Why Can't This Team Just Find a Quarterback?: And Other Thoughts on Life in Browns Town

by Terry Pluto

For Cleveland Browns fans who want to know why things keep going so wrong for their team…

For 25 years — since the return of the franchise in 1999 — Browns fans have been more consistently frustrated, befuddled, and disappointed by their team than any other fans in pro sports.

Why?

Sports columnist Terry Pluto (cleveland.com / The Plain Dealer) shares answers.

With insight and insider details gained from decades covering the team, Pluto looks closely at 2014 to 2024 and also back with fresh insight on earlier years of the new The drafts, the deals, the coaching and front-office changes … the onfield disappointments … rare bright spots and moments of optimism.

Above all there has was the ongoing, fruitless, endless search for the right starting quarterback — from Tim Couch to Johnny Manziel to Baker Mayfield (and so many others!) …

And then Deshaun Watson came to town — in one of the most disruptive and disastrous deals in the team’s history …

“Browns fans deserve better,” Pluto says.

If you’ve lived through years of disappointing football with the Cleveland Browns, this book will change how you understand the team.

By long-time Plain Dealer sports columnist Terry Pluto, based on decades covering the Browns40+ starting quarterbacks(!) — from Tim Couch to Johnny Manziel to Baker Mayfield to Deshaun Watson.Explores the heartbreak, hope, and chaos of Browns’ QB decisions.Includes some rare bright spots, such as Nick Chubb and Myles Garrett.Explains key turning points, big deals, and what went wrong (or occasionally right).Features thoughts from fans — including why they still stick with this team.

Kindle Edition

Published December 16, 2025

About the author

Terry Pluto is a sports columnist for the Plain Dealer. He has twice been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the nations top sports columnist for medium-sized newspapers. He is a nine-time winner of the Ohio Sports Writer of the Year award and has received more than 50 state and local writing awards. In 2005 he was inducted into the Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame. He is the author of 23 books, including The Curse of Rocky Colavito (selected by the New York Times as one of the five notable sports books of 1989), and Loose Balls, which was ranked number 13 on Sports Illustrateds list of the top 100 sports books of all time. He was called Perhaps the best American writer of sports books, by the Chicago Tribune in 1997. He lives with his wife, Roberta, in Akron, Ohio."

Reviews

[Katie Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great summary of the current Browns, with interesting historical background, and touching stories. It honors fans well and Jimmy Donovan would be proud of how he is remembered.

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid chronicle of the Cleveland Browns QB quest from their return to the NFL in 1999. It's a sad story but, as a Browns fan, we are very capable of handling sadness. Well worth reading if you want to be reminded of 25 years of pain.

[Ed Hutchinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always like reading Terry Pluto's stuff. This is his newest book, and while a lot of what he talks about I already knew, it was nice to get some insider "scoops" on some of the stories and issues with the Browns. His chapters about Jimmy Donovan were the highlight of the book by far. I read it in one night, after only planning to read for about a half hour. Light read but a very enjoyable one. Pluto is excellent at keeping his books light yet entertaining and informative.