30 NFL quarterbacks who got better after leaving their first team
By Dan Parzych
20. Frank Ryan
While there was some drama during Frank Ryan’s time with the Los Angeles Rams from 1958 to 1961, at least the quarterback was able to convince the team to send him to the Cleveland Browns as part of a trade before the start of the 1962 season.
How did everything turn out exactly for Ryan? The fact alone that Ryan would go on to help the Browns win the championship in 1964 shows the trade to bring him on board was worth the effort.
That season, Ryan led the NFL in touchdown passes with 25. It would end up being the first of three years in a row where he received Pro Bowl honors, continuing to show how a fresh start in Cleveland was the best thing to happen to his professional career.
Even though the end of his career with the Browns wasn’t exactly what Ryan had in mind, since he was released prior to the 1969 season, nothing can take away from him bringing home a championship title during his seven years with the team.
As for the final two years for Ryan in the NFL with the Washington Redskins, well, let’s just say they were pretty forgettable. By then, he really wasn’t playing that much.