Mark Murphy - Green Pay Packers' President & Chief Executive Officer

Mark Hodge Murphy (born July 13, 1955) is the current President & Chief Executive Officer of the Green Bay Packers, an American Football franchise competing in the National Football League. Prior to that, he was the athletic director at Northwestern University and Colgate University. He also enjoyed a successful playing career in the NFL as a safety for the Washington Redskins for eight seasons from 1977 to 1984.

Named Packers President/CEO on Dec. 3, 2007, by Packers Board of Directors; formally assumed position on Jan. 28, 2008.
Serves on the NFL’s Management Council Executive Committee, Competition Committee and Health and Safety Committee.
Served a combined 16 years as director of athletics at Northwestern University (2003-07) and Colgate University (1992-2003) prior to joining Packers.
Enjoyed an eight-year NFL playing career with the Washington Redskins (1977-84); served as co-captain from 1980-84, including the Super Bowl championship team of 1982. Earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 1983.
Is believed to be the first person to earn a Super Bowl ring as a player (XVII, 1982) and as a team chief executive (XLV, 2010).
Served as the Redskins’ player representative to the NFL Players Association from 1980-84, including the position of vice president of players union (1983-84).
Holds law degree from Georgetown University (1988) and MBA in finance from American University (1983).
Served as assistant executive director of the NFL Players Association (1985-88) and as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice (1989-92).
Served on the NFL Commissioner’s Player Advisory Committee (1994-2002), the NFL Youth Football Committee (2002-12) and currently serves on USA Football’s board of directors.
While a player with the Redskins, participated in the highest-scoring game in Monday Night Football and Green Bay Packers history, a 48-47 defeat to the Packers on Oct. 17, 1983, at Lambeau Field.

Mark Murphy, possessor of extensive experience in professional football and sports administration, is in his sixth year as the Packers’ President and CEO.

Under Murphy’s guidance, the organization continues to rank as one of the NFL’s premier franchises, with highly successful operations both on and off the field. On the field, the team has compiled a 58-30 overall record (.659), made four straight playoff trips, captured two consecutive division titles and earned a victory in Super Bowl XLV. Off the field, the club continues to perform well in its business efforts, which allows the organization to support football operations. The fan experience at Lambeau Field, a top priority for the organization, continues to be ranked among the best in sports.

It was a direction both Murphy and the organization envisioned when Murphy was elected by the Packers Board of Directors as the franchise’s 10th Chief Executive Officer on Dec. 3, 2007. He began his work with the organization as president-elect on Jan. 1, 2008, and then formally took over on Jan. 28, 2008.

“I am honored to have been selected and very appreciative of this tremendous opportunity,” Murphy said the day of his election. “The Packers are one of the great franchises in all of professional sports, with a rich history and incredible fan support. These are successful times for the Packers. On the field they’re performing well, and off the field, they’re in great shape, too. I look forward to being a part of that continued success.”

Murphy, who holds a law degree and an MBA in finance, brought a unique and highly qualified background to his role as head of one of the NFL’s flagship franchises, first drawing from a deep understanding and appreciation of the game that comes from an eight-year playing career with the Washington Redskins. Later, he served a combined 16 years as director of athletics at Colgate University and Northwestern University, and was an assistant executive director of the NFL Players Association and a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice.

In addition to his playing career and work with the NFL Players Association, Murphy had maintained his ties to the NFL through his work on the Commissioner’s Player Advisory Committee (1994-2002) as well as the NFL Youth Football Committee (2002-12). Additionally, his NFL experience now includes Super Bowl wins as a player (XVII, 1982) and as a CEO (XLV, 2010), believed to be the first such achievement in NFL history.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, recognizing the unique experience and skills Murphy brought to the NFL as the Packers’ CEO, in 2008 appointed him to the NFL’s Management Council Executive Committee, the NFL owners’ committee whose responsibility was to serve as the bargaining team during negotiations with the NFL Players Association which resulted in a new, 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2011. The position has allowed Murphy to increase his involvement and contributions at the league level, ensuring the organization has a voice in NFL matters.

