<P> Before the 1958 season, O'Connell, who lacked the stature and durability Paul Brown wanted in a starter, retired to take a coaching job in Illinois, and Milt Plum was named as his replacement . Cleveland, however, was relying increasingly on the running game, in contrast to its pass - happy early years under Graham . As the team built up a 9--3 regular - season record, Brown in 1958 ran for 1,527 yards--almost twice as much as any other back and a league record at the time . </P> <P> Entering the final game of the 1958 season, Cleveland needed to either win or tie against the New York Giants to clinch the Eastern Conference title and the right to host the championship game . Cleveland lost that game under snowy conditions on a 49 - yard field goal by Pat Summerall as time expired, and then lost a playoff game against the Giants the following week to end the season . The Giants went on to play the Baltimore Colts in the championship, a game often cited as the seed of professional football's popularity surge in the U.S. </P> <P> Cleveland's campaigns in 1959 and 1960 were unremarkable, aside from Brown's league - leading rushing totals in both seasons . Plum, meanwhile, became the established starting quarterback, bringing a measure of stability to the squad not seen since Graham's retirement . He led the team to a 7--5 record in 1959 and an 8--3--1 record in 1960, but neither was good enough to win the Eastern Conference and advance to the championship . Behind the scenes, however, all was not well . A conflict took shape between Paul Brown and Jim Brown; emboldened by his success, the fullback began to question his coach's disciplinarian methods . He called the coach "Little Caesar" behind his back . At halftime during a game in 1959, Paul Brown questioned the severity of an injury Jim Brown was sidelined for, which further inflamed tensions between the two . </P> <P> Fred "Curly" Morrison, a former Browns running back who worked as an advertising executive for CBS television, learned in 1960 that Dave Jones was looking to sell the Browns and told the story to Art Modell, a 35 - year - old advertising and television executive from Brooklyn . Modell was intrigued, partly because of the potentially lucrative television rights that one of the NFL's most successful franchises could bring as football began to challenge baseball as America's biggest sport . Having borrowed as much money as he could, Modell completed the purchase in March 1961 for $3.925 million . Bob Gries, who had a share in the Browns from the beginning, agreed to buy in again at the new valuation and take a stake of almost 40%, defraying Modell's costs substantially . As the previous owners did when they took over, Modell quickly assured Cleveland fans that Brown would "have a free hand" in running the organization and awarded him a new eight - year contract . "As far as I'm concerned Paul Brown can send (plays) in by carrier pigeon", Modell said . "In my opinion he has no peer as a football coach . His record speaks for itself . I view our relationship as a working partnership ." </P>

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