The Cleveland Browns were reinstated as a franchise in 1999 after a three-year hiatus. The original Browns franchise in Cleveland relocated to Baltimore and agreed to change its name and leave behind the Browns’ old records.
They have managed precisely three winning seasons since then. Joe Thomas experienced precisely one of them—his rookie season when the Browns went 10-6. They proceeded to lose at least 10 games in their next six seasons. The best they ever did was 7-8-1 after that.
And yet the great tackle, recently named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot, insists that he has no regrets.