Mike Brown (American football executive)
Cincinnati Bengals | |
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Position: | Owner President |
Personal information | |
Born: | Massillon, Ohio, U.S. | August 10, 1935
Career information | |
College: | Dartmouth |
Career history | |
As an executive: | |
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Michael Brown (born August 10, 1935) is an American football executive who is the owner of the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League (NFL). The son of Bengals co-founder Paul Brown, he joined the Bengals upon their founding in 1968 and assumed ownership after his father's death in 1991. Before beginning his career as a football executive, he played quarterback at Dartmouth.
Early life
Brown is the only living son[1] of Paul Brown. His brother, Pete, was the senior vice-president of Bengals' player personnel until his death in 2017.[2] His older brother, Robin, died of cancer in 1978.[1]
Brown graduated from Dartmouth College in 1957, where he played quarterback for their football team, and from Harvard Law School in 1960.[3] He played nine games for the Big Green in 1956. In an unusual meeting between future sports owners, eventual New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner hired him to a summer job as a deck hand for Kinsman Marine Transit Company.[4]
Brown eventually followed his father into football management. Paul Brown founded the Bengals, then an American Football League (AFL) team, in 1968. (This was several years after Paul Brown was dismissed as Cleveland Browns head coach in a well-publicized falling out with Art Modell.[5]) He began his executive duties with the Bengals as assistant general manager. Along with personnel decisions, he was a spokesman for the team on issues of league rules and team policy.[6][7]
Taking over the team
Brown assumed ownership responsibilities upon his father's death in August 1991 and has remained in the ownership position since. His first significant move as owner was to fire popular coach Sam Wyche after the 1991 season (although he originally claimed that Wyche resigned).[8] Days later, Brown hired Dave Shula to be head coach, making Shula (at the time) the second youngest NFL head coach in history and making Dave and Don Shula the first father-son to lead different NFL teams in the same year.[9] Going into 1993, Brown sought to negotiate a new lease with Cincinnati to keep the Bengals in the city.
Construction of a new stadium deal
Initially, Brown rejected advances from other cities to discuss moving the team.[10] By 1995, he argued that Riverfront Stadium's small seating capacity and lack of luxury boxes was hindering the Bengals' success.[11]
In 1995, he announced that Cincinnati had
In 2007, Hamilton County Commissioner
Rick Eckstein, co-author of "Public Dollars, Private Stadiums," described the Hamilton County arrangement as "the single most lopsided stadium deal since 1993" and questioned Bob Bedinghaus'[20] role with the team after having been County Commissioner when the deal was reached.[21] A 2008 Forbes survey suggested the team's rankings in direct revenues had dropped since the stadium's construction (placing the team 21st in total value at the time at $941 million).[22]
The organization's lease is due to expire in 2026. In 2020, Hamilton County and the Bengals agreed to split costs on an architectural needs assessment of the stadium.[23]
On-the-field struggles
Since Brown became owner, the team has eight winning seasons out of 30, a winning percentage of .418 (199–278–4) in the regular season, and no playoff wins in seven appearances from 1991 to 2020.[24] In 2008, the Bengals set a record for the most games needed under one specific owner to attain 100 wins (288). In 2010, the team set a record for the fewest games needed to lose 200 (both considering and not considering playoffs) under one specific owner (314).[25]
The Bengals hold a number of distinctions for the time frame of Brown's ownership: It is the only team with three nine-game-or-more losing streaks.[26] It also holds six of the twenty-five 0-6 starts (24%)[27] and four of the thirteen 0-8 starts (31%) in that time.[28] The Bengals have gone winless in October nine different times in twenty-two years under five different head coaches (Sam Wyche, the first under his ownership, was originally hired by his father).
The franchise's winless playoff record from 1991 to 2020 was the longest active drought in the four major North American sports. One of the few successful coaches during Brown's tenure was Marvin Lewis, who was his first to have winning seasons, playoff appearances, division titles, and an overall winning record at 131-129-3 (.504). All seven of the Bengals postseason appearances with Lewis, however, ended in first-round losses.
Zac Taylor, Lewis' successor, was the first head coach under Brown to win a playoff game, which he achieved in 2021. The team also won the franchise's first road playoff game and advanced to Super Bowl LVI, although they lost to the Los Angeles Rams.
