| 1986 Cleveland Browns season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Art Modell |
| General manager | Ernie Accorsi |
| Head coach | Marty Schottenheimer |
| Home field | Cleveland Municipal Stadium |
| Local radio | WWWE |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–4 |
| Division place | 1st AFC Central |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Jets) 23–20 (2OT) Lost AFC Championship (vs. Broncos) 20–23 (OT) |
| Pro Bowlers | T Cody Risien NT Bob Golic OLB Chip Banks CB Frank Minnifield CB Hanford Dixon |
The 1986 Cleveland Browns season was the team’s 37th season with the National Football League. The death of Don Rogers, a promising young defensive back who was preparing to enter his third season in the NFL, cast a black cloud over the team as it prepared for the 1986 season.
Cleveland won their first postseason game since 1969, and for the first time in franchise history, the Browns reached the AFC Championship Game, where they would eventually fall to the Denver Broncos, in the game famous for “The Drive.” It would be the first of three AFC Championship games that the Browns would reach in four seasons, all losses to Denver.