Cleveland Browns Playoff History: All-Time Playoff Win-Loss Record

The 2023 NFL Playoffs begin this weekend, and as has been the case for much of the past two decades, the playoffs will take place without the Cleveland Browns. Before the NFL-AFL merger, the Browns were one of football’s dominant franchises. They won eight championships before 1966 but have not reached a Super Bowl since the sport’s biggest game began. Counting all of the franchise’s history, what is the Cleveland Browns’ all-time playoff record? In 38 playoff games, the Browns are 17-21, with five trips to the AFC Championship Game appearances and no victories. 

The Browns began their winning ways back in 1946, beating the New York Yankees in the one-round championship game 14-9. They followed that up with championships in 1947 and 1948. The 1949 season saw the introduction of the Divisional Round, but it made no difference to the Browns. They beat the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers to win the 1949 championship and knocked off the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams to win a fifth straight title in 1950. The Browns continued to make the championship game, losing three consecutive times from 1951 to 1953 and winning in 1954 and 1955. They added one more championship in 1964 but have failed to advance past the Conference Championship since. From 1971 to 1985, the Cleveland Browns made the playoffs five times but could not win a single playoff game. They finally won a Divisional Round game in 1987 and again in 1989, but it was one and done every time. The Browns won just one playoff game in the 1990s and have only one playoff victory since 1994, a 2020 Wild Card victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In total, the Browns are 17-21 in the playoffs. Cleveland fans hope Deshaun Watson and Myles Garrett can break the playoff drought next season.