Jim Brown was already “The Greatest” 30 years ago.

That’s what media members covering the Browns back then called him after his incredible nine-year career with the team from 1957 to ‘65.

But for Bill Belichick and Nick Saban, who now have “The Greatest” monikers for NFL and college head coach, respectively, they were just two young coaches trying to carve out a niche for themselves when they were with the Browns in 1993.

Belichick, in his third season as head coach, had invited Brown to return to the team in an informal role as advisor and mentor that eventually grew into a formal and official role. Brown then just started showing up at practices. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to it to the casual observer, but I’m sure there was a well-laid-out plan that Belichick and Brown had agreed-upon.

One day when the Browns were practicing in their indoor facility, Brown sauntered in through the door and walked down along the far sideline. He had the coolest walk you would ever see. It was so Jim Brown-like. His presence drew the attention of everyone, and that included Belichick and Saban, who  who was in his third year as defensive coordinator.

During practices, Belichick and Saban were laser-focused on what was going on. We media members used to joke that there could have been a nuclear explosion a hundred away and those two guts wouldn’t have noticed because they were so intent on the action on the field.

But as Brown walked in — or, excuse me, sauntered in — you could see Belichick and Saban very indiscriminately stealing glance at Brown. They didn’t want anyone else to see them diverting their attention away from practice, but it was unmistakable. They were watching him out of the corner of their eyes.

For what you need to realize is that while it’s really cool to be the greatest coach of all-time, it is a whole lot cooler, even in their eyes, to be the greatest player.

Yes, indeed, there is a pecking order among those considered to be The Greatest.

Steve King