How good was quarterback Otto Graham?
 
If the Browns didn’t already know, then they certainly found out 59 years ago today, on Sept. 30, 1956.
 
Playing their first game since Graham retired again – this time for good – following the 1955 season, the Browns had a miserable offensive performance in a 9-7 road defeat to the lowly Chicago Cardinals in the season opener.
 
It was Cleveland’s first loss to the Cards in 13 games since it entered the NFL in 1950.
 
Without Graham, who had led them to the league championship game in each of his 10 seasons, winning seven titles, including in each of the previous two years, the Browns managed just a first-quarter touchdown against a Cardinals team they had really crushed in the six seasons Graham had faced it. In fact, Cleveland had averaged 32 points a game against the Cardinals in the last four contests.
 
George Ratterman, who had been Graham’s backup since 1952, got the start and threw for just 89 yards, including a 46-yarder to wide receiver Ray Renfro for the aforementioned TD. He was intercepted twice.
 
The Cleveland defense was gashed for 276 yards rushing but yielded just three Pat Summerall field goals, including his nine-yard game winner with 29 seconds left.
 
Summerall would go on to star with the New Giants and ended up beating the Browns with a field goal in a decisive 1958 game that cost them the Eastern Conference title.
 
When he retired the first time, following the 1954 season, Graham told head coach Paul Brown he would return in 1955 if he couldn’t find a suitable replacement. Graham did indeed come back for one more year at Brown’s request, but when he announced his retirement after a 38-14 blowout win over the Los Angeles Rams in the 1955 NFL Championship Game, he made it crystal clear that he was done with football, at least as a player.
 
So for the first time as a pro coach, Brown was without his future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback, and the heart and soul of his team. As such, Brown knew it wasn’t going to be easy in 1956, and it sure wasn’t. Cleveland went just 5-7 and suffered through its first – and only – losing season under Brown in his 17 years with the club.

By Steve King