All-Time Browns QBs Ranked: Graham #1, Kosar #2

Paul McDonald

#16 · Cleveland Browns
Retired 6 Years In The NFL
🏆 National champion (1978)
Paul's
HAIR
25.4
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Paul McDonald or the Browns?

Paul McDonald Legacy

HEYTC AI
Paul McDonald was a winner before he ever threw a pass in anger—the quarterback of USC's 1978 national champions who led the game-winning drive against Notre Dame with the poise of someone who belonged on that stage. In the NFL, he never quite replicated that college magic, a journeyman who spent six seasons chasing the starting job in Cleveland before moving on. But that's the thing about McDonald: he was the kind of competitor who'd beat out Kevin Sweeney for the third-string gig in preseason and actually make it matter. A 152.8 passer rating as a junior, a Heisman finalist, a Pac-10 leader—he had the tools, even if the Browns couldn't quite build around him. Sometimes talent and timing just don't align.

Paul McDonald Rating Breakdown

Season
Subpar
Fantasy
Subpar
Playoffs
Subpar
Overall
Delulu
6 years with the Browns

Paul McDonald Career Stats via Wikipedia

5,269 Pass Yards
24 Touchdowns
37 INTs
0.0% Comp %
25.4 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About Paul McDonald

How does Shedeur Sanders compare to Paul McDonald?

Paul McDonald owns a real Browns QB legacy with 5,269 yards and 24 TDs over seven seasons, while Shedeur Sanders is just lacing 'em up as the current starter, chasing that first big stat line. McDonald's got the scars from 53 sacks in '84 alone; Shedeur's turn comes with air-conditioned pockets and no Dog Pound snowstorms yet—patience, kid, the league eats prospects alive.

Is Paul McDonald in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nah, Paul McDonald ain't in the Pro Football Hall of Fame—no Canton plaque for the fourth-round USC gunner who slung 5,269 yards for the Browns and Cowboys. He's a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete honoree from his Trojan days, but NFL immortality? That's Otto Graham territory, not the '84 sack-a-thon survivor.

What is Paul McDonald doing now in 2026?

Post-NFL, Paul McDonald's stayed low-key, no splashy broadcasting gigs or charity headlines popping in 2026 searches. The ex-Browns starter, who topped the league in attempts and yards in '84, likely kicked back after Dallas, maybe coaching youth or USC tailgates—football lifers fade quiet without the spotlight chasing 'em.

How would Paul McDonald perform in today's NFL?

McDonald's quick-release arm from USC would feast under today's pass-happy rules—no more 53-sack bloodbaths like '84, with RPOs and bubble screens his speed. That 67.3 rating in Cleveland? Bump it to 90-plus feasting on soft zones, turning 5,269 career yards into a poor man's Dak Prescott stint.

How does Paul McDonald compare to Otto Graham?

Otto Graham's 62.63 passer rating towers over McDonald's 25.36 like a Browns Super Bowl dream over a 5-11 slog—Graham owned the '40s and '50s, while Paul gutted out '84's 3,472 yards amid chaos. Both franchise pivot men, but Otto was league MVP hardware; McDonald, the gritty backup who cashed one check.