By STEVE KING
Baker Mayfield, whose doubters have multiplied in a season that has obviously, and definitely, not gone as well as planned, needs a huge performance against the Detroit Lions on Sunday to calm the waters.
As such, he needs the kind of outing that Brian Sipe had 43 years ago Friday, proving beyond any shadow of a doubt that he was indeed the Browns franchise quarterback.
It was on Nov. 19, 1978 that Sipe recorded the first 300-yard passing day of his career, throwing for four touchdowns as the Browns romped past the Baltimore Colts 45-24.
Sipe was in his seventh year with the club after being a throwaway 13th-round pick in the 1972 NFL Draft out of San Diego State. He was much more interested in surfing the Pacific Ocean waves in his native California than he was in being a pro quarterback, so it’s not surprising, then, that he was relegated to a spot on the taxi squad, the forerunner of today’s practice squad, for his first two years. He started to become more committed to football and made the regular roster in 1974, but he ran in virtual quicksand, having a good performance one week and a so-so one the next. The Browns gave him plenty of opportunities to be the guy, but he failed to take advantage of them.
Sipe got a boost and a break when offensive-minded Sam Rutigliano was hired as head coach in late December 1977 and almost immediately declared that Sipe was his starter. That gave Sipe a much-needed shot of confidence, and he responded by opening the 1978 season like gangbusters as the Browns got off to a 3-0 start. Then he began struggling, dragging the team down with him. It got so bad, in fact, that, following his and the team’s bottoming out in an ugly 19-7 home loss to the defending AFC champion Denver Broncos, Rutigliano considered making a change at quarterback. He gave Sipe one more chance, against the Colts, and, as fate would have it, he finally responded.
What happened, then, was magical, and historic. Sipe just kept getting better and better and, in 1980, he ended up being the last Brown to win the NFL Most Valuable Player award, throwing for 30 touchdowns and shattering nearly every club passing record as the Browns went 11-5 and captured the Central Division title in nine years. He is still considered to be one of the four greatest quarterbacks in Browns history, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Otto Graham, Bernie Kosar and Frank Ryan.
And it all started 43 years ago Friday, when, after almost everyone, including some of his staunchest defenders, had pretty much given up on him, Brian Sipe refused to give up on himself and etched his name in Browns lore.
Are you listening, Baker Mayfield?