“Mark’s rare blend of experiences makes him integral to the future of the Packers and the NFL,” said Goodell when appointing Murphy. “His accomplishments as an NFL player, his work with the NFLPA, and now his leadership of the Packers, provide a unique perspective to the league and also to the players. He’s very effective in discussions with NFLPA executives. Mark is a bright and thoughtful individual who understands what needs to get done to create a system that benefits all sides for years to come. He is very reasonable and wants what’s best for fans, the game and players, as we all do.”

In 2012, Goodell added to Murphy’s NFL-level involvement by naming him to the important Competition Committee, the group composed of team executives and coaches that studies all aspects of the game and recommends rules and policy changes to NFL clubs. Goodell also placed Murphy on the NFL owners’ new Health and Safety Committee.

Upon joining the Packers, Murphy broadened his knowledge of the franchise, its operations and its standing in the community by meeting with employees, shareholders, fans and members of the Board of Directors, as well as many community groups.

Among his first initiatives was to update the organization’s strategic plan, a process involving all the leadership positions of the organization, including the Executive Committee and football operations. The process created core objectives to serve as a backdrop for all key business decisions. In a move to enhance those objectives, Murphy restructured the management of the organization, which included creating a new senior-leadership staff overseeing administration, finance, football operations and sales and marketing. The structure reflected the growth the organization has experienced in recent years and gives broader coverage across all operations with more people involved on a senior-management level.

Murphy also is directing the organization’s master plan involving Lambeau Field, the Lambeau Field Atrium, the practice facilities and property the organization owns adjacent to the stadium. Lambeau Field and the Atrium currently are undergoing a $286.5 million, five-year expansion and renovation that includes a new distributed-audio sound system (2011), two new HD video boards and a new Bellin Health Gate on the north end of the stadium (2012), and approximately 7,000 additional seats in the south end zone served by the Shopko Gate (2013). The Atrium phase includes a larger Oneida Nation Gate (2013), new football facilities (2014) and a new Packers Pro Shop, Hall of Fame and restaurant (2015).

To support the Lambeau Field expansion project, Murphy directed the Packers’ fifth stock sale, an effort that netted the organization more than $64 million. More than 268,000 shares were sold during the offering, from Dec. 6, 2011, through Feb. 29, 2012, with more than 250,000 new shareholders joining the Packers’ family. All stadium improvements are being financed without public tax money.

Among the other initiatives Murphy has directed is the enhancement of the organization’s retail operations, including the purchase of a new warehouse for the Packers Pro Shop, and the establishment of a customer relationship management (CRM) program, with both efforts upgrading customer service to Packers fans.

Murphy also has worked to increase the number of outside events utilizing Lambeau Field, including a Kenny Chesney concert in June 2011, the venue’s first major concert since its redevelopment; and LZ Lambeau in May 2010, a welcome back for Wisconsin Vietnam Veterans. Additionally in the community, Murphy has ensured the organization remains a strong community partner, with a charity impact of $6 million in the past year.

Inside the organization, Murphy continues to grow and develop the team’s human resources, with new programs for employees such as leadership development.

The 58-year-old Murphy joined the Packers after 4½ years (2003-07) as director of athletics at Northwestern University. At the Big Ten Conference school, Murphy oversaw a 19-sport program with a $40 million budget and 160 full-time employees. During his tenure, the school won eight individual national championships and three NCAA team titles. Additionally, the university won nine conference team championships and 34 individual Big Ten titles. A total of 49 Wildcats earned first-team All-America distinction. On the football field, the Wildcats participated in two bowl games during Murphy’s tenure after playing in just four previous such contests in the program’s history. In 2006-07, Northwestern finished 30th in the U.S. Sports Academy Directors’ Cup standings with a school-best 626.5 points. The Wildcats ranked among the top 30 in the standings for the last three years of Murphy’s tenure and in 2007 finished sixth among Big Ten schools for the third straight year after previously not placing higher than ninth.

The school’s athletic success under Murphy was achieved while its student-athletes continued to excel off the field. The NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) data released in October 2007 reported Northwestern’s rate at 98 percent, tying it with Notre Dame and Navy for tops in the nation.

