Dawgs By Nature
The longtime Browns head coach & GM was suddenly without a team
When Art Modell acquired the Cleveland Browns in 1961, he was ecstatic that his new purchase included whom he considered the best head coach in the NFL: Paul Brown.
His acquisition of the Browns was also viewed as buying the New York Yankees because Cleveland was one of the greatest NFL clubs to ever play the game and at the time was considered a dynasty. The Browns had already won seven pro football championships including three in the NFL. At one time, they had played in 10 consecutive league championship games.
Modell would become the third ownership group to control the Browns. Under each regime, Coach Brown had free range to do as he saw fit in support of the franchise. He had a small ownership percentage but acted like he was the sole owner in every aspect. At all owner’s meetings, it was Coach Brown who appeared, discussed league matters, made suggestions, was placed on various committees, and voted.
When Modell bought the team, he had different ideas. He envisioned Coach Brown coaching the club and dealing with players, while Modell would take care of promotions, league business, and other team matters. You know, owner stuff. Coach Brown had never had an owner tell him what to do, or how to do it. Now suddenly, this guy from New York breezes in and everything changes.
Over just two years, the tension escalated between the two men. Coach Brown was very blunt with the owner and bucked his ideas which were designed to take away his power and freedom to make decisions.
One month after the final game of the 1962 season, Modell asked Coach Brown to come down to the team offices for a meeting. In that setting, Modell told Coach Brown he was no longer the head coach but would stay on as a Vice President.
Modell stated, “Paul, I’m going to make a change. I’m going to go in a different direction. I hope you understand, I think we have to part company. I’m going to ask you to step down as coach and general manager, and you are to be reassigned.”1
The firing occurred during a newspaper strike, which many considered to be a planned maneuver by Modell to allow the owner to take as little heat as possible. Browns fans loved Coach Brown. He was known as the best coach in the league, and of course, they respected his ability to build competitive teams that had won seven championships.
It just so happened that Modell had signed Coach Brown to an 8-year contract. With six years remaining, he wasn’t going anywhere. The VP position was one that everyone - including Coach Brown - questioned as to what his job duties would become or his usefulness would be determined to the franchise since he was no longer the boss but continued to receive an $82,500-a-year salary, an extremely handsome payday for a coach during...
