1955 NFL Championship Game

Lore & Background

This was the Browns' sixth consecutive NFL title game and their third NFL championship of the 1950s, following wins in 1950 and 1954. The attendance of 87,695 broke the NFL championship game record by nearly 30,000. It was the first NFL championship game played on a Monday and the first televised by NBC. The Browns were six-point favorites.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled across the frozen turf of Municipal Stadium on Christmas Eve week. Fans bundled in heavy wool coats watched as Otto Graham stepped into the huddle, his breath visible in the cold air. There was no hesitation in his eyes; he knew this was another chapter to write in the book of greatness. As the ball snapped, the roar of the crowd merged with the clatter of pads, echoing a legacy being forged in steel and snow.

Reader's Guide

The game featured a dominant performance by Browns quarterback Otto Graham, who had announced his retirement at the end of the season. Graham threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Dante Lavelli, ran for a 19-yard touchdown, scored on a sneak, and tossed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Ray Renfro. Rams quarterback Norm Van Brocklin threw six interceptions, which he later called the worst game of his Hall of Fame career. The Browns led 17–7 at halftime and 31–7 after three quarters, with the final score 38–14.

Did You Know?

• The gross receipts for the game, including radio and television rights, were over $504,000, the highest to date.
• Each player on the winning Browns team received $3,508, while Rams players made $2,316 each.
• This was the Rams' fourth title game in seven seasons, with one victory in 1951. They did not reach the league's big game again until Super Bowl XIV in January 1980, and did not win until Super Bowl XXXIV in January 2000