Prior to his tenure at Northwestern, Murphy served as director of athletics at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y. (1992-2003), the school from which he graduated in 1977. During his 11 years at the helm, the university experienced a renaissance of its football program, going from 0-11 in 1995 to three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. In 2003, the year after Murphy’s departure to Northwestern, the team made it to the championship game; the achievement of that squad – a non-scholarship program – remains one of Murphy’s proudest moments.

Colgate’s other teams experienced success as well, with men’s basketball, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, women’s softball and men’s ice hockey teams making NCAA Tournament appearances. The school also achieved graduation rates among the highest for student-athletes in Division I during Murphy’s tenure. A proud alumnus, Murphy had the honor of delivering the commencement address for the university’s 2012 graduation ceremony.

Murphy played college football at Colgate University where he was also a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity, before his NFL career and while playing for the Redskins he obtained an MBA from American University's Kogod School of Business in 1983. Murphy graduated with a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1988.[2]

Murphy played in Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XVIII with the Washington Redskins. He played a key role in the Redskins 27–17 Super Bowl XVII win over the Miami Dolphins, recording a second half interception of Miami quarterback David Woodley's pass with the Dolphins on Washington's 37-yard line.

Murphy's best season was in 1983, when he led the NFL with nine interceptions and returned them for 127 yards. He finished his eight season career with 27 interceptions and 282 return yards, along with six fumble recoveries for 22 returns yards, in 109 games. He also made the Pro Bowl in 1982 and 1983.

Murphy was the Redskins representative to the NFL Players Association. He played a visible role in the players' strike that caused the cancellation of seven games during the 1982 season. He suspected that the Redskins' decision to release him after the 1983 season and the reluctance of any other team to sign him was retribution for his union activity.

A former All-Pro safety for the Washington Redskins, Murphy enjoyed an eight-year career (1977-84) after originally signing with the team as a non-drafted free agent in 1977. He was a co-captain from 1980-84, a period that included two Super Bowl teams (1982-83). He enjoyed his finest season in 1983, leading the NFL with nine interceptions and earning consensus All-Pro honors as well as a trip to the Pro Bowl. Murphy was named as one of the Redskins’ “70 Greatest Players,” as well as one of the “80 Greatest Redskins,” and also is a member of the club’s 50th Anniversary Team.

Joe Gibbs, the Hall of Fame former coach of the Redskins who led the team during Murphy’s 1981-84 seasons, was appreciative of the player’s contributions and lauded the Packers’ hiring of Murphy.

“Mark meant a lot to the Redskins organization the years he was here and played,” Gibbs said. “He was a great person along with being one of the brightest and most competitive people we’ve had here at the Redskins.”

Gibbs had an influence on Murphy as well, as the Packers’ CEO attributes much of his leadership style to what he learned from the successful Redskins coach.

“He had many leadership traits that I admired and tried to incorporate into my own leadership style,” said Murphy. “He had a very natural way about him with the way he related to people, and he tried to be accessible. He was a very effective communicator, too, as most great leaders are. And when he worked with you, he was very fair and sincere. All those skills and traits fueled his awesome ability to motivate his teams.”

A natural leader among his teammates, Murphy served as the Redskins’ player representative to the NFL Players Association from 1980-84, including the position of vice president of the players union (1983-84). While a representative, he served on the players’ bargaining committee during the 1982 players’ strike. Those experiences have served him well in his role on the NFL’s Management Council Executive Committee.

During his days with the Redskins, Murphy earned an MBA in finance from American University in Washington, D.C., attending classes full-time in the offseason and evening classes in-season. Upon completion of his playing career in 1985, he joined the NFL Players Association as assistant executive director. While with the NFLPA, Murphy served on the bargaining team, including during the 1987 players’ strike, developed the agent-certification system and strengthened the PA’s degree-completion and career-counseling programs.

While with the NFLPA, he started work on a law degree from Georgetown University and ultimately finished his studies full-time after leaving the Players Association. Upon receiving his law degree in 1988, he worked at a Washington, D.C., law firm (Bredhoff and Kaiser) before becoming a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice in 1989.

