The Browns lost 20-7 to the Steelers on Sunday at Heinz Field to close out their season at 4-12, but the game was overshadowed by widespread speculation that coach Rob Chudzinski could be fired after only one season. Following the game, the Browns did in fact fire Chudzinski.
It was the seventh time since 1999 that the Browns have gone 4-12.
The Browns lost their seventh straight game and 10th of their last 11 after the Steelers jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the third quarter. They scored on a 9-yard TD catch by Jericho Cotchery, a 5-yard run by running back Le’Veon Bell and a pair of field goals.
Running back Fozzy Whittaker caught a 35-yard touchdown pass with 2:46 left to help the Browns avoid their only shutout of the season. He also dropped a pass over the middle at the end of the game that was picked off by linebacker Lawrence Timmons with 55 seconds remaining.
Quarterback Jason Campbell, who dropped to 1-7 on the season as a starter, completed 23 of 41 attempts for 240 yards with one touchdown and one interception for a 71.2 rating. He also lost a fumble.
The Browns played the game without cornerback Joe Haden, who sat out with a hip pointer. They also lost cornerback Buster Skrine to a shoulder injury in the third quarter.
Browns tight end Jordan Cameron returned to action after sitting out last week with a concussion. He caught five passes for 69 yards.
Receiver Josh Gordon, one of five Browns named to the Pro Bowl Friday night, caught seven passes for 82 yards. He finished the season with a club-record 1,646 yards to earn the NFL’s receiving-yardage title, the first Browns player to do so.
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