Super Bowl 2015: A Look at Browns Connections in the Super Bowl, and Cleveland's Roster Makeup

Every year, the Cleveland Browns typically have at least one former player represented in the Super Bowl. Outlined below are players, coaches, or front office personnel who were formerly members of the Browns on either the New England Patriots or Seattle Seahawks.The parenthesis represent the time span they were with Cleveland.

At the end of the post, we will post a quick year-by-year look at the Browns' roster make up following the end of the season.

Former Browns on the New England Patriots

• WR Brian Tyms (2013) - The Browns signed Tyms in 2013, and he saw limited playing time at the end of football games. He played in a total of 7 games, logging 2 catches for 12 yards with Cleveland. He had a big start to this season, catching a 43-yard touchdown pass in Week 6 for the Patriots in the first week he was active. He didn't log another catch until Week 17, though, and is now just a special teamer.
  
  
• WR Jonathan Krause (2014) - Krause was an undrafted free agent who spent training camp with the Browns this year. He caught 1 pass for 24 yards in the preseason, and has been on the Patriots' practice squad all season.
  
  
• OL Caylin Hauptmann (2013-2014) - The Browns have been back-and-forth with Hauptmann the past two years. They re-signed just before the start of the regular season, but waived him due to a failed physical. Hauptmann was on the Seahawks' roster all of last season, and even though he didn't play, he got himself a ring. This year, he's been on the Patriots' practice squad, but he'll have a second crack at getting a ring without contributing on gameday.
  
  
• OLB Eric Martin (2013-2014) - Most of you may be thinking, "What? I thought he was still on the Browns?" Cleveland waived the special teams linebacker before Week 17 due to injuries on the team, and the Patriots signed him to their practice squad.
  
  
• Football Research Director, Ernie Adams (1991-1995) -  Adams was again an offensive assistant, working with tight ends and running backs. He re-joined Belichick in 2000 and serves a variety of roles, such as assisting with replay review on gameday and giving draft input.
  
  
• Assistant to the Coaching Staff, Michael Lombardi (1987-1996, 2013-2014) - Lombardi finally paired up with Belichick again, now as basically a personal assistant to him.
  
  
• Head Coach, Bill Belichick (1991-1995) - His head coaching reign has certainly gone a lot better in New England than it did in Cleveland. Even though many have attributed his success to the luck of the draw that he stumbled into Tom Brady, I wouldn't take much away from Belichick as being one of the best in the business.      
  
  
• Tight Ends Coach, Brian Daboll (2009-2010) - Daboll served as the Browns' offensive coordinator under former head coach Eric Mangini, and it was a nightmare. The sooner I can remove Daboll's reign from my memory, the better. Now, he's the tight ends coach for the Patriots, where he's working with a very talented group.
  
  
• Special Teams Coach, Scott O'Brien (1991-1995) - O'Brien served as Belichick's special teams coach in Cleveland, and he re-joined him in 2009 in the same role.

Former Browns on the Seattle Seahawks

• WR Chris Matthews (2011) - The unsung hero of the NFC Championship was Matthews, the 6-5, 218 lbs. receiver who spent one offseason with the Browns in training camp. After a two-year stint in the CFL, Matthews signed with the Seahawks this offseason. He played in three of the team's final four regular season games, and both postseason games, on special teams. He is the player who recovered the onside kick against Green Bay, which helped lead the Seahawks' comeback.
  
  
• TE Keavon Milton (2013-2014) - The Browns tried to convert Milton to an offensive lineman in training camp, but it didn't materialize to much. Fortunately for him, the Seahawks stashed him on their roster. He only played in one regular season game (Week 16) and likely won't be active for the Super Bowl, but he could get a ring.
  
  
• OL Patrick Lewis (2013-2014) - He's been back-and-forth on the Browns' roster the past two years too, but the Seahawks signed him this year and started him in four games. He played in one postseason game as a backup, so it's 50/50 whether he'll be active or not.
  
  
• Quarterbacks Coach, Carl Smith (2001-2003, 2009-2010) - Smith had two stints with the Browns, first with Butch Davis and then with Eric Mangini, guiding the likes of Tim Couch, Kelly Holcomb, Derek Anderson, and Brady Quinn. Now, he's been with Russell Wilson the past three years.
  
  
• Assistant Special Teams Coach, Nick Sorensen (2007-2010) - Sorensen was a leader of the Browns' special teams units for four years before suffering a serious neck injury in the preseason that pretty much ended his playing career. He also did some local broadcasting working on the Browns a couple of years ago.

Browns' Year-by-Year Roster Breakdown

Source: Cleveland Browns

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