Browns history: Pro Football Hall of Fame announces awards with Cleveland represented

The third annual awards recognized in late June

The Pro Football Hall of Fame has announced the recipients of the third-annual “Awards of Excellent.”

Receiving awards for 2024 are a combination of 15 assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers, PR directors, and video/film directors. Among these who will be recognized are former Cleveland Browns assistant coach Lionel Taylor and Cleveland athletic trainer Bill Tessendorf.

Hall of Fame President Jim Porter stated:

“Countless hours have been spent over many years by each of these individuals making their fields, their former clubs, and the National Football League better.”

The “Awards of Excellent” is the league’s way to honor individuals who have achieved success with any NFL club and represent the progress of the league. This began in 2022 to recognize unsung contributors to the league. This year’s ceremony will be June 26-27 in Canton with Dan Fouts as emcee.

Here are brief biographies of the Browns representatives:

Lionel Taylor

Playing wide receiver, Taylor went undrafted in the 1959 NFL draft. He signed with the Chicago Bears for one season playing defense, then signed with the Denver Broncos when the American Football League (AFL) in 1960. They switched him to receiver where he played nine seasons with the Broncos and the Houston Oilers.

He was named to five AFL Pro Bowls and was the AFL reception leader five times. He would be inducted into the Broncos Ring of Honor as a charter member in 1984.

After Taylor hung up his cleats, he was hired as the receivers coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1970 where he was credited with the development of Lynn Swann and John Stallworth. The Steelers captured two Super Bowls while Taylor was employed with Pittsburgh.

Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images

He then was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles and Oregon State before becoming the head coach of Texas Southern. He was fired after the 1988 season when his squad went 0-11-0 and had a 13-41-1 record.

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

Taylor would leave Cleveland to become a coach in NFL Europe.

Bill Tessendorf

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

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

At the time, Browns owner Art Modell stated:

“Tessendorf is a dedicated, tireless worker, and a very valuable member of our organization.”

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

Tess dealt with Browns Pro Bowl LB Clay Matthews, Jr. in Cleveland, while former Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, III was running around the locker room as a child. He treated former Steelers Head Coach Bill Cowher as a player (1980-82), and then worked with Cowher as a Browns special teams coach (1985-86).

He was part of the move to Baltimore in 1996 and would spend 38 years as the equipment manager or NFL head trainer. Tess was promoted to vice president of medical services by the Baltimore Ravens in 2005.

Named recipient of Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award (1998) and 25-Year Award from National Athletic Trainers Association. Headed NFL’s Athletic Training Staff of Year (1989), according to Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society. Selected Clinical/Professional Athletic Trainer of Year (1989) by OATA.

LINK: TICKETS FOR THE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

Tess was a trailblazer in player safety advocacy, becoming the first representative of athletic trainers on the NFL Injury & Safety panel. For his career, he calls the Super Bowl victory as the head athletic trainer for the Ravens in 2001 as his “crowning achievement.” He helped establish the Ravens’ training facility site in 1996.

He told baltimoreravens.com after his retirement ceremony:

“I worked 27 years to get to the Super Bowl, and some of my colleagues have never been. But, there are a lot of memories of working with people over the years. I’ve been in it long enough to see some of my players’ kids come through 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 (1999).