Dawgs By Nature
Talented defensive lineman had his own sandwich
The Cleveland Browns have always been about the defense and the rushing attack. This year, the defense is expected to return to its status as one of the best in the league. They were ranked #1 in 2023 under DC Jim Schwartz.
Former Browns defensive tackle Michael Dean Perry just continued this trend of exceptional defensive linemen who have called Cleveland home.
RELATED: MICHAEL DEAN PERRY INTERVIEW
Perry had an exceptional college career at Clemson. He was named First Team All-ACC in both 1986 and 1987. He was voted the ACC Player of the Year in 1987 and was a First Team All-American the same year.
Perry set the school record for career tackles for loss (61) and was tied for second in career sacks (28). In his final year, he was a finalist for the Outland Trophy, which recognizes the nation’s best lineman.
The Browns selected Perry in the second round of the 1988 NFL draft. He played in all 16 games with two starts as a rookie. He had 25 tackles with six sacks and, at season’s end, was named to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team.
From his first day at training camp, Perry always performed at an elite level and was a very durable player in his 10-year career.
It didn’t take Perry long to make his mark in the NFL. In just his second season, he netted seven sacks with 92 total tackles and became known as a key run stopper. For his efforts, he earned his first Pro Bowl and was voted First Team All-Pro, and UPI named him their “Defensive Player of the Year.”
This only escalated for Perry’s tenure with Cleveland.
His best season was in 1990 when he had an unheard of 107 total tackles from an interior defensive lineman. Calais Campbell has the most career total tackles as a defensive tackle, but in his best year, he only had 72 in a single season.
Perry also contributed 11.5 sacks, with one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles, and 16 starts. For obvious reasons, he earned his second First Team All-Pro honors and was named to his second Pro Bowl.
The next two seasons with the Browns, he had 8.5 sacks each year with 132 combined tackles, and was selected for another Pro Bowl.
During this time, Michael Dean Perry was one of the more televised players in Cleveland during his stay with the Browns.
With all of this success on the field, Perry became a fan favorite. Today, you can see thousands of Myles Garrett #95 jerseys at Browns home games. Back in the early 1990s, it was Perry’s #92 that dotted the stands.
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