When the Browns took the field on Sunday for their season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals Doug Dieken took to the radio booth for his career finale as color commentator for the Browns Radio Network.
The 72-year old Dieken spent his entire 51-year career in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns organization. He was the Browns starting left tackle from 1971-1984 after being drafted in the 6th round of the 1971 NFL Draft. His 14-year playing career saw him make 194 straight starts with Cleveland and 203 consecutive games played. Dieken was a Pro Bowl selection in 1980 and won the NFL Man of the Year Award in 1982.
After his retirement in 1984, Dieken moved from the field to the radio booth as color commentator for Browns radio broadcasts. He served in the radio booth from 1985 to 1995 when the Browns left the city for Baltimore and then returned in 1999 with the expansion Browns up to Sunday's 2021/22 season finale. From 1996 to 1998 he served as a team spokesman while they worked on bringing an NFL team back to Cleveland.
Dieken was always known for his hard work, dedication and loyalty. Throughout his playing career he fought through many injuries including a broken right hand, broken thumbs, torn tendons and strained ligaments, but refused to sit out and use injury as an excuse. He also has three knee surgeries in his 14-year career. Toughness was never a question. His loyalty shined bright when former Browns owner Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore, he offered Dieken a job. Dieken's response to Modell was simply: "No, I'm a Clevelander."
In the broadcast booth Dieken worked next to Cleveland greats like Nev Chandler, Casey Coleman and current play by play man Jim Donovan. Dieken and Donovan have been a dynamic duo on the radio broadcast since 1999 when the Browns returned as an expansion team. Following Sunday's game the Browns honored Dieken by naming the broadcast both at First Energy Stadium "The Doug Dieken Radio Booth".
During the postgame show Dieken shared his final thoughts before he passed the torch onto his future replacement along side Jim Donovan. He will be missed by all as Browns games on the radio will never be the same without his venerable voice.
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I got all choked up when Jimmy Donovan who is a cancer survivor announce they are renaming the booth after Doug. Enjoy retirement to the Browns Legend!