The Cleveland Browns travel to Pittsburgh this weekend aiming to achieve a feat they have not accomplished in nearly four decades: a regular-season sweep of the Steelers. Cleveland won the first meeting in Week 4, and a victory on Sunday would give the Browns their first season sweep of their AFC North rivals since 1988.
Historic Drought
The last time Cleveland swept Pittsburgh was November 20, 1988 — a span of 38 years. That sweep occurred just two weeks before the fifth birthday of Aaron Rodgers, who at 42 is the only player on either current roster who was alive at the time. Since that 1988 sweep, the Steelers have dominated the series, posting a 52-17 record in 69 regular-season matchups. The rivalry was then part of the AFC Central, a division that no longer exists.
Struggles in Pittsburgh
Cleveland's difficulties have been especially pronounced on the road. The Browns' last victory at what is now Acrisure Stadium came in 2003 with Tim Couch at quarterback. Since then, Cleveland has lost 22 consecutive games in Pittsburgh, with only six of those defeats decided by seven points or fewer.
Milestone Implications
A win would also push the Browns to 6-2, a record they have not reached this century. Since the Super Bowl era began in 1966, Cleveland has started a season 6-2 only once — in 1994 under head coach Bill Belichick. That gives the franchise the fewest 6-2 starts in the NFL over that period, fewer than expansion teams such as the Jaguars, Panthers, and Texans. The current 28-season drought without a 6-2 start is the longest active streak and the second-longest in league history.
Rookie Impact
The Browns' resurgence has been fueled by an emerging offense led by two rookie receivers. Denzel Boston (372 receiving yards) and KC Concepcion Jr. (317 yards) have become just the second rookie duo in NFL history to each surpass 300 receiving yards through their team's first seven games. Selected 29th and 39th overall in the 2026 draft, they marked the first time since 1996 that a team took two wideouts in the top 40. In the Week 4 win over Pittsburgh, the pair combined for nine catches and 154 yards, with Concepcion hauling in a six-yard pass on Deshaun Watson's final completion to set up Andre Szmyt's game-winning 56-yard field goal.
Watson's Clutch Performances
Watson has directed a game-winning drive in all five of Cleveland's victories, making him only the third quarterback since 1970 to lead a game-winning drive in each of his team's first five wins of a season, joining Troy Aikman (1990 Cowboys) and Matthew Stafford (2016 Lions).
Monken's Culture Shift
Head coach Todd Monken has been credited with changing the franchise's mindset. After a win over the Buccaneers, Monken declared, "Browns are gonna Browns f--- that. ... The guys took that to heart." If Monken guides Cleveland to its first sweep of Pittsburgh since 1988, the rest of the league may have to view the Browns as a legitimate playoff contender rather than a perennial pushover.
Playoff Implications
A victory would also put Cleveland on a path toward its first division title since 1989. The Browns will attempt to bury decades of frustrating history when they kick off at 1 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.