During a four-year career with the Department of Justice, he primarily represented government agencies in trials. Then, in 1992, his alma mater called and he returned to the sports realm.

At ease in public settings and with the media, Murphy enjoyed hosting a weekly radio show during his playing days and later became a sports commentator for National Public Radio (1983-92) and the Anheuser-Busch Radio Network (1986-88), offering his insights into football and sports-related legal issues in general.

Born July 13, 1955, in Fulton, N.Y., Murphy spent some of his formative years in the Houston area before moving back to the Buffalo-area community of Clarence. He was a three-sport star (football, baseball and basketball) at Clarence Central High School and was named the best all-around athlete in Western New York during his senior year. His baseball talents drew attention from Major League scouts. In 2002, he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his achievements both on and off the field.

Murphy and his wife, Laurie, who also is a Colgate graduate, have been involved in the communities in which they’ve lived. Over the years the couple has donated their time to numerous organizations, including local schools, the United Methodist Church in Hamilton, N.Y., and the First Congregational Church of Evanston, Ill. Also while in Chicago, Murphy served on the bid committee for the 2016 Olympics which eventually was awarded to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While at Colgate University, Murphy formed the Hamilton Youth Basketball League and served as its commissioner. Heavily involved in the community while with the Redskins, Murphy was named the team’s “Miller Man of the Year” in 1984 in honor of his work off the field.

In Green Bay, Murphy continues a busy schedule of meeting with fans and shareholders, as well as speaking to a variety of business and community groups. He also has given his time to several community organizations to help their causes, including Big Brothers Big Sisters. Murphy also serves on the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s council of trustees and on the boards of directors of USA Football and the Positive Coaching Alliance, the latter an organization created to transform the culture of youth sports to give all young athletes the opportunity for a positive, character-building experience. Mark and Laurie are also active supporters of foster-care services in Brown County. Additionally, Laurie established Ladies of Lambeau, a group composed of female employees and board members, and wives or partners of employees, board members, players and coaches. The group undertakes projects that will make a difference in the lives of people near and far, including packaging meals for the hungry in Africa and making blankets for residents at area nursing homes. The group also distributes grants to Wisconsin charities chosen by its volunteers.

Mark and Laurie have four children: Katie, 30, a graduate of Harvard who played basketball for the Crimson and now works at Credit Suisse in New York City; Emily, 28, a 2008 graduate of Middlebury (Vt.) College with a Chinese degree who now works for Digitaria in San Diego; Brian, 24, a graduate of Amherst (Mass.) College who played football for the Lord Jeffs and now works for Woven Digital in New York City; and Anna, 22, a recent graduate of Northwestern University who now works for Fox Sports in Los Angeles.

Away from work, Mark enjoys playing golf, fishing and participating in various forms of exercise, including bicycling, cross-country skiing and jogging.

Murphy moved back to Hamilton, New York, to become the athletic director at Colgate University in the early 1990s through until 2003. Murphy then lived in Evanston and served as the athletic director at Northwestern University. On December 3, 2007, he was revealed as the new Green Bay Packers President and CEO.[3] On February 6, 2011, Mark Murphy's Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XLV, giving Murphy his second Super Bowl victory.

William Clay Ford, Sr - Detroit Lions' Owner

AKA William Clay Ford

Born: 14-Mar-1925
Birthplace: Detroit, MI
Died: 9-Mar-2014
Location of death: Grosse Pointe Shores, MI
Cause of death: Pneumonia

Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Business

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Ford exec and owner of the Detroit Lions

Military service: US Navy Air Corps (1945-48)

William Clay Ford, Sr. (March 14, 1925 – March 9, 2014) was the youngest child of Edsel Ford and was the last surviving grandchild of Henry Ford. Ford served on the boards of Ford Motor Company and the Edison Institute. Ford owned and served as chairman of the Detroit Lions football team.

Biography

Born on March 14, 1925, in Detroit, Michigan to Edsel Ford and Eleanor Lowthian Clay, Ford served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps during World War II. Following the war, Ford married Martha Parke Firestone, the granddaughter of Harvey Firestone and Idabelle Smith Firestone, on June 21, 1947. They had four children together: Martha Parke Morse (b. 1948); Sheila Firestone Hamp (b. 1951); William Clay Ford, Jr. (b. 1957); and Elizabeth Hudson Ford (b. 1961).

