Remember Rypien? Cleveland Fans Should

Who remembers Mark Rypien?

Perhaps no one. At least not this week.

Not after Vinny Testaverde found himself mentioned in the same sentence - at least in the Browns’ record book - with Otto Graham and Bernie Kosar, of all people.

OK, so it’s a little premature to start construction on that Vinny The Great statue in front of the Stadium. We’ll at least wait to see how today’s game goes in Pittsburgh.

But know this much - without Rypien, there would be no game this week.

When Testaverde was on the bench for three games recovering from two concussions, someone had to play quarterback.

That someone was Rypien, who had three starts, winning two. He also beat a couple of decent teams - New England at home and Philadelphia on the road.

“I’m proud of that,” said Rypien, the former Shadle Park High and Washington State standout. “In the end, a quarterback is measured by his record. What happens when you play? Does your team win or lose? Really, that is what counts the most.”

A year ago, it was a different story as the Browns played quarterback roulette. But here is something to notice - in the three games last season in which Todd Philcox took every Browns snap, the team was 0-3.

Just imagine if they were 0-3 without Testaverde this year, instead of 2-1 with Rypien?

That would have made their record 9-7. No playoffs and more anger.

“This has been a tough year for me because it’s the least I’ve played since my first two years in the league (1986-87),” Rypien said. “When I signed with the Browns, I understood that I was here to back up Vinny. I knew Vinny was talented, but I didn’t realize the extent of that talent until I got here.

“Vinny really is a tremendous athlete, and he’s had a good year for us. In the New England game, there were three or four plays where he had absolutely nothing and he scrambled around and made good things happen. Not many guys in the league can make those kinds of plays.”

Rypien is 32. He was a starter for six years with Washington, racking up a 45-27 record. He also is 5-2 in the playoffs. He’s best known as the MVP in the 1992 Super Bowl, so there are a few things he can tell Testaverde about postseason football.

“Vinny should not worry about what people say about him,” Rypien said. “There is always someone out there trying to hang a label on you.”

Testaverde supposedly isn’t a smart quarterback, and chokes in big games.

“Not fair,” Rypien said. “But once somebody says something, it sticks for a long time. When I was a young quarterback, they said I had ‘fumble-itis.’ I had a couple of key games where the ball just slipped out of my hand at the worst time.

“I also was hurt in my first two seasons. So I fumbled and was injury-prone. Well (in 1991), I stayed healthy, didn’t fumble and my team won the Super Bowl. That quieted everyone down. Vinny can do the same thing (to his critics).”

The Browns signed Rypien this summer as a free agent. Washington wrote him off as too old and too battered.

“I think I showed that I can still play,” he said. “This is a bit difficult for me because I love playoff games. The juices are flowing. I want to be out there. I’m proud of Vinny. He has led us this far. But if something does happen to him, I know I can respond in pressure situations.”