Packers to face Browns in Cleveland

The Packers take their first road trip of the regular season as they travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns.

• It will be the earliest visit to Cleveland since 1972 (Week 1).
• Sunday will be Green Bay's first regular-season contest at Cleveland since 2017.
• It will be the fifth game between the two teams in the month of September (2-2) and the first since 2005.
• The Packers lead the all-time series, 14-7 (.667), which includes one playoff contest.
• Green Bay has won four straight over Cleveland and six of the last seven.
• The Packers are 7-4 at Cleveland, including three straight wins.
• The last matchup between the Packers and Browns in Cleveland was a 27-21 overtime victory by Green Bay in 2017.
• The last two games between the franchises have been decided by a combined eight points.
• Sunday is the only noon (CT) kickoff game for the Packers out of the first seven games of the season.
• Sunday kicks off a stretch of three AFC North opponents in five games (vs. Cincinnati in Week 6 and at Pittsburgh in Week 8).

WITH THE CALL

FOX Sports, now in its 32nd season as an NFL network television partner, will broadcast the game.

• Play-by-play man Kevin Kugler joins analyst Daryl Johnston and sideline reporter Allison Williams.
• The game is also available through NFL Sunday Ticket by YouTube.
• All Packers games can be heard on the Packers Radio Network, which is made up of 54 stations in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois and North and South Dakota. 97.3 The Game – WRNW-Milwaukee begins its fourth season as the flagship station of the Packers Radio Network. For a map and full listing of radio affiliates, go to packers.com/video/radio-network. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play), two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (analyst), and three-time Packers Pro Bowler John Kuhn (sideline reporter) call the action. McCarren first joined the team's broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 31st season calling Packers games. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 27th season of broadcasts together. They surpassed Jim Irwin and Max McGee for the most regular-season and postseason games broadcast for the Packers with 313 at the 2018 season opener against Chicago.
• The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio on Channel 161 or 381 or through the app (Packers Radio Network feed).

This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. Read the full version here (PDF).

THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:

Packers at Browns:

• All-time, regular season: 13-7
• All-time, postseason: 1-0
• All-time, at Cleveland (regular season): 7-4
• Streaks: Green Bay has won six of the last seven regular-season games played, including four straight (2009-21).
• Last meeting, regular season: Dec. 25, 2021, Lambeau Field, Packers won, 24-22

COACHES CAPSULES

• Matt LaFleur: 69-33-0, .676; (3-5 postseason); 7th NFL season
• Kevin Stefanski: 40-46, .465; (1-2 postseason); 6th NFL season
• Head to Head: LaFleur 1-0 vs. Stefanski
• vs. Opponent: LaFleur 1-0 vs. Browns; Stefanski 0-1 vs. Packers

MATT LaFLEUR…In his seventh season as the Packers' 15th head coach.

• Is in his 17th season in the NFL, having previously served as an offensive coordinator for two seasons (Los Angeles Rams, 2017; Tennessee Titans, 2018), a quarterbacks coach for six seasons (Washington Redskins, 2010-13; Atlanta Falcons, 2015-16), and an offensive assistant for two seasons (Houston Texans, 2008-09).
• In his first six seasons leading the Packers, has authored one of the greatest starts to a head-coaching career in NFL history. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, his 67 wins are the second most in league history by a head coach in his first six seasons in the NFL, trailing only George Seifert (75 in 1989-94). Green Bay's 67-33 regular-season record since 2019 is No. 4 in the NFL and ranks No. 1 in the NFC.
• Became the first coach in NFL history to post 13-plus wins in three straight seasons and his 39 wins from 2019-21 passed Seifert (38) for the most wins by an NFL head coach in his first three seasons in the league (Elias). His 39 wins are also tied for the second most by a coach over any three-season span in league history, trailing only Andy Reid's 40 wins with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2020-22 and Mike Ditka's 40 wins with the Chicago Bears from 1985-87 (Elias).
• Led Green Bay to the playoffs last season for the fifth time in six years (tied for No. 3 in the NFL over that span), guiding the two youngest playoff teams in the NFL over the past 45 seasons in 2023 (weighted age of 25.25) and 2024 (25.72).
• In his first season leading the Packers in 2019, became the first coach in club history to guide the team to the playoffs in his debut season. Also led the largest one-year win improvement in team history (plus-seven wins).

KEVIN STEFANSKI…In his sixth season as the Browns' 18th head coach.

• Is in his 20th season as an NFL coach, having previously spent 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings as an assistant to the head coach (2006-08), assistant QBs coach (2009-13), TEs coach (2014-15), RBs coach (2016), QBs coach/interim offensive coordinator (2017-18) and offensive coordinator (2019).
• Was named The Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2023, becoming the 16th coach to win the award multiple times since its inception in 1957.
• In 2023, joined Paul Brown (1951 and 1953) as the only coaches in team history to record multiple seasons with 11-plus regular-season wins.

This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. Read the full version here (PDF).

THE PACKERS-BROWNS SERIES

• The Browns won the first three contests of the series (1953-56) before the Packers won the next five games played, including the 1965 NFL Championship. Cleveland has not won back-to-back games in the series since 1955-56.
• Green Bay captured its ninth NFL title when the Packers defeated the Browns, 23-12, in the 1965 NFL title game at Lambeau Field.
• The Packers have won six of the last seven games played, including the last four consecutive contests. Green Bay has scored 24-plus points in every game (seven straight) since 1995.

