Editing Art Modell (section)

===Modell & Paul Brown (1961–1963)===
In his first season as owner in [[1961 Cleveland Browns season|1961]], the Browns won the same number of games under him that they had won in [[1960 Cleveland Browns season|1960]]: eight, which was only good enough for third place. Right before the start of the [[1962 Cleveland Browns season|1962]] season, Brown traded away All-Pro [[Bobby Mitchell]] and first-round draft pick [[Leroy Jackson]] for [[Heisman Trophy]] winner [[Ernie Davis]], who had been selected first overall in the [[1962 NFL draft|NFL draft]] by the [[1962 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]] but refused to play for [[George Preston Marshall]] without the knowledge of Modell, as he was told about the trade by Marshall. Modell recalled being told by Marshall that he "better get out of the business if you don't know what's going on in your own franchise." Modell proceeded to chide Brown about the deal made behind his back.<ref name="Gildea">{{Cite news |last=Gildea |first=William |date=2003-12-28 |title=The NFL's Ultimate Work of Art |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2003/12/28/the-nfls-ultimate-work-of-art/edb0997e-89e2-44e2-93a8-72fc7bb66d3a/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> Davis was shortly thereafter diagnosed with terminal [[leukemia]], and some doctors felt that Davis playing football would not exacerbate his condition. He began a conditioning program in preparation to play in the regular season and desired to be a part of the team. Brown and Modell's working relationship was permanently strained after Brown then, against Modell's wishes, continuously refused to play Davis. Davis died the following year without ever playing a snap. By that point, the rift between [[Paul Brown]] and some of his players, such as [[Milt Plum]] and [[Jim Brown]], who openly questioned Brown's coaching methods and demeanor, grew too much to bear. Players took concerns to the new owner Modell, who they could better relate to than the older, more disciplinarian head coach. Three weeks after a season that saw the Browns win seven games and finish in third place again, Modell had made up his mind. Modell fired Brown on January 9, 1963, which happened to occur in the middle of a newspaper strike in Cleveland. When asked about it at the time about his reasoning, he stated that there were two important ones among the "maybe 25 reasons why", which involved his belief that the maximum potential of the team was not being realized and that at least seven players were not willing to come back to the team for 1963 under the same conditions as 1962.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL Black Monday: Cleveland Browns coach Paul Brown fired by owner Art Modell 60 years ago |url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/pro/browns/2023/01/09/nfl-black-monday-cleveland-browns-coach-fired-paul-brown-art-modell-pro-football-hall-of-fame/69775137007/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Akron Beacon Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> He later named Brown's assistant, [[Blanton Collier]], as the new head coach on January 16, 1963.