Here’s one more different and interesting Browns story before we bgin to look into the future – or, perhaps, the lack thereof – of head coach Hue Jackson.

It’s about numbers.

More specifically, it’s about retired jersey numbers.

This all comes about, of course, from the Los Angeles Lakers retiring not just one, but two, numbers, 8 and 24, of Kobe Bryant the other night. Two numbers retired for a player is believed to be a first in sports.

It’s understandable in one regard in that Bryant wore both numbers for a considerable length of time during his long career with the Lakers.

But at the same time, it’s not understandable in any way, shape or form because of he way it elevates Bryant above the Lakers’ numerous other former greats who each have just one number retired. How do players such as Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar think about this?

Though the Browns have 15 players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, they have retired just five numbers, two of which are for players not in the HOF. The Hall of Famers honored are Otto Graham (14), Jim Brown (32) and Lou Groza (76). The other two retired numbers are for Ernie Davis (45) ad Don Fleming (46), both of whom died tragically several weeks apart in late spring 1963.

The Browns have seven Hall of Famers who wore two different numbers because their careers were split by the NFL’s decision in 1952 to change to the present numbering system. As such, it could legitimately be argued that there could be two numbers retired for each of them.

For instance, Graham wore 60 in the six years before the switch and 14 in the four seasons after it.

Groza wore 46 in the six years before the switch and 76 in the 15 seasons after it.

Dante Lavelli wore 56 in the six years before the switch and 86 in the five seasons after it.

Marion Motley wore 76 in the six years before the switch and 36 in the two seasons after it.

Bill Willis wore 30 in the six years before the switch and 60 in the two seasons after it.

Frank Gatski wore 22 in the six years before the switch and 52 in the five seasons after it.

And Len Ford wore 53 in the two seasons before the switch and 80 in the six seasons after it.

Just something cool to think about in a season that has been anything but cool.

OK, OK, but what about Hue Jackson?

Stay tuned.