Paul Brown's Ghost ― How the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals Are Haunted by the Man Who Created Them

Paul Brown was the father of two stalwart franchises in the NFL—the Cleveland Browns, who carry his own name, and the Cincinnati Bengals. He was a renowned coach and owner, and when he passed on August 5, 1991, the league lost a giant. But for the Browns and Bengals, his death would herald a new era, of bad luck and poor judgment, that had people talking about a curse.

This book charts how the Browns and Bengals franchises are connected in ways that even their die-hard fans might not realize. It documents the Paul Brown and Art Modell feud beyond the bad blood, including the coaches they shared and draft picks they both lusted over. It touches upon the Bengals’ role in the Browns’ relocation, how the Browns’ played a role in the Bengals’ new stadium deal, and how the Bengals actually almost became the new Browns.

Paul Brown’s Ghost takes a look at the legend of the man, as well as a fun look at one of the great rivalries in the NFL between two hard-luck teams.

Jonathan Knight is the author of ten books on Cleveland sports. Called "one of the most articulate and devoted sportswriters in Ohio" by the Akron Beacon Journal, Knight has been praised by the Plain Dealer, Cleveland Magazine, and ESPN's Grantland.com. A native of Dayton, Ohio, and a graduate of Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, he’s also served as an online columnist for TheClevelandFan.com and Football.com, as well as a contributor for ClevelandBrowns.com and SportsTimeOhio.com. He lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his two sons.