Browns-Bengals feud started with the person who created each

The NFL has two franchises in a single state, each created by the identical man. It’s that shared historical past that created a permanent rivalry.

Paul Brown created the Cleveland Browns. He additionally grew to hate them, creating their chief rival.

In 1946, Cleveland wanted a brand new group. The Rams, contemporary off an NFL championship, left earlier than the brand new season for Los Angeles. In stepped Brown and his squad within the newly-formed All-America Soccer Convention, with a group named after himself.

The Browns rapidly grew to become one of the crucial dominant professional soccer groups in historical past. They received 4 consecutive titles earlier than the All-America Soccer Convention merged with the NFL in 1950. Cleveland then reeled off six straight championship recreation appearances, successful three.

Nonetheless, Brown and his group would quickly half firm. Artwork Modell purchased the membership in 1961 and in Jan. ’63, fired the one man to ever coach the group.

For 5 years, Brown stewed. Then he obtained his revenge.

In 1968, Brown was a part of an possession group which introduced the Cincinnati Bengals into existence with the American Soccer League. Brown wished no a part of the upstart AFL, however with a merger settlement in place with the NFL starting in 1970, knew he was solely two seasons from being again within the authentic league.

In no coincidence, the Bengals’ uniforms had been strikingly much like Cleveland’s, that includes orange helmets as the point of interest. They performed in Ohio, and as soon as the AFL-NFL merger was full, each groups had been positioned within the AFC Central.

That season, the Bengals had been anticipated to flounder as a youthful group whereas the Browns, contemporary off an look within the NFL title recreation, had been seen as clear frontrunners. Cincinnati started the season 1-6 earlier than successful seven straight to shut the marketing campaign, together with a 14-10 conquer Cleveland in Week 9.

The Bengals improbably received the division, one thing they’d do once more in 1973. Earlier than Brown retired as coach following the ’75 season, Cincinnati had reached the playoffs 3 times in its six NFL seasons, whereas Cleveland solely noticed the postseason twice in that very same span.

Within the years since Brown’s retirement, the feud has solely grown in Ohio.

When each groups had been Tremendous Bowl contenders within the late ’80s, Bengals coach Sam Wyche admonished his home crowd for throwing objects on the sphere throughout a recreation, grabbing a microphone and yelling “Will the subsequent individual that sees anyone throw something onto this area, level them out, and get them out of right here. You don’t dwell in Cleveland, you reside in Cincinnati!”

Nonetheless, the 2 groups have not often been aggressive on the identical time.

The Bengals and Browns have solely shared the AFC playoffs on two events — 1982 and ’88 — and so they’ve by no means performed in opposition to each other within the postseason. In actual fact, it’s debatable essentially the most memorable recreation ever contested between the groups was in 1995, the ultimate affair at Cleveland Municipal Stadium earlier than the Browns relocated to Baltimore.

Whereas Cleveland and Cincinnati have a nationally underrated rivalry, it’s maybe the one one born of unabashed scorn and anger. Brown’s fury towards Modell and his outdated membership was deeply private, and contemplating the stature of Brown, it makes the combative scenario all of the extra vital.

No one has been extra influential in NFL historical past than Paul Brown. He created trendy pass-blocking schemes. He invented the facemask. He devised scouting strategies. He was the primary coach to name performs. He put in a radio in quarterback Otto Graham’s helmet. The checklist goes on.

On Monday evening, the Browns and Bengals will tangle for the 98th time. Brown’s son, Mike, might be within the customer’s homeowners field at FirstEnergy Stadium. Cincinnati will attempt to prolong its lead over Cleveland within the AFC North to three.5 video games over the internet hosting Browns, as soon as extra placing the Dawg Pound within the unenviable place of watching irrelevant soccer by November.

And if Paul Brown had been alive, that’s precisely what he would need for the group bearing his identify.