The Cleveland Browns will be the home team in Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season when they take on the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
The game will mark the first international game for the Browns since 2017, when they coincidentally also played the Vikings in London.
Related: Browns 2025 Schedule Primer: Week 5, Minnesota Vikings
The Browns and Vikings, who first met in 1965, have only played each other 16 times, making it one of the fewest-played series in franchise history. That may be a good thing, as the Browns have won just five times against the Vikings.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at five memorable games between the two teams.
November 19, 1967: Browns 14, Vikings 10
Cleveland fell behind early to the Vikings, but the defense shut out Minnesota in the second half as the Browns pulled out the win.
The first of two one-yard touchdown runs from Leroy Kelly cut Cleveland’s deficit to three points heading into halftime. With the Vikings still holding that lead in the fourth quarter, Jim Kanicki forced a fumble that Walter Johnson recovered near midfield. Frank Ryan then led the offense on a drive that culminated with Kelly scoring his second rushing touchdown with just 23 seconds left in the game.
The Browns had 210 rushing yards on the day while Ryan was battered by Minnesota’s defense, which had eight sacks. The win allowed the Browns to take over the lead of the Century Division.
January 4, 1970: Vikings 27, Browns 7
The last of Cleveland’s dynasty years ended in disappointment with a loss to the Vikings in the final NFL Championship game.
Minnesota scored two touchdowns in the first eight minutes of the game and stretched the lead to 27-0 in the fourth quarter as the Browns could get nothing going on offense. Bill Nelsen finished just 17-of-33 with two interceptions as he struggled to play through a numb arm after taking a hit in the second quarter. Cleveland’s only score of the game came on a late three-yard touchdown pass from Nelsen to Gary Collins.
The loss marked the beginning of a streak where the Browns would not win a playoff game until the 1986 season.
December 14, 1980: Vikings 28, Browns 23
Cleveland was on the verge of clinching the AFC Central Division title at Minnesota’s Metropolitan Stadium before it all fell apart in stunning fashion.
The Browns looked to be in control after Cleo Miller’s one-yard touchdown run gave them a 23-9 lead with about seven minutes remaining in the game. But the Vikings came back with a pair of touchdown passes by Tommy Kramer to cut Cleveland’s lead to just one point, thanks to a missed extra point by Minnesota kicker Rick Danmier, with 1:35 remaining in the game.
Cleveland was unable to run out the clock, however, and Minnesota took over on its 20-yard line with 14 seconds remaining. A trick play moved the Vikings into Cleveland territory, and with five seconds remaining, Kramer threw a Hail Mary pass that was knocked around by defensive backs Thom Darden and Ron Bolton before falling into the waiting arms of Minnesota’s Ahmad Rashad for the game-winning touchdown.
The Vikings bullied Cleveland’s defense with 28 points in the second half, 530 yards of total offense, and a 456-yard passing day from Kramer, the second highest total of his 14-year career.
October 26, 1986: Browns 23, Vikings 20
Special teams carried the day as the Browns rallied back from a 14-point halftime deficit to pull out a victory against the Vikings.
Cleveland’s first touchdown came in the third quarter when Frank Minnifield blocked a punt that Felix Wright returned 30 yards for a score. The Browns tied the game on a 17-yard touchdown run from Curtis Dickey, and Wright recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff. Matt Bahr’s 22-yard field goal gave the Browns a three-point lead just past the two-minute warning.
The Vikings moved down the field and, with 12 seconds remaining, lined up for a 45-yard field goal to send the game into overtime. But Minnifield blocked the kick, and victory started a streak of eight wins in nine games as the Browns drove to the playoffs.
September 22, 2013: Browns 31, Vikings 27
It was another wild one as the Browns took down the Vikings to culminate a week that saw them trade running back Trent Richardson and lose quarterback Brandon Weeden to an injury. But the Browns rallied behind three touchdown passes from Brian Hoyer, who was making just his second career start at quarterback, to pull out the win.
The teams traded scores through the game before the Browns took a seven-point lead into halftime thanks to a pair of touchdown passes to tight end Jordan Cameron and one to wide receiver Josh Gordon.
Minnesota fought back in the second half and held a three-point lead with a little more than three minutes remaining in the game. Hoyer then led the Browns on an 11-play, 55-yard drive that culminated with Cameron’s third touchdown reception of the day.
Cleveland’s defense overcame three interceptions from Hoyer by forcing six three-and-outs by the Vikings, and sacking quarterback Christian Ponder six times.
The victory sparked a three-game winning streak for the Browns, but they quickly lost that momentum by finishing the season with just one win in their final 11 games before cleaning house once again with the firings of head coach Rob Chudzinski, general manager Mike Lombardi, and CEO Joe Banner.
What is your most memorable game between the Browns and Vikings? Have your say in the comments.