In 2009, Yahoo sports ranked Brown as the second worst owner in the NFL.[29] In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Mike Brown as the 9th worst sports owner.[30]
Philosophy
During Marvin Lewis' tenure as head coach, Brown began to cede more of the day-to-day control over football matters to a committee composed of Lewis, executive vice president Katie Blackburn (Brown's daughter), and several other members of the Brown family.[31] This preceded a five-year run of playoff appearances (2011–2015).
Tolerance of off field conduct
In the mid-to-late 2000s, the Bengals were involved in a series of disciplinary measures with a variety of players. In 2005, the Bengals drafted
Later in 2008, the Bengals signed running back Cedric Benson, whom the Chicago Bears had waived, in part, due to his off-field activities.[39] In 2009, the team added Larry Johnson to provide depth for the position after the Kansas City Chiefs released him for "detrimental conduct."[40] Johnson had also experienced recent legal difficulties. Benson was among 2009's leading NFL rushers, while Johnson saw limited action.
Brown also signed free agent Adam "Pacman" Jones during the 2010 offseason despite Jones' legal history while a member of the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys, including a season-long ban in 2007 due to a shooting in Las Vegas. He also signed undrafted free agent Vontaze Burfict in the 2012 offseason despite his legal history in college and high number of flagrant fouls while at Arizona State.
In recent years, Brown claims to have rethought this approach. Talking about the team's second appearance on Hard Knocks, Brown stated, "We have a different team now than we had a few years ago. We want the public to see them. We think they're good people. We think the public will be taken by them, will like them. It gives us a boost."[41]
Brown has commented that the league's current attitude towards discipline is a change from a past "boys will be boys" attitude.
Loyalty issues
Brown is historically reluctant to fire personnel after multiple losing seasons. His first hire as
Cincinnati's first winning seasons and postseason appearances during Brown's ownership came under head coach Marvin Lewis, who obtained a 131–122–3 regular season record with the team and helped the Bengals return to competitiveness. However, Brown was criticized for continuing to retain Lewis after the Bengals lost all seven of the playoff games they appeared in during Lewis' tenure. Following five consecutive opening-round postseason losses from 2011 to 2015, an NFL first, and back-to-back losing seasons in 2016 and 2017, Lewis received a two-year contract extension, which received harsh criticism from the media and fans.[48] When Brown and Lewis mutually parted ways in 2018, Lewis' 16-year tenure became the most of an NFL head coach to not win a playoff game as well as the most playoff losses without a win in NFL history.
Brown also values his family's connection with the franchise; evident in his choosing to name Paul Brown Stadium after his father rather than to sell corporate naming rights for it.[49] Daughter Katie Blackburn is the executive president of the team and her husband Troy is a VP with additional family members among the front office staff.[50] From 1994 to 2000, the Bengals paid out over $50 million to the Brown family members of Bengals staff in salaries.[51]
Former Bengals receiver
Scouting
Brown employs a very small scouting staff. A 2008 comparison between the Bengals' scouting department and five
Emphasis on the quarterback
Brown has publicized his belief that a "bell cow" quarterback is a necessity in turning a team into a winner.[56] In a 1999 interview, he remarked "If you don't have a productive quarterback, you won't go anywhere...I know it doesn't seem that simple, but it is."[57] Comparing quarterbacks to other positions on a football team, Brown has said "He's the hub of the wheel...like a queen on a chessboard. These other guys are like rooks or bishops or other pieces that are not quite as valuable. Some are more valuable than others. That's just a fact."[58]
Brown turned down then-Saints coach Mike Ditka's offer of nine draft picks for one in the 1999 NFL draft[59] against then-coach Coslet's advice. Coslet wanted as many draft picks as possible to help the Bengals' defense.[60] Instead, Brown overruled Coslet and selected University of Oregon quarterback Akili Smith.[61] Smith only played 22 games in his NFL career and is generally regarded as a draft bust. Coslet later regretted that he "didn't insist hard enough" in trying to persuade Brown to accept the Saints' offer.[60]
Before the
Brown placed a great deal of responsibility on
The Bengals drafted Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in the 2020 Draft. In 2021, Burrow led the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990 and has led them to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2021 and 2022, a team first, and one Super Bowl berth.
"Carl Pickens Clause"
In 1998, the Bengals cut punter Lee Johnson. Brown attempted to fine Johnson after cutting him for "conduct detrimental to the team" in relation to comments Johnson had made about the organization and the 1998 season. A reporter asked Johnson after a Bengals loss "if you were a fan, would you have come here today?" to which Johnson replied "No, no way...why would you? You're saying (losing) is OK. I guess if you've got nothing else to do. I'd sell my tickets."[71] This fine resulted in a dispute with the NFL players union, whose counsel remarked "A fine is a disciplinary measure, you discipline someone to try and make sure they're a better employee in the future. How can you do that if you've fired them?"[72]
In 2000, the Bengals instituted a "loyalty clause," which allows the Bengals to deny various bonuses to players depending on the remarks they make about the Bengals.
