The legendary and incomparable Paul Brown will finally get his due, or at least part of it, when the NFL Network debuts Paul Brown: A Football Life tomorrow evening. The one-hour documentary on the namesake of the Cleveland Browns should have been done a long time ago, as Tony Grossi and others have noted repeatedly.
Brown was an innovator before his time — helmet radios being just one of his inventions that would end up being used by the entire league; he also pioneered college scouting and more — but is rarely mentioned along with the likes of Lombardi and Halas. Part of that is because Brown came along before NFL Films and there’s just not a ton of video of him prowling the sidelines or highlights from those early games. But that’s only part of the reason.
Grossi has been pushing for more recognition for Brown for awhile now — here’s his plea in February to get Brown proper respect — and it’s worked. From what he said on WKNR the other day, NFL Films got in touch after his piece and said they knew Brown deserved a doc. Tomorrow that doc debuts. Watch the trailer here.
This article appears in Nov 4-10, 2015.
Watched part of this doc. Shame on the NFL for taking this long to make it. Paul Brown=G.O.A.T. Belichick #2, Lombardi #3, Walsh #4, Shula and Noll 5 &6. This doc really makes one realize how detached the Cleveland Browns are from their tradition and history. Owners need to channel the Paul Brown spirit and get back to who the Browns really are. The uniforms should never ever have been messed with, you don’t screw with the Cleveland Browns uniform. Go back to the regular uni, hire an innovative GM and head coach.
It’s interesting that the physical skill set of Johnny Manziel is similar to that of Otto Graham. Unfortunately Pettine in no way shape or form has the skill set of the great Paul Brown. Fire farmer, fire Pettine, hire a real coach, one you could imagine Paul Brown would endorse.