Editing Cleveland Browns (section)

===Divisional rivalries===

====Pittsburgh Steelers====
{{main|Browns–Steelers rivalry}}
Often called the "Turnpike Rivalry",<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 11, 2007 |title=Steelers To Take On Browns For First Place In The AFC North |url=http://kdka.com/local/Steelers.Browns.rivalry.2.564970.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071130024350/http://kdka.com/local/Steelers.Browns.rivalry.2.564970.html |archive-date=November 30, 2007 |access-date=June 2, 2013 |website=KDKA|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> the Browns' biggest rival has long been the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. Former Browns owner [[Art Modell]] scheduled home games against the Steelers on Saturday nights from 1964 to 1970 to help fuel the rivalry. The rivalry has also been fueled by the proximity of the two teams, number of championships both teams have won, players and personnel having played and/or coached for both sides, and personal bitterness. The teams have played twice annually since 1950, making it the oldest rivalry in the [[American Football Conference|AFC]] and the fifth-oldest rivalry in the NFL. Though the Browns dominated this rivalry early in the series (winning the first eight meetings and posting a 31–9 record in the 1950s and 1960s), the Steelers went 15–5 in the 1970s and 36–9–1 since the Browns returned to the league in 1999. The Steelers have been particularly dominant in Pittsburgh, posting a 44–7 record when hosting the Browns since 1970, including to winning streaks of 16 games (1970–85) and 17 games (2004–20).

The Steelers currently hold a 79–61–1 lead.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Matchups, Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi?tm1=cle&tm2=pit&yr=all |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The Browns and Steelers met in the [[NFL playoffs|playoffs]] in {{nfly|1994}}, {{nfly|2002}}, and [[2020 NFL season|2020]], with the Steelers holding a 2–1 lead in the postseason series. Though the rivalry has cooled in Pittsburgh due to the Modell move as well as the Browns' poor play since 1999, the Steelers still remain the top rival for Cleveland.

====Cincinnati Bengals====
{{main|Bengals–Browns rivalry}}

Originally conceived due to the personal animosity between [[Paul Brown]] and [[Art Modell]], the "Battle of Ohio" between the Browns and the [[Cincinnati Bengals]] has been fueled by the sociocultural differences between [[Cincinnati]] and Cleveland, a shared history between the two teams, and similar team colors, as Brown used the exact shade of orange for the Bengals that he used for the Browns. (Though this has changed since then, as the Bengals now use a brighter shade of orange.) Modell, in fact, moved the Browns to the AFC after the [[AFL–NFL merger]] in order to have a rivalry with the Bengals. The rivalry has also produced two of the eleven highest-scoring games in NFL history. Cincinnati has the all-time edge 52–48. While the Bengals have a 28–21 edge since the Browns returned to the NFL in 1999, this series has been more competitive than the Browns' series with their other division rivals, and the Browns have won 9 of the last 11 meetings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Matchups, Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi?tm1=cle&tm2=cin&yr=all |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

====Baltimore Ravens====
{{main|Browns–Ravens rivalry}}
Created as a result of the [[Cleveland Browns relocation controversy|Browns' relocation controversy]], the rivalry between the Browns and [[Baltimore Ravens]] was more directed at Art Modell than the team itself, and is simply considered a divisional game in Baltimore. This matchup is more bitter for Cleveland than the others due to the fact that the draft picks for 1995 to 1998 resulted in the rosters that won the [[Super Bowl XXXV|Super Bowl]] for the Ravens in 2000. Had Modell not moved the team, these teams, drafted by general manager and former Browns tight end [[Ozzie Newsome]], might have given the Browns a title after a 35-year drought.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rav/|title=Baltimore Ravens Team Encyclopedia|website=[[Pro Football Reference]]|access-date=December 30, 2010|archive-date=October 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191024144120/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rav/|url-status=live}}</ref> As of the 2023 season, the Ravens lead the overall series 36–14.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All Matchups, Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/game_query.cgi?tm1=cle&tm2=rav&yr=all |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The two teams have not met in the playoffs.