Life as a Browns fan, explained, plus notes on new QB playcallers

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More on that next, plus: New QB-playcaller pairings of interest and thoughts on whether the remodeled Chiefs are back in business. This article is from The Athletic’s NFL newsletter. Sign up here to receive it directly in your inbox. Being a sports fan in Cleveland is not for the faint of heart. Sure, the baseball team is doing well. And yes, you can distract yourself at one of many golf courses, enjoy a meal at Cordelia’s (one of the best I, a Canadian, have had in America) or admire stunning architecture. The Cavaliers often offer respite, though after Game 1 those wounds are too fresh to dig into here. The Browns? They are why you need a distraction. I recently asked those fans to explain how it feels to cheer for the worst (by a lot) NFL team of the 21st century. The Browns have been so bad that even if they go 17-0 in 2026, they will still be 32nd in this list. Before I share what we heard from Browns fans … you might’ve also noticed that the Cowboys have had the NFL’s best winning percentage among teams without a Super Bowl this century. Not sure that’s a good thing. (Dallas fans, what’s it like to cheer for “America’s Team”? Share your thoughts here.) If you need inspiration or just a laugh, here’s what Browns fans wrote in: “Being a Browns fan is watching a horrible movie that you’ve already seen 50 times, because you hold onto the hope the studio filmed an alternate ending.” — Todd B. “Like getting a new dog that gets hit by a big rig, season after season.” — Zander V. “Burning your tongue on a hot piece of pizza and then taking another bite immediately after.” — Rick F. “Like trying to recover from a hangover and stepping on your kids’ Lego blocks.” — Tom P. “Imagine you’re a carpenter by trade. Every day, you go to work and swing a hammer, and 95 percent of the time, you hit your thumb.” — Dave T. My personal favorite, from Corey E.: “It’s like being the kid in school who never gets invited to the cool party. Every year, you tell yourself, ‘This is the year it finally happens.’ You change your look, style and taste in music. Read books on how to make friends, learn some jokes, etc. Nothing works. “You used to be invited all the time, before your school was unceremoniously moved to Baltimore and you had to attend the new school rebuilt on a bad foundation. But now you’re stuck there, and you’ve gone through 42 wingmen. “But hey, this year is absolutely THE YEAR.” Amazing. And as Dr. Scott M. explained in his answer, the Browns actually have a strong history. Otto Graham. Jim Brown. Eight ancient championships. That’s what keeps fans coming back every Sunday. To be kicked in the groin. Again. As any longtime readers know, I am a big fan of my colleague Ted Nguyen. His film-based stories always make me a smarter football fan, and today’s look at teams with new playcallers is no different. Thirteen starting quarterbacks will have new coaches calling their plays in 2026. Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield and Justin Herbert might be the most interesting, but I also wanted to highlight two situations you might not know much about. Both relate to Bears head coach Ben Johnson. Lamar Jackson with Declan Doyle. The Ravens lured Doyle from Johnson’s staff. Ted expects Baltimore to remain directionally similar to what it was under Todd Monken, but with a greater emphasis on under-center concepts and, you know, keeping Jackson healthy. Jayden Daniels with David Blough. The Commanders’ 30-year-old OC was a backup quarterback for Johnson just three years ago. As Ted writes, “Daniels doesn’t have much experience playing under center, so it’ll be an adjustment, but a necessary one to prolong his career.” The full story has more on the Herbert-Mike McDaniel pairing, why Matt Nagy looks like a poor fit for Jaxson Dart and much more. It’s worth your time. We’ve unlocked it for you here. Last season paired the worst season of Andy Reid’s Kansas City tenure (6-11) with a devastating injury to Patrick Mahomes. With the QB aiming for a Week 1 return, how will the Chiefs rebound otherwise? They’re off to a generally promising start, as Derrik Klassen explains on this buying or selling-themed episode of “The Athletic Football Show.” 💬 “This probably is a soft-reset year for them. When Dallas made the Micah Parsons trade, it was like, ‘We’re giving up a player so that we can rebuild the entire defense.’ “The Chiefs kind of did that with the Trent McDuffie trade. It allows them to draft defensive tackle Peter Woods at No. 29, in addition to the (Khyiris) Tonga signing. We’ve talked about those two allowing you to play more odd fronts; you have a lot more juice up front. They also drafted R. Mason Thomas. The secondary is also completely retooled. “I have some issues with how they handled the offseason on offense. I would have liked to have done something else at wide receiver. I don’t quibble with the Kenneth Walker signing, because if you didn’t have explosive players anywhere else, getting a running back who can give those to you is a fine signing. So I’m on tepid buy for what for what the Chiefs did.” That full episode will be live today, likely by the time you read this. 👀 Aaron Rodgers-Mike McCarthy. Our Steelers beat reporter, Mike DeFabo, explains how the QB helped bring his former coach to Pittsburgh … and vice versa. Mike Silver writes that no matter what happens, this pair is worth watching. ⭐ Rashee Rice is back in the news. He was booked into jail on Tuesday for violating probation by testing positive for a substance found in cannabis. Details here. 📓 Disappointing starts. Travis Hunter could have revolutionized the NFL with a big first season. Instead, he is one of eight highly drafted sophomores who underwhelmed as rookies. 💔 Charvarius Ward Sr. endured something no one should have to, the death of his 23-month-old. He opened up to James Boyd about it. ▶️ Monday’s most-clicked: Updated Super Bowl odds and playoff projections. 📫 Enjoyed this read? 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