Doubleheaders have been part of baseball for more than a century. But in football? That sounds almost impossible.
Yet, believe it or not, it did happen — and it was the Cleveland Browns who pulled it off during the 1960s and early 1970s.
Yes, really.
Say what you want about former Browns owner Art Modell — and fans certainly have over the years — but in his early tenure, he was nothing if not innovative. Before he became infamous for moving the franchise to Baltimore, Modell was known for bold, creative ideas, many of them shaped by his background in New York’s television advertising world.
And one of those ideas was the NFL preseason doubleheader. More here
The Birth of a Unique Experiment
In 1962, Modell decided to use Cleveland Municipal Stadium — a massive venue that could seat over 84,000 fans, even more with standing room — as the stage for something completely new.
He organized a preseason event featuring two games in one night.
- Game 1 (6:30 p.m.): Detroit Lions vs. Dallas Cowboys (then only in their third year as a franchise).
- Game 2 (9:00 p.m.): Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers.
If the times seem shockingly close together, remember this was an era before endless TV timeouts and commercial breaks. Games often lasted just around two hours.
The gamble paid off. A crowd of 77,683 — the largest ever for a Browns preseason game at that point — packed the stadium. Fans loved it, the league took notice, and Modell knew he had struck gold.
The Glory Years of Browns Doubleheaders
Over the next decade, the Browns’ preseason doubleheaders became one of the most unique spectacles in pro football. Attendance regularly topped 80,000, with crowds like:
- 83,218 in 1963
- 83,736 in 1964
- 83,118 in 1965
- 83,418 in 1966
- 84,236 in 1967
- 84,918 in 1968
The pinnacle came in 1969, when a jaw-dropping 85,532 fans showed up — still the second-largest crowd ever to see the Browns play in Cleveland. That night featured the Buffalo Bills vs. Chicago Bears, followed by the Browns taking on the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers, in fact, became a near-annual participant, appearing in five of the six doubleheaders between 1964–1969.
Why the Doubleheaders Ended
The Browns staged 10 preseason doubleheaders in all, with the final one in 1971.
By then, the NFL had changed. The league’s popularity and revenue streams were skyrocketing, and teams realized they could make far more money playing home games rather than splitting the gate four ways in Cleveland.
In 1972, Modell tried one last twist — pairing a Browns preseason game with a concert featuring Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett. Unfortunately, a massive rainstorm turned the stage into a soggy disaster, sinking into the turf and forcing Browns players to physically help push it off the field.
That night effectively ended Modell’s doubleheader experiment.
Looking Back in 2025
More than 50 years later, preseason doubleheaders remain a quirky and fascinating footnote in NFL history — and a reminder of how experimental the league once was.
Today, the NFL is a $20+ billion business, with preseason games often criticized as unnecessary. Teams rest starters, stadiums rarely sell out, and most fans would rather fast-forward to the regular season. But in the 1960s, a Browns doubleheader felt like a can’t-miss event — a full night of football at one of the sport’s grandest stages.
Would the NFL ever consider something like it again? Probably not. The league’s structure, TV contracts, and player health priorities make it nearly impossible. But the Browns’ preseason doubleheaders of the 1960s stand as one of the most creative promotions in franchise — and NFL — history.
It was pure Art Modell: ambitious, controversial, and unforgettable.
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