for the Browns is far from over.
The Cleveland Browns 2024 season could be the most disappointing for the franchise since they resumed operations in 1999.
They boast the lowest win percentage in the NFL since reactivation in 1999, and have yet managed to somehow exceed all previous disappointments.
They still have seven games left to play!
Prior to 2024, if you had asked Browns fans what they believed the worst season since reactivation was, a few would stand out.
The 1999, 2016, 2017 and 2019 seasons would certainly have received a majority of the votes.
The 2-14 season in 1999, the 1-15 season in 2016 and the 0-16 season in 2017 all had the same thing in common – they were awful football teams and even the most diehard fans did not expect much.
While the 6-10 season in 2019 comes closest in terms of underachieving, that team was still young and coached by the least experienced head coach in NFL history – Freddie Kitchens.
However, the 2024 Cleveland Browns entered the year coming off an 11-win season and playoff appearance.
That was despite starting five different quarterbacks and having over 26% of their salary cap on injured reserved.
Once all their starters returned, the Browns had what some considered to be a top five roster in the NFL.
It’s the hope that kills you
The team embraced the highest expectations they have had since reactivation. Everyone associated with the organisation was talking about the real possibility of the franchise reaching their first Super Bowl.
And yet, despite all of these expectations, the team is 2-8 going into Week 12 on a short week against their rival Pittsburgh Steelers. It is a game where everybody expects the Browns to fall to 2-9.
It is hard to find the adjectives to describe how disappointing the Browns 2024 season has been.
A fanbase that felt a sense of hope that they had not felt since they were given their team back in 1999, has once again had it immediately stripped away from them.
Its not entirely clear where the Browns go from here moving forward.
One thing for sure is that the team is in the midst of their most disappointing season in over two decades. It hurts.
And unfortunately, it is a feeling far too familiar for Browns fans.
