Detroit Lions

Browns owner puts a positive spin on the season after franchise-worst 1-15 mark

Published Jan. 1, 2017 7:17 p.m. ET

Nunzio Ingrassia

The Cleveland Browns went from threatening to become the second team in NFL history to finish 0-16 to nearly ending the season on a winning streak.

The Browns fell short of their second consecutive win Sunday, losing to the Steelers 27-24 in overtime. But despite their franchise-worst 1-15 season, owner Jimmy Haslam had a positive outlook on the team’s 2016 campaign.

"I think we have the right people in place,'' Haslam said, via the Cleveland Plain Dealer after Sunday's loss. "I could not be more pleased with the job that Hue [Jackson] and his staff are doing. You wouldn't think this was a team that was 1-14 that was out there battling. What did we play today? 70-plus minutes of football? So really pleased with Hue and really pleased with our personnel group.''

The Browns picked up their first win in Week 16, holding off the Chargers last Saturday to avoid joining the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only teams to go 0-16. Cleveland showed a lot of heart Sunday, pushing the Steelers, albeit without QB Ben Roethlisberger, wideout Antonio Brown and running back Le’Veon Bell, to overtime.

The loss gives Cleveland the No. 1 pick in April’s draft, which will be critical to the Browns turning around their current fortunes.