We just passed the anniversaries of three long-ago events in Browns history involving money, as in player contracts.
Sometimes those kinds of stories end well, and sometimes they don’t. Other times, they’re somewhere in between. These stories cover the gamut in that respect.
Thursday was the 64th anniversary of Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Otto Graham ending his holdout by signing a contract for the 1953 season at a slight cut from his $20,000 salary of 1952.
Yes, that’s right, Graham, the most successful quarterback in pro football history, was penalized financially after leading the Browns to the 1952 NFL Championship Game.
And the 1951 NFL Championship Game.
And the 1950 NFL Championship Game.
And the 1949 All-America Football Conference Championship Game.
And the 1948 AAFC Championship Game.
And the 1947 AAFC Championship Game.
And the 1946 AAFC Championship Game.
Graham had played seven seasons – the first seven seasons of the Browns’ existence – and took them to the league title game seven times, with four championships.
And yet he took a sizable paycut?
Go figure.
Head coach Paul Brown, who was also the team’s general manager, was a tough businessman.
That wouldn’t happen today, even with the salary cap. Graham would be making more money than he could count.
About three weeks ago was the 45th anniversary of one of the worst mistakes ever made by former Browns owner Art Modell – aside from moving the team, of course.
It was June 15, 1972 that Modell, after reaching a contract impasse with Jack Gregory over the princely sum of $1,500, traded the defensive end along with defensive back Fred Summers to the New York Giants. In return, the Browns’ got the Giants’ first-round pick in the 1973 NFL Draft and a second-round choice that New York had acquired from the New England Patriots.
While Gregory was turning into one of the best sack artists in the game with the Giants, that first-round pick, wide receiver Steve Holden, was becoming a complete bust.
But that second-round choice from the Pats?
The Browns turned that into a running back from Oklahoma named Greg Pruitt. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.
By the way, Gregory was reacquired by the Browns in 1979 and finished his career by playing with them that season.
Finally, it was June 30, 1953 – a week before Graham would sign with the Browns – that one of his favorite targets, wide receiver Mac Speedie, signed with the Regina (now Saskatchewan) Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.
The reason that Speedie, who had been with the Browns since 1946, bolted? That’s simple. Because the Roughriders were going to pay him more money than the Browns.
There’s that penny-pinching Paul Brown again!
More on Speedie in my next post.