In 1948, a year after Henry Ford's death, William Clay Ford was appointed to the board of directors of the Ford Motor Company.Ford received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Yale University in 1949,and was a member of the Psi Upsilon fraternity.

After graduating, Ford worked for the Ford Motor Company and was briefly head of the Continental Division.Continental was short-lived and merged with the Lincoln Motor Company shortly before Ford's public stock offering. Ford updated the Lincoln Continental that his father created and in 1955, the Continental Mark II was released. It is said there were only two pictures on his office wall, his father's Continental and his updated Mark II.

Ford was chairman of the board of trustees of the Henry Ford Museum from 1951 to 1983 and its largest donor.He was also involved in other historic properties, serving on the boards of the Wayside Inn and Seaboard Properties which managed the Dearborn Inn and Botsford Inn.

On April 10, 1952, an iron ore-hauling ship, the SS William Clay Ford, was named in honor of him.

On November 22, 1963, Ford purchased a controlling interest in the Detroit Lions of the National Football League from the previous owners, Edwin Anderson and Lyle Fife for $4.5 million. He was also chairman of the short-lived Detroit Cougars professional soccer team that played in the USA and NASL leagues.

Ford served as chairman of Ford Motor Company's design committee for 32 years, from 1957 to 1989.He was a member of the board of directors for 57 years, retiring on May 12, 2005, including being chairman of the important Finance Committee for a time.His son, William Clay Ford, Jr., was Ford Motor Company's CEO at the time.

According to the Forbes Magazine, Ford was the 371st richest person in the United States in 2013, with an approximate net worth of $1.4 billion.Ford reportedly owned 6.7 million shares of Class B stock and 26.3 million common shares; in other words, Ford was the largest single shareholder in the Ford Motor Company.

Ford died in his sleep from pneumonia at his home in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan, on March 9, 2014at the age of 88, less than a week before his 89th birthday.

Funeral services will be held privately, Ford Motor said in a statement. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent in the name of William Clay Ford to the Henry Ford Museum at 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, Mich. 48124 or to Dr. Scott Dulchavsky’s Innovation Institute at Henry Ford Health System at 2799 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit, Mich. 48045.

Last surviving grandchild of company founder Henry Ford, he was appointed to the company's Board of Directors while still attending Yale. Purchased the Detroit Lions in 1964. Worth an estimated $1B at the time of his 2005 retirement, according to Forbes magazine.

NFL News - Williams will be entering his 12th season in the NFL

The Seattle Seahawks have added another big body to their defensive line after agreeing to terms with free agent Kevin Williams.

The Seahawks reached the agreement with Williams on Thursday as the team wrapped up its organized team activities. The Seahawks still have their mandatory three-day minicamp beginning Tuesday.

Williams will be entering his 12th season in the NFL, having spent his entire career until now with the Minnesota Vikings. Williams started 15 games last season for the Vikings with 3 1/2 sacks and an interception.

Seattle found success last season with a deep rotation along the defensive line, an area that took a hit during free agency following the Seahawks' Super Bowl title.

Oakland Raiders running back Maurice Jones-Drew is being sued in Florida, accused of punching a bouncer at a St. Augustine restaurant.




The suit was electronically filed May 30 in St. Johns County.

Bouncer Kasim Howard is suing Jones-Drew, saying the former Jacksonville Jaguars star punched him May 26, 2013, at the Conch House Restaurant. Howard accuses Jones-Drew of intentionally causing injury and emotional distress. Howard is seeking a judgment for injury resulting in ''pain and suffering, loss of capacity of for enjoyment of life, expense of hospitalization, medical expenses (past and future), inability to perform his work as a professional boxer, mental and emotional pain, humiliation, inconvenience, lost wages, legal expenses and other general and specific damages.''

Jones-Drew's attorney, Hank Coxe, says the State Attorney's Office did not charge Jones-Drew.





The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have signed first-round draft pick Mike Evans.

