The birth of the Kardiac Kids was still a long ways off, but that era began to take shape a little more 41 years ago Saturday.
It was on April 8, 1976, as the NFL Draft began with the first seven rounds, that the Browns acquired four players who would make a big impact in 1980. That’s when the Browns had one of their most memorable seasons ever, and certainly their most exciting, in finishing 11-5 and winning the AFC Central championship with a string of last-second victories.
But by nightfall that day in 1976, and even long thereafter, in fact, no one could have foreseen greatness in any of these players. They were virtual unknowns to Browns fans, and it took a while for them to develop.
The Browns drafted Purdue running back Mike Pruitt in the first round, at No. 7 overall.
In the third round came Colorado tight end Dave Logan.
Southern Methodist offensive tackle Henry Sheppard was a fifth-rounder.
And in a draft day trade, the Browns acquired cornerback Ron Bolton from the New England Patriots in exchange for offensive tackle Bob McKay.
Bob McKay. Now there’s a player the fans knew.
McKay had been the Browns’ second first-round draft pick in 1970, after quarterback Mike Phipps. He had been a starter at right tackle from 1971-74, and then started at right guard the following year.
He was also known for another reason. He was at the center of a big fight with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1975 at Cleveland Stadium. Pittsburgh defensive tackle “Mean” Joe Greene thought McKay had been holding him too much and kicked him in the groin, igniting what is still one of the greatest brawls between the teams.
Pruitt almost fumbled his way out of the league in his first two seasons, infuriating Forrest Gregg so much that the Browns head coach benched him. It wasn’t until 1978 when Sam Rutigliano replaced Gregg and gave Pruitt another chance that he began to blossom, eventually gaining 1,000 in three straight seasons, and four of five.
Likewise, Logan, simply because he was too thin to play tight end in the NFL, also struggled in his first two years in Cleveland, catching just 24 passes for one touchdown, and then saw his career take off when Rutigliano moved him to wide receiver in 1978. Logan finished with 262 career receptions, which places him just outside the team’s top 10 list, and he is seventh in receiving yards (4,247), eighth in touchdown catches (24) and tied for seventh in average yards per catch (16.2).
Sheppard was a starter at left guard and right guard from 1976-81.
And Bolton played for the Browns through 1982, getting 17 interceptions, including a team-leading six in 1980. In the 14-12 loss to the Oakland Raiders in the AFC divisional playoffs that year, he returned an interception 42 yards to provide the Browns with their only touchdown.
