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Home > Blogs > Dawging the Browns > Archives > 2008 > June > 25 > Entry
Favorite stat about Phipps
“WO” was right in his comment. The Browns did turn quarterback Mike Phipps into Ozzie Newsome back in the ’70s.
And it’s staggering, considering how truly awful Phipps was, that they were able to get anything at all for him.
My favorite Phipps stat: In 12 seasons with the Browns and Bears, he threw 55 touchdown passes and 108 interceptions.
I thought it was a misprint. I even checked a second source.
But it’s true.
With the Browns, he threw 40 TD passes and 81 interceptions.
With those numbers, it’s amazing he lasted in the league as long as he did, and that the Browns did not turn to someone else (Brian Sipe?) sooner. Of course, they probably kept trying to justify the trading of Paul Warfield to the Dolphins for the right to draft Phipps in the first round in 1970.
In 1975, Phipps threw four TD passes and 19 interceptions. Any wonder that the Browns were terrible that year?
Phipps was still the Browns’ opening-day starter in 1976, if you’ll recall. That’s when New York Jets defensive back Shaffer Suggs knocked him out with a shoulder injury and Sipe came in.
Most amazing is that the Browns were able to get a first-round draft choice for Phipps when they dumped him on the Bears.
Think about it. They traded a Hall of Famer to get Phipps, then used him to acquire another one. All for a guy who threw nearly twice as many interceptions as TD passes in his career.
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By blackbart58
June 25, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this
Sean….hello…it was blackbart that reminded you of our windfall from Phipps….not WO, or WD for that matter!