The 6-foot-5, 231-pound receiver from Texas A&M was the seventh overall pick in the draft and is expected to move into the starting lineup for an offense that ranked last in the NFL in yards gained last season.

Evans was Johnny Manziel favorite target in college, finishing with 151 receptions for 2,499 yards and 17 touchdowns in 26 games. He notched the two highest single-game receiving performances in Texas A&M history with a 287-yard outing against Auburn and 279-yard day against Alabama.

The Bucs announced the signing Thursday, the final day of the team's mandatory minicamp. Evans attended the workouts, but did not participate in drills because of a hamstring strain.

Pat Bowlen - Denver Broncos' Owner

Patrick Dennis "Pat" Bowlen (born February 18, 1944) is the majority owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Denver Broncos. The Bowlen Family, including his two brothers John Bowlen and Bill Bowlen, and sister Marybeth Bowlen, purchased the team from Edgar Kaiser in 1984 and saved the team from possible bankruptcy.

Pat Bowlen net worth: Pat Bowlen is an American attorney, majority owner, and Chief Executive Owner of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League who has an estimated net worth of $1 billion. Pat Bowlen was born in 1944 in Prairie du Chein, Wisconsin. His father, Paul Bowlen, had become a millionaire in the Canadian oil business. Bowlen got his BA and JD from the University of Oklahoma. Though he had plenty of oil money in his family, Pat became wealthy on his own with a successful law practice in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Bowlen also worked as an executive for his father's company, Regent Drilling and as a real estate developer. In 1984, as the Broncos faced bankruptcy under former owner Edgar Kaiser, Bowlen along with his brothers John and Bill and sister Marybeth purchased a majority stake in the NFL franchise for $78 million. One year later the rest of his family joined to purchase the entire franchise. The Broncos then drafted Stanford quarterback John Elway with the first overall pick in the 1983 draft. Elway led the Broncos to five AFC championships in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997 and 1998 as well as to two Super Bowl victories in 1998 and 1999. The Denver Broncos saw a resurgence in their fan base, began to turn a profit, and had the opportunity to do so because of Pat Bowlen.

Below is a summary of the Denver Broncos’ success during Mr. Bowlen’s ownership (1984-2012):

• The Denver Broncos won back-to-back World Championships in 1997 (Super Bowl XXXII vs. the Green Bay Packers 31-24) and 1998 (Super Bowl XXXIII vs. the Atlanta Falcons 34-19).

• Denver became the sixth NFL franchise to win back-to-back Super Bowls, joining Green Bay, Miami, Pittsburgh (twice), San Francisco and Dallas. The Broncos became the first AFC team to do it in two decades.

• When the Broncos won Super Bowl XXXII, they were the first AFC team to win in 14 years and just the second wild card team to win a Super Bowl under the NFL’s present playoff system.

• The Broncos own AFC Championships under Pat Bowlen in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997 and 1998.

• Denver was the only AFC franchise to make three Super Bowl appearances in the 1980s.

• Denver ranks second in the NFL in regular-season wins (276), third in overall wins (292), tied for second in Super Bowl appearances (5), fourth in conference championship game appearances (7) and tied for fourth in playoff appearances (15).

• The Broncos have dominated the AFC Western Division by posting more division titles (10), conference championship game appearances (7) and Super Bowl appearances (5) than any other club in the division.

• In addition to winning 10 division titles, Mr. Bowlen’s franchise has had regular-season win totals of 14, 13 (four times), 12 (twice), 11 (four times) and 10 (three times). Fourteen of the 15 best years in team history have come during Mr. Bowlen’s ownership.

• The Broncos won an NFL-record seven postseason games in a two-year period (1997-1998).

• The Broncos had 33 wins over a two-year period (1997-1998), at that time the most in NFL history.

• The Broncos had an NFL-record 46 wins over a three-year period (1996-1998).

• The Broncos became the second team in modern NFL history to go undefeated during regular-season play at home for three consecutive seasons (1996-1998).

• His 1997-1998 teams performed the astonishing feat of going nearly an entire calendar year without a defeat (12/15/97-12/13/98), at that time a league-record 18 consecutive wins.

