Browns history: Pro Football Hall of Fame announces award on behalf of Cleveland

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has announced the winners of its third annual Excellence Award.

The 2024 recipients are a combination of assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers, PR directors, and video/film directors. Those include former Cleveland Browns assistant coach Lionel Taylor and Cleveland athletic trainer Bill Tessendorf.

Hall of Fame President Jim Porter said:

“Each of these individuals has dedicated countless hours over the years to bettering their fields, their former clubs and the National Football League.”

The “Awards of Excellent” is the league's way of recognizing individuals who have achieved success with NFL clubs and represent the advancement of the league. This started in 2022 to recognize hidden contributors to the league. This year's ceremony will be hosted by Dan Fouts and will be held June 26th and 27th in Canton.

Here are brief biographies of Browns representatives:

Lionel Taylor

Taylor, who played as a wide receiver, went undrafted in the 1959 NFL Draft. He signed with the Chicago Bears as a defenseman for one season, then signed with the Denver Broncos in the 1960 American Football League (AFL). They converted him to receiver, where he played nine seasons with the Broncos and Houston Oilers.

He was selected to the AFL Pro Bowl five times and was the AFL receptions leader five times. He joined the Broncos' Ring of Honor in 1984 as a charter member.

After Taylor hung up his cleats, he was hired as the receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1970 and was credited with helping develop Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. During Taylor's time in Pittsburgh, the Steelers won two Super Bowls.

Photo by George Gojkovic/Getty Images

He then served as an assistant coach at Los Angeles and Oregon State before becoming the head coach at Texas Southern. He was fired after the 1988 season, when the team finished with an 0-11-0 record and a 13-41-1 record.

The Browns hired him as tight ends coach in 1989 under coach Bud Carson. He coached Ozzie Newsome, Derek Tennell and Ron Middleton. Passing game coordinator was added to his title for the 1990 season.

Taylor will be leaving Cleveland to coach in NFL Europe.

bill tessendorf

Tessendorf, or “Tess,” was one of the longest-serving trainers in the NFL.

He began his athletic training journey with the Browns under head coach Nick Skorich in 1973 when the Browns were playing at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. He was hired as an assistant trainer while studying towards his master's degree at Kent State University.

At the time, Browns owner Art Modell said:

“Tessendorf is a dedicated, hard-working, and invaluable member of our organization.”

During his time in Cleveland, he treated and helped hundreds of players and countless staff members.

Tess played against Browns Pro Bowl LB Clay Matthews Jr. in Cleveland, and former Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews III used to run around the locker room as a kid. He worked with former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher as a player (1980-82) and then worked with Cowher as special teams coach for the Browns (1985-86).

He was part of the 1996 move to Baltimore, where he would spend 38 years as an equipment manager or NFL head trainer. Tess He was promoted to Vice President of Medical Services by the Baltimore Ravens in 2005.

Recipient of Best Athletic Trainer Award (1998) and 25 Year Award from the National Athletic Trainers Association. He won the NFL's Athletic Training Staff of the Year award in 1989, according to the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Association. Named Clinical/Professional Athletic Trainer of the Year (1989) by OATA.

Link: Excellence Award Ticket

Tess was a pioneer in player safety advocacy, becoming the first athletic trainer representative on the NFL Injury Safety Committee. Regarding his own career, he calls winning the Super Bowl in 2001 as the Ravens' head athletic trainer his “crowning accomplishment.” He was instrumental in establishing the Ravens' training facility site in his 1996 year.

he said baltimoreravens.com After his retirement ceremony,

“I've worked for 27 years to go to the Super Bowl, and some of my co-workers have never been to a Super Bowl. But I have fond memories of working with people over the years. There are so many. I've been around this activity long enough that I've seen some of my players' kids succeed as players. There are too many to count.”

Tess was inducted into the Northern Illinois University Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 1999.