Paul Brown interview Bengals owner 1986: From the Archive

Meet the man the Cincinnati Bengals Stadium is named for: Paul Brown was the owner of the Bengals until 1991. The Bengals were considered a winning franchise under his leadership, and he fostered some of the most innovative approaches to the game in his era. But the team never got over the hump to win a Super Bowl.

[mjp]

I grew up in the '70's in Cleveland, post Paul Brown. This is so great. He IS Mr. Ohio. Amazing. Love this interview, thank you!!

[gingerblue]

Can you imagine if Paul Brown had promoted and made Bill Walsh the head coach of the Bengals, before the 49ers got him. The Bengals would of won at least half dozen Super Bowls with Bill Walsh as head coach and Paul Brown as President and general manager.

[realtyranny]

Paul would not have treated Sam Wyche the way his son treated him.

[brandtmanning]

I grew up in Greater Cincinnati as a Bengals fan. I was too young to remember Paul Brown as a coach. Paul Brown always reminded me of my grandpa who started my family's electrical on looks. Ive heard clips of him talking and especially after hearing Brown talks just a little bit more than my grandpa, but still can get a point across in fewer words than most people today. Guys like this didnt beat around the bush. The fact that he watched game tapes and even attended day after meetings meant he cared. He put in his advice and opinion and then said go do it. My grandpa never pulled a tool out of my hand and said "stand aside". He told me how to do something better if he thought it could be improved. He seldomly openly watched us work. His opinion mattered because ultimately he was the boss and he signed our checks. Those were the days, no bosses watching cameras, any second guesses were told to your face, the boss was at work just like you were and not "working remotely", and you knew the guy who signed your checks very likely got to where he was by doing the work that he was paying you to do now.

[JSSTyger]

Paul Brown
7 State championships coaching Massillon and another school in Maryland
1 College National championship at Ohio State
4 AAFC championships and 3 NFL championships with the Browns
...and Art Modell fired this man and the Bengals came from this.

[ericlehman]

Paul Brown was a class act! He seems like a businessman. Of course, he wanted to win! You don't go into an occupation or for that matter anything, if you don't want to do your best. Also, you have to want success and desire to make it to the top if you go into something. If that's not one of your goals, you shouldn't go into it.

[daviddunn]

Paul Brown has to be rolling over in his grave again because of his son Mike