No one in Browns history has played with more passion, fire and determination than running back Earnest Byner and the late, great linebacker, Eddie Johnson.

That they were teammates, and played with others like them in linebacker Clay Matthews, cornerback Hanford Dixon, running back Kevin Mack and quarterback Bernie Kosar, showed just how much those 1980s Browns teams cared, how focused they were and how much they wanted to win, not just for themselves and their teammates but also for the fans with whom they had a tremendous connection.

That’s why those three losses in four seasons to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, especially those first two in 1986 and ’87 that went right down to the wire, hurt the players so much, even to this day 3½ decades later.

There is the story from some years back of Byner and another member of those Browns teams, Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome, playing golf together in the offseason. One thing led to another and they began reminiscing about those Denver games as they walked down the fairway. Newsome turned around to see that Byner had stopped. He was crying.

“I will never forgive myself for dropping that ball,” Byner said. “I let so many people down.”

He was referring to his fumble at the Denver 3 with just over a minute left in the 1987 game in Denver as he was going into the end zone seemingly untouched for the touchdown that would have put the Browns just an extra point away from tying the score, 38-38. Little-known defensive back Jeremiah Castille came out of nowhere to reach in to strip the ball and the Broncos recovered on their way to winning 38-33.

That the Browns, with a lot of help from Byner, had climbed back into the game from an 18-point deficit, and that he basically did everything on that final drive that covered nearly the length of the field, was – and still is – of no consolation to him.

Steve King