Former Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens owner Art Modell died on Thursday at the age of 87. Modell's legacy in football runs deep, from moving the Browns to Baltimore, to serving as president of the NFL for two years in the late 60's, to being the one who chaired the negotiations for the first the collective bargaining agreement with the players in 1968. Modell also helped hammer out several NFL network television deals, including the first Monday Night Football games. But Central New York's main connection with Modell stems from where several SU Football legends ended up in their professional careers.
Modell was the owner of the Browns when the team traded for Ernie Davis shortly after he was drafted by Washington in 1962. Of course, the vision of Davis playing with fellow SU legend Jim Brown never came true, as Davis was diagnosed with leukemia during his first preseason camp with the Browns, but Modell is being also remembered for how he treated Davis and his family over the next year and beyond. Fellow former SU player John Brown, who played tackle for the Browns from 1962-1966, told Branson Wright of The Plain Dealer that the first thing he thought of when he heard of Modell's death is how well he treated Davis and his family.
"I'll never forget that," said Brown, "Here was a guy that was dying, and Art went beyond being an NFL owner in his quest to try to find a cure for Ernie. He also helped his mother face that and he helped her with the medical bills."
"The guy went all over the country trying to find somebody that may have had a cure," added Brown, "He didn't look at Ernie as an investment that went sour, he looked at Ernie as his son that needed help. I don't care what anyone else thinks of Art Modell, because what he did to help Ernie and his mother was honorable."
