By: Brock Wills

Though the Cleveland Browns have had a lack of real success in recent years, the team has a rich historical standing in the annals of pro football. The history of the Browns dates back to 1946 when they were inaugural members of the All-America Football Conference. The AAFC lasted just four seasons before folding on account of the far more popular National Football League, but the Browns thoroughly dominated those four seasons, led by all-time great quarterback Otto Graham and franchise co-founder and head coach Paul Brown.

But the Browns’ history has other notable coaches as well.

5. Nick Skorich

Nick Skorich was the head coach of the Browns from 1971 to 1974. The team made the playoffs twice during his tenure, in ’71 and ’72, winning the AFC Central Division in ’71 and earning a Wild Card berth in ”˜72. Though the team didn’t win a playoff game during his tenure, they experienced just one losing season in that same time. The ’71 and ’72 seasons featured a heavy offensive dose of Hall of Fame running back Leroy Kelly.

After his coaching career, Skorich was a supervisor of officials for the NFL, developing a number of umpire mechanics that lasted in the rulebook a long time, until league-wide changes hit in 2010.

4. Sam Rutigliano

Sam Rutigliano was the head coach of the Browns from 1978 to his replacement mid-season in 1984. The team had its first 11-win season in 15 years in 1980, on their way to an AFC Central Division title and an MVP season for quarterback Brian Sipe. The teams under his tenure were scrappy, even though they were never on top of league-wide rankings. Their defenses in particular never finished above 17^th in net yards gained per pass attempt by opposition (excluding ’84 when he only coached eight games).

Rutigliano was named United Press International coach of the year twice, an award discontinued in 1996.

3. Marty Schottenheimer

Marty Schottenheimer was the head coach of the Browns after taking over for Sam Rutigliano mid-season in 1984 through 1988. During the time, the team won the AFC Central Division three straight seasons (’85-87) and made it to the AFC Championship game in back-to-back seasons (’86 and ’87). The ’84 season, in which he coached just eight games, was the only season the team didn’t make the playoffs during his tenure.

Schottenheimer’s tenure with the Browns was just half as long as his Chiefs tenure, but he was easily the best coach the franchise had since its early glory days.

2. Blanton Collier

Blanton Collier was the head coach of the Browns from 1963-1970. His team won the NFL Championship in ”˜64 over the Baltimore Colts, and made it to the championship game again in ’65, losing to the Green Bay Packers. He coached franchise icons Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly in his tenure. His most significant contribution to the franchise was bringing it back to prominence after the Paul Brown era fizzled out over the last few seasons prior to his hiring.

Collier is also renowned for his mild-mannered nature, kindness, and top-notch sportsmanship.

1. Paul Brown

Paul Brown is far and away the greatest coach in Browns history. He’s also one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. His teams went to the AAFC/NFL Championship game in ten consecutive seasons, winning seven of them. He would take one more team to the NFL Championship game in 1957, losing to the Detroit Lions. His tenure lasted from the franchise’s inception in 1946 through 1962.

Brown’s teams featured legendary NFL players Otto Graham, Marion Motley, and Mac Speedie, among others. He’s the very foundation of the franchise, having co-founded it. Later on, he also had a hand in establishing the Cincinnati Bengals.

The post Top 5 Browns head coaches of all time appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Written By: Menachem Ickovitz (Twitter: @menudo_man)

Long time NFL Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer passed away at the age of 77. The news comes only a few days after his family announced that he was moved into hospice care for complications caused by his Alzheimer’s Disease which he’s been battling since 2014.

Schottenheimer had a playing career before becoming a coach. He played linebacker in the AFL for the Buffalo Bills and Boston Patriots. While he was far from a star player, he was a key contributor. In his rookie year of 1965, the Bills won the AFL Championship. Interestingly, his coach was Lou Saban, who was a member of the inaugural Cleveland Browns; a team Schottenheimer would one day coach.

Additionally, during his playing career he struck a friendship with New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath. Both being from Western Pennsylvania and playing against each other in the AFL, they became very close. Sadly for Schottenheimer, his playing career was not as memorable as Namath’s.

Schottenheimer’s coaching career started in 1974 as an assistant coach with the World Football League’s Portland Storm. The next year he would make it into the NFL as the linebackers coach for the New York Giants under head coach Bill Arnsparger.

In 1980, Schottenheimer joined the Cleveland Browns as their defensive coordinator under head coach Sam Rutigliano. In 1984, after the Browns started 1 ”“ 7, Rutigliano was fired and Schottenheimer was offered the job as head coach.

 As the story goes, Schottenheimer told Owner Art Modell and GM Ernie Accorsi that he would not take the title “interim” head coach. If they wanted him to do the job for the rest of the season he would have to be the guy they hired for years to come. Accorsi suggested to Modell that he give Schottenheimer the job even under these unique circumstances.

As a head coach, Schottenheimer was a culture-changer. Before being named head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers, those franchises were extremely bad. Within a season, he turned the teams around and led them to playoff contention.

Additionally, he coached in Washington but was only given one season there. So there was no opportunity to see the team ascend like the other ones he coached.

His playoff losses were often heart-breaking. “The Drive” and “The Fumble” with the Browns in 1986 and 1987 was only the beginning of the heartbreak. While other playoff games didn’t get named, it doesn’t mean that the anguish was any less. Missed field goals and timely turnovers cost him playoff wins with the Chiefs and Chargers. With the one constant being Schottenheimer and his affinity to play a prevent defense which would be referred to as “Martyball.”

When talking about coaches we often look at their coaching tree and Schottenheimer’s tree is excellent. Some of the coaches who worked under Schottenheimer include Super Bowl champions like Bill Cowher, Bruce Arians, Tony Dungy and Mike McCarthy. Offensive innovators like, Cam Cameron and Rob Chudzinski. As well as defensive gurus like Wade Phillips, Gunther Cunningham and Herm Edwards. He gave his assistants opportunities to become the great coaches they were.

It is interesting to note that his defenses were regularly filled with great linebackers. Brad Van Pelt, Clay Matthews Jr., Dick Ambrose, Derrick Thomas and Shaun Phillips were just some of the many excellent linebackers under Schottenheimer’s fare.

Schottenheimer’s regular-season record of 200 ”“ 126 ”“ 1 is quite impressive. His 200 career wins is good enough to be ranked seventh all-time. He deserves to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame; unfortunately, entry now into the Hall of Fame will have to be posthumously.

He would often talk about “the gleam” a reference to the shine of the Lombardi Trophy. Sadly Marty Schottenheimer never won a Super Bowl and for his many fans and supporters his gleam will be remembered now in video clips and memories.

May all those who loved Schottenheimer, and there are many, find solace in an appropriate time.

The post All-Time Great NFL Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer Passes Away at 77 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.