December 16th, 2001 a day in the NFL that does not get talked about that much. Browns fans pepper the field with beer bottles and anything they can throw. The game was ruined by the refs throughout and after they reviewed a play that happened two plays prior causing the Browns to lose, all hell broke loose. Let’s go over some of the facts that lead up to this.
- In 1995 the Browns have their last season in Cleveland (for a few years) and move to Baltimore
- After three seasons with no football team the Browns returned
- One season after having a team again the former Cleveland Browns, now Baltimore Ravens had won a Super Bowl
- The Browns first two seasons back had gone 2-14, and 3-13 and after 12 games in 2001 were sitting at 6-6 ready to make the playoffs, but needed a big win against the Jags
- 1 minute left from the 12 the Browns had a 4th and two down by 5. They ran the play and got the first down. They then ran another play, after that play the refs decided to review if the 4th down ball was caught
- As everyone knows you can not review a play after another play happens
- The call is over turned and the refs rule the 4th down is incomplete and the ball went back to the Jags
- Next the Fans explode and start throwing bottles on the field
- The refs make matters worse and end the game with 40+ seconds left.
- The NFL adds to the issue by sending the players back out there to take a knee to officially end it
- 11 random players form each team were sent out there to take a knee and end it
- The Browns would finish 7-9 and miss the playoffs
What a wild time, people think bad refs are new, they aren’t, refs have always been bad and people seem to forget. I’m also not going to do the whole if this was in Philly thing. Because, if this was in Philly we would hear about it everyday, nobody ever brings up Browns fans throwing beer bottles on the field. So, because of that I won’t bring up the whole “If this was Philly thing” I’m just going to let it go.