It is often dubbed the "Carl Pickens Clause," stemming from the 2000 offseason. Brown renewed Bruce Coslet's contract despite his 21–36 Bengals record. Pickens responded, "I don't understand it. We're trying to win; we're trying to turn this thing around out there. And they bring (Coslet) back."[76] Pickens finished his career with the Tennessee Titans.
Over the years since the clause, Bengals players have commented on a negative atmosphere within the organization, notably Takeo Spikes,[77] Jeff Blake,[78] and Jon Kitna.[79]
The most vocal critic of the Bengals since the clause was instituted was
Frugality
In 1994,
Agent Drew Rosenhaus described it as a "matter of hours" before the Bengals would sign Sapp, only a day before the Raiders signed him.[82] Sapp accused the Bengals of "playing with the money" on the original deal they offered him, deferring more money to incentives rather than in guarantees.[83] The Associated Press reported a completed trade between Cincinnati and the Detroit Lions on February 29, 2008, for Rogers.[84] However, the trade fell through and the next day, it was confirmed that the Lions instead traded Rogers to the Cleveland Browns.[85]
Former Bengals players and beat writers have also remarked on other spendthrift aspects of the organization as compared to other NFL franchises, such as not supplying sports drinks and providing undersized towels or used equipment for the players.[86][87]
Criticism
Organizers from MikeBrownSucks[88] organized a boycott of a December 2001 regular season game[89] and fans visiting this site as well as another site, SaveTheBengals.com, paid for planes to fly a banner in the Cincinnati area calling for Brown's resignation.[90]
Who Dey Revolution (WDR) has staged "Project Mayhem" since 2008 in an effort to persuade Brown to make changes to the Bengals. These steps ranged from calling the Bengals "JERK line"[91] to report Brown's behavior as abusive[92] to purchasing billboards displaying a request for a general manager[93] to merchandise and ticket donations/boycotts[94] and letter-writing campaigns.[95] The website's purchase and distribution of 1000 urinal cakes at a Bengals' home game advertised Brown's lifetime regular season record of 98–186–1 to that point.[96]
WDR published a comic strip titled "The Lost Generation", presenting Mike Brown in a Charlie Brownesque caricature, presumably to correlate Brown's track record to the famous cartoon character's history of hard luck and failure.
"All My Bengals" was a popular satirical radio skit, hosted by 700 WLW Radio personality Gary Burbank.
Despite these protests, the Bengals have remained popular within Cincinnati. A November 21, 2010, game vs. the
Response
Several people cast Brown sympathetically in response to fan and media criticism. After a surprising upset of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2003, Marvin Lewis tearfully awarded the game ball to Brown and told his players "he has put up with so much for you guys."[98] Some former Bengals dismiss notions that Brown is unconcerned with winning. Boomer Esiason, now a CBS analyst, refers to Brown as a "nice man" who is simply over his head running the team.[99][96] In 1998 interviews, Cris Collinsworth and Bengals radio analyst Dave Lapham also rejected notions that Brown did not care about winning. Collinsworth remarked "I don't think anybody could be suffering more over this than Mike is."[52]
Personal life
Brown is married.[100] He has been considered reclusive as very little is known about his personal life.[101] He has at least two children.[102] His daughter, Katie Blackburn, serves as the Bengals' executive vice president. She is also the first woman to be a chief contract negotiator in the NFL.[103]
Brown has admitted to an affinity for Ohio State football players.[104] His father Paul coached the Buckeyes to their first national championship in 1942.
Brown's net worth was estimated at $2.1 billion by Forbes in 2022.[105]
Philanthropy
In 2008, Brown and the Bengals donated $250,000 to assist the Cincinnati Park Board in paying for Cincinnati Riverfront Park.[106] He has contributed to a number of Republican campaigns, including several Presidential bids.[107]
In 2017, Brown and his family received the Pillar Award for Community Service's Kent Clapp CEO Leadership Award. The award recognizes a top executive for his or her passion toward philanthropy and honors the late Kent Clapp, CEO of Medical Mutual, who died in a 2008 plane crash.[108]
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