Sam Rutigliano, who coached the Cleveland Browns from 1978 until midway through the 1984 season, remains the franchise’s longest-tenured head coach since Blanton Collier worked the sidelines in the 1960s.
Rutigliano took over the Browns when the team’s dynasty years were a distant memory to many fans and turned the team into the high-powered offense known as the Kardiac Kids. He led the Browns to the AFC Central Division title in 1980, breaking an eight-year playoff drought, only to see Cleveland lose in heart-breaking fashion to the Oakland Raiders in what has become to be known as the Red Right 88 game.