Frank Ryan, the last quarterback to lead the Cleveland Browns to a championship, has died following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 87.
Ryan and the Browns won the NFL Championship — back before it was called the Super Bowl — in 1964. That title 60 years ago was the last for the franchise, as the Browns are one of the few remaining teams to not have played in the Super Bowl.
In the 1964 championship, Ryan threw three touchdown passes, each to Gary Collins, lifting the Browns past the heavily favored Baltimore Colts and QB Johnny Unitas by a 27-0 count.
Ryan and wife Joan were married for 65 years. He donated his brain to the CTE center at Boston University.
