Bailey Zappe Becomes 40th QB to Start for Browns Since 1999: Full List

There are some names on this list.
Zappe made his nine career start—and first with Cleveland—on Saturday afternoon in Baltimore.
Zappe made his nine career start—and first with Cleveland—on Saturday afternoon in Baltimore. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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Bailey Zappe made a bit of history Saturday afternoon when he took the opening snap of the Cleveland Browns' Week 18 clash against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.

Zappe is the 40th quarterback to start under center for the Browns' franchise since the 1999 NFL season. That is—by far—the most in the NFL in that span, as the Chicago Bears are the next-closest team with 30 different starting quarterbacks since '99.

Baker Mayfield and Tim Couch, the No. 1 picks in the 1999 and '18 drafts, are tied for the lead with 59 starts in that span. There are eight quarterbacks to start exactly one game for Cleveland since 1999: Spergon Wynn, Bruce Gradkowski, Thad Lewis, Connor Shaw, Kevin Hogan, Nick Mullens, Jeff Driskel and Zappe.

Here's the full list of Browns quarterbacks since Couch was selected with the No. 1 pick in 1999:

Browns QBs to Start At Least One Game Since 1999

PLAYER

STARTS

YEARS

Baker Mayfield

59

2018 to '21

Tim Couch

59

1999 to '03

Derek Anderson

34

2006 to '09

Colt McCoy

21

2010 to '12

Brandon Weeden

20

2012 to '13

Charlie Frye

19

2005 to '07

Deshaun Watson

19

2022 to '24

Brian Hoyer

16

2013 to '14

Deshone Kizer

15

2017

Kelly Holcomb

12

2001 to '04

Brady Quinn

12

2007 to '09

Trent Dilfer

11

2005

Josh McCown

11

2015 to '16

Jacoby Brissett

11

2022

Jeff Garcia

10

2004

Doug Pederson

8

2000

Jason Campbell

8

2013

Johnny Manziel

8

2014 to '15

Cody Kessler

8

2016 to '17

Seneca Wallace

7

2010 to '11

Jameis Winston

7

2024

Robert Griffin III

5

2016

Joe Flacco

5

2023

Dorian Thompson-Robinson

5

2023 to '24

Luke McCown

4

2004

Jake Delhomme

4

2010

Ken Dorsey

3

2006 to '08

Tyrod Taylor

3

2018

Ty Detmer

2

1999

Austin Davis

2

2015

Case Keenum

2

2020 to '21

P.J. Walker

2

2023

Spergon Wynn

1

2000

Bruce Gradkowski

1

2008

Thad Lewis

1

2012

Connor Shaw

1

2014

Kevin Hogan

1

2016 to '17

Nick Mullens

1

2021

Jeff Driskel

1

2023

Bailey Zappe

1

2024


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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.