Cleveland Browns starting quarterbacks

42 since 1999 · Last start: Deshaun Watson

Who has started at quarterback for the Browns?

The Cleveland Browns have started 42 quarterbacks since 1999, the most of any NFL club. Baker Mayfield made the most starts since 1999: 59 (29-30). Only in 2001, 2019, and 2020 did one quarterback start every game since 1999. In 2026 Deshaun Watson has started all 4 games (3-1).

Year by yearMost starts

Browns starting quarterbacks by year

Cleveland Browns starting quarterbacks by season: starts and record as the starter
SeasonStarters: starts (record)RecordPlayoffs
2026Deshaun Watson 4 (3-1)3-1—
2025Joe Flacco 4 (1-3)Dillon Gabriel 6 (1-5)Shedeur Sanders 7 (3-4)5-12—
2024Deshaun Watson 7 (1-6)Jameis Winston 9 (2-7)Bailey Zappe 1 (0-1)3-14—
2023Deshaun Watson 6 (5-1)Dorian Thompson-Robinson 3 (1-2)Phillip Walker 2 (1-1)Joe Flacco 5 (4-1)Jeff Driskel 1 (0-1)11-6Joe Flacco 0-1
2022Jacoby Brissett 11 (4-7)Deshaun Watson 6 (3-3)7-10—
2021Baker Mayfield 14 (6-8)Case Keenum 2 (2-0)Nick Mullens 1 (0-1)8-9—
2020Baker Mayfield 16 (11-5)11-5Baker Mayfield 1-1
2019Baker Mayfield 16 (6-10)6-10—
2018Tyrod Taylor 3 (1-1-1)Baker Mayfield 13 (6-7)7-8-1—
2017DeShone Kizer 15 (0-15)Kevin Hogan 1 (0-1)0-16—
2016Robert Griffin 5 (1-4)Josh McCown 3 (0-3)Cody Kessler 8 (0-8)1-15—
2015Josh McCown 8 (1-7)Johnny Manziel 6 (2-4)Austin Davis 2 (0-2)3-13—
2014Brian Hoyer 13 (7-6)Johnny Manziel 2 (0-2)Connor Shaw 1 (0-1)7-9—
2013Brandon Weeden 5 (0-5)Brian Hoyer 3 (3-0)Jason Campbell 8 (1-7)4-12—
2012Brandon Weeden 15 (5-10)Thaddeus Lewis 1 (0-1)5-11—
2011Colt McCoy 13 (4-9)Seneca Wallace 3 (0-3)4-12—
2010Jake Delhomme 4 (2-2)Seneca Wallace 4 (1-3)Colt McCoy 8 (2-6)5-11—
2009Brady Quinn 9 (2-7)Derek Anderson 7 (3-4)5-11—
2008Derek Anderson 9 (3-6)Brady Quinn 3 (1-2)Ken Dorsey 3 (0-3)Bruce Gradkowski 1 (0-1)4-12—
2007Charlie Frye 1 (0-1)Derek Anderson 15 (10-5)10-6—
2006Charlie Frye 13 (4-9)Derek Anderson 3 (0-3)4-12—
2005Trent Dilfer 11 (4-7)Charlie Frye 5 (2-3)6-10—
2004Jeff Garcia 10 (3-7)Kelly Holcomb 2 (1-1)Luke McCown 4 (0-4)4-12—
2003Kelly Holcomb 8 (2-6)Tim Couch 8 (3-5)5-11—
2002Kelly Holcomb 3 (2-1)Tim Couch 13 (7-6)9-7Kelly Holcomb 0-1
2001Tim Couch 16 (7-9)7-9—
2000Tim Couch 7 (2-5)Doug Pederson 8 (1-7)Spergon Wynn 1 (0-1)3-13—
1999Ty Detmer 2 (0-2)Tim Couch 14 (2-12)2-14—

Most starts at quarterback for the Browns

Cleveland Browns quarterbacks by regular-season starts
QuarterbackSeasonsStartsW-L-TPctPlayoffs
Baker Mayfield2018–20215929-30.4921-1
Tim Couch1999–20035821-37.362—
Derek Anderson2006–20093416-18.471—
Deshaun Watson2022–20262312-11.522—
Colt McCoy2010–2011216-15.286—
Brandon Weeden2012–2013205-15.250—
Charlie Frye2005–2007196-13.316—
Brian Hoyer2013–20141610-6.625—
DeShone Kizer2017150-15.000—
Kelly Holcomb2002–2004135-8.3850-1
Brady Quinn2008–2009123-9.250—
Jacoby Brissett2022114-7.364—
Trent Dilfer2005114-7.364—
Josh McCown2015–2016111-10.091—
Jeff Garcia2004103-7.300—
Joe Flacco2023–202595-4.5560-1
Jameis Winston202492-7.222—
Johnny Manziel2014–201582-6.250—
Jason Campbell201381-7.125—
Doug Pederson200081-7.125—
Cody Kessler201680-8.000—
Shedeur Sanders202573-4.429—
Seneca Wallace2010–201171-6.143—
Dillon Gabriel202561-5.167—
Robert Griffin201651-4.200—
Jake Delhomme201042-2.500—
Luke McCown200440-4.000—
Dorian Thompson-Robinson202331-2.333—
Tyrod Taylor201831-1-1.500—
Ken Dorsey200830-3.000—
Case Keenum202122-01.000—
Phillip Walker202321-1.500—
Austin Davis201520-2.000—
Ty Detmer199920-2.000—
Bailey Zappe202410-1.000—
Jeff Driskel202310-1.000—
Nick Mullens202110-1.000—
Kevin Hogan201710-1.000—
Connor Shaw201410-1.000—
Thaddeus Lewis201210-1.000—
Bruce Gradkowski200810-1.000—
Spergon Wynn200010-1.000—

Regular season unless marked. A starter is the quarterback who took the first snap, credited with the game's result however long he played: nflverse's game file from 1999, Pro-Football-Reference's record as starter for 1950-98 (no playoff starts before 1999). A quarterback traded within a season before 1999 is left out of that season.