CONNECTIONS

Packers players and staff from Ohio: DBs coach Ryan Downard is from Lima, Ohio…Senior personnel executive Lee Gissendaner is from Akron, Ohio, and attended Stow-Munroe Falls High School in Stow, Ohio…T/G Darian Kinnard was born in Youngstown, Ohio, and attended Saint Ignatius (Cleveland) for his last three years of high school… Packers players and staff who played college football in Ohio: DL Karl Brooks played at Bowling Green from 2018-22…Senior assistant Luke Getsy played at Akron from 2005-06…Offensive quality control coach Rob Grosso played at John Carroll from 2011-13…Passing game coordinator Jason Vrable played at Marietta from 2003-06…Packers coaches who have coached in Ohio: Head coach Matt LaFleur was the offensive coordinator at Ashland University in 2007…Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley was the co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Ohio State in 2019…Vrable was the QBs coach at Marietta College in 2007…Downard was a graduate assistant at Toledo in 2013…Downard spent two seasons at Bowling Green, serving as the director of football operations (2016) and the safeties coach (2017)…LBs coach Sean Duggan was a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 2019…Assistant defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase was a graduate assistant at Ohio State from 2013-15…Defensive quality control coach Jamael Lett was a graduate assistant at Ohio in 2016…Lett was the secondary coach at Akron in 2020…Getsy was a graduate assistant at Akron from 2007-08…RBs coach Ben Sirmans served in the same role at Kent State from 2000-04…Grosso was a student coaching/recruiting assistant at John Caroll from 2014-15…Packers with connections to Ohio: President & chief executive officer Ed Policy is from Youngstown, Ohio…Policy's father, Carmen, served as president & CEO of the Browns from 1998-04…Director of performance psychology and team behavioral health clinician Dr. Chris Carr worked at Ohio State from 1995-2000… Packers TE Luke Musgrave's uncle, Bill Musgrave, is the QBs coach for the Browns...Browns with connections to Wisconsin: Assistant strength and conditioning coach Ty Taylor spent four seasons at Wisconsin in the same role (2020-23)…DT Shelby Harris is from Milwaukee and attended Homestead High School in Mequon, Wis. …Harris played for Wisconsin in 2009…Former Browns: Hafley was the DBs coach for the Browns from 2014-15…Downard was a defensive assistant for the Browns from 2014-15… Assistant director of college scouting Patrick Moore spent five seasons as a scout for the Browns (2013-17)…Scouting coordinator Dan Zegers worked for the Browns from 2018-25, serving as the personnel coordinator (2018-19) and as an area scout (2020-24)…Former Packers: Browns limited partner Charles Woodson played for the Packers from 2006-12…Assistant general manager/VP of player personnel Glenn Cook served as a pro scout for the Packers from 2012-15…Senior college scouting advisor Shaun Herock worked for the Packers for 19 years (1993-2011), including 11 years as the assistant director of college scouting (2001-11)…National scout Matt Donahoe was a summer scouting intern with the Packers in 2012…Player development coordinator Anthony Fabiano spent time on Green Bay's practice squad in 2020…P Corey Bojorquez played for the Packers in 2021…Notable NFL connections: LaFleur was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2017, where he worked with Browns T Cornelius Lucas… LaFleur was the Tennessee Titans' offensive coordinator in 2018, where he worked with Browns T Jack Conklin… Packers DL Micah Parsons was teammates with Browns FS Damontae Kazee with the Dallas Cowboys in 2021… Vrable and Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz were on the Buffalo Bills' coaching staff in 2014…Getsy was the Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator in 2022-23 when Browns G Teven Jenkins played there…Packers K Brandon McManus crossed paths with Browns QB Joe Flacco, Harris, WR Jerry Jeudy and Bill Musgrave during his time with the Denver Broncos (2014-22)…Packers TEs coach John Dunn was on the N.Y. Jets' coaching staff when Flacco played there in 2020...Packers RB Josh Jacobs and Browns WR DeAndre Carter were teammates in 2023 with the Las Vegas Raiders…Packers QBs coach Sean Mannion played for the Minnesota Vikings in 2019 when Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was the Vikings' offensive coordinator…Packers DL coach/run game coordinator DeMarcus Covington, Browns special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone and passing game coordinator/WRs coach Chad O'Shea were on the New England Patriots' coaching staff in 2017…Mannion crossed paths with Browns LB Devin Bush and C Ethan Pocic during his time playing with the Seattle Seahawks from 2021-23…Packers QB Malik Willis played for the Tennessee Titans when Schwartz was on the coaching staff from 2021-22…Browns DL coach Jacques Cesaire played for the San Diego Chargers when Packers assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia was on the Chargers' coaching staff in 2011...Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich and Hafley coached on the San Francisco 49ers' staff with Browns LBs coach Jason Tarver in 2017...Notable college connections: Jacobs and S Xavier McKinney were teammates with Browns RB Jerome Ford and Jeudy at Alabama…Bill Musgrave worked with Packers RB Chris Brooks for two seasons (2020-21) when he was the offensive coordinator/QBs coach at California… Packers DL Rashan Gary and Bush played together at Michigan from 2016-18…Packers G Aaron Banks played for Notre Dame from 2017-20 when Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was on the coaching staff… Getsy was teammates with Flacco at Pittsburgh from 2003-04…Packers WR Matthew Golden, DL Barryn Sorrell and Browns WR Isaiah Bond played together at Texas in 2024… Packers OL Zach Tom and Browns TE Blake Whiteheart were teammates at Wake Forest from 2018-21.