Paul Brown

Coaching Record

Years Coached Record Win % Playoff record Playoff win %
25 213-104-9 66.72% 9-8 52.94%

Coaching Tree

Children:

Blanton Collier, Weeb Ewbank, Rick Forzano, Bill Johnson, Bill Walsh


Biography

Table of Contents

Career Summary

Paul Brown was a football coach in the National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1975, finishing his career as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. Over his twenty-five years of coaching his teams compiled a cumulative win/loss record of 213-104-9. During his career he was a head coach for twenty-five seasons, first with the Cleveland Browns. He led the Browns for seventeen seasons, compiling a record of 158-48-8. During his time leading the Browns the team won the championship in 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, and 1955. He was fired from the Browns. Brown was fired despite only leading the Browns to one losing season in his tenure with the team. His next head coaching stint was with the Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 to 1975, as he led the team to a 55-56-1 record. During his entire head coaching career, his two teams combined for a record of 213-104-9 across twenty-five seasons including going 9-8-0 in the playoffs.

Brown was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967 after his coaching career.

Career Awards

Brown won the NFL's Coach of the Year award in 1970 after guiding the Bengals to a 8-6-0 record and a a berth in the playoffs. During the 1957 and 1958 seasons as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns he coached Jim Brown to the Most Valuable Player.

Paul Brown Coaching Tree

During his time as head coach, five assistant coaches, (Blanton Collier, Weeb Ewbank, Rick Forzano, Bill Johnson, and Bill Walsh) on his coaching staff were hired as head coaches across the league. His coaching tree has combined for a record of 340-266-10 in the regular season and 17-9 in the playoffs during their forty-four seasons as head coach after serving on his coaching staffs. The coaching tree has combined for seven championships, most recently in 1988 by the San Francisco 49ers, led by Bill Walsh.

Personal Information

Brown was born on Saturday, September 7, 1907 in Norwalk, Ohio. He died on Monday, August 5, 1991 at the age of 83.


History

Year Position Record Playoff record
1975 Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach 11-3-0 0-1
1974 Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach 7-7-0 0-0
1973 Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach 10-4-0 0-1
1972 Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach 8-6-0 0-0
1971 Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach 4-10-0 0-0
1970 Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach 8-6-0 0-1
1969 Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach 4-9-1 0-0
1968 Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach 3-11-0 0-0
1962 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 7-6-1 0-0
1961 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 8-5-1 0-0
1960 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 8-3-1 0-0
1959 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 7-5-0 0-0
1958 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 9-3-0 0-1
1957 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 9-2-1 0-1
1956 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 5-7-0 0-0
1955 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 9-2-1 1-0
1954 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 9-3-0 1-0
1953 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 11-1-0 0-1
1952 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 8-4-0 0-1
1951 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 11-1-0 0-1
1950 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 10-2-0 2-0
1949 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 9-1-2 2-0
1948 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 14-0-0 1-0
1947 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 12-1-1 1-0
1946 Cleveland Browns Head Coach 12-2-0 1-0
1943 Ohio State Buckeyes Head Coach 3-6-0
1942 Ohio State Buckeyes Head Coach 9-1-0
1941 Ohio State Buckeyes Head Coach 6-1-1
1932 Massillon Tigers Head Coach 5-4-1

Coach history guide

Seasons with a championship win Seasons with a conference championship

Coach facts

  • Years as head coach: 25
  • Championships won: 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954, and 1955
  • Coach of the Year: 1970
  • Led the league in wins: 1946, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958
  • First in total wins for the Cleveland Browns.
  • Third in total wins for the Cincinnati Bengals.
  • First in winning percentage for the Cleveland Browns.
  • Fourth in winning percentage for the Cincinnati Bengals.
  • Most playoff wins in Cleveland Browns history (9)
  • Past teams coached for: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns
  • Date of Birth: Saturday, September 7, 1907 (83 years old), Norwalk, Ohio
  • Paul Brown is the inventor of the modern playbook.
  • Paul Brown is credited with establishing two franchises (Browns/Bengals).
  • Paul Brown Has won the most championships of any NFL coach.
  • Paul Brown was the first coach to win six straight division titles to start their head coaching career.