• In 1998, Denver won a franchise-record 17 games (14 in the regular season), including a 13-0 start that resulted in Denver going nearly an entire calendar year without a loss.

• The Broncos have the best home record (177-70 / .717) in pro football over the past 29 years.

• The Broncos have had an NFL-low five losing seasons compared to their 17 winning seasons.

Pat Bowlen also has enjoyed tremendous off-the-field success as well.

• In Mr. Bowlen’s 29 years of ownership, the Broncos have played 29 postseason games, all of which have been sold out.

• The Broncos have sold out every game during Mr. Bowlen’s ownership for a streak of 247 consecutive games (regular season and postseason) that is the third-longest active streak in the league.

• Denver has led the NFL in attendance during Mr. Bowlen’s 29-year period as owner. The Broncos have drawn nearly 20 million fans to their home games from 1984-2012, marking the highest total in the NFL.

• Mr. Bowlen ushered in a new era in Denver Broncos football history in 2001 when the state-of-the-art Sports Authority Field at Mile High opened. Mr. Bowlen contributed more than $150 million to the construction of the new stadium and helped fund a $30 million upgrade during the 2013 offseason.

• Mr. Bowlen has worked closely with the Broncos’ personnel department in maintaining the club’s roster in the era of free agency that has resulted in unprecedented player stability.

• In addition to his role with the Broncos, Mr. Bowlen was a key figure in securing the league’s labor and TV contracts. He served as co-chair of the powerful NFL Management Council Executive Committee from 2001-11 and remains a member of the prestigious NFL Broadcasting Committee, which he formerly chaired. He also is on the NFL Compensation Committee, the NFL Network Committee, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Committee and Los Angeles Working Group Committee.

• In his role as Chair of the NFL Broadcast Committee, Mr. Bowlen was responsible for the negotiations on the NFL’s $18 billion TV contract, the most lucrative single-sport contract in history

• He was responsible for the Broncos’ headquarters, the Paul D. Bowlen Memorial Centre, a 90,000 square foot modern office and training facility located on the team’s 13.5 acre complex in Dove Valley, Arapahoe County. The facility is named after Pat Bowlen’s father, and the Broncos moved into the building on March 5, 1990. Over the past nine offseasons, an extensive remodeling and expansion plan was implemented, assuring that the team headquarters would remain at the top level of NFL training facilities.

Early life
Bowlen was born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, the son of Arvella (née Woods) and Paul Dennis Bowlen, who became a millionaire in the Canadian oil business, founding Regent Drilling as a wildcatter. The oil company is now owned by Pat's brother John.[1] Bowlen is Catholic and his team’s charity raised more than $1 million recently for the Catholic Capuchin order’s ministries to Denver’s poor and homeless.He attended Campion Jesuit Catholic High School and later earned degrees in business (1965) and law (1968) from the University of Oklahoma. The younger Bowlen became wealthy in his own right by becoming a successful lawyer in Edmonton, Alberta. He also worked as an executive for his father's company and as a real estate developer and had major investments in the mining industry.

Bowlen is an initiated member of the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity. He was initiated by the University of Oklahoma, Beta Omicron chapter in 1963. He is a member of the bar association and law society of Alberta, Canada. Bowlen is also one of the largest donors to the University of Denver.

Denver Broncos owner
Over the last several years, Bowlen and the Broncos have been involved in several legal battles against one-time owner Edgar Kaiser. In 2004, Bowlen agreed to sell retired football legend John Elway a 10% share in the team. However, Kaiser sued, claiming a breach of contract. Kaiser asserted that he had a right of first refusal if any deal is made involving franchise ownership. In 2004, a jury ruled in favor of Kaiser and a Federal judge decreed that Kaiser was entitled to purchase back 10 percent of the Broncos using the identical purchase terms offered to Elway.Bowlen appealed the original verdict that ruled in favor of Kaiser and won, as the appellate court ruled that the structure of the Bowlen-Elway deal did not violate the original right of first refusal agreement.

On December 30, 2008, Broncos head coach and Vice President of Football Operations Mike Shanahan was fired by Bowlen after a 14-year tenure as the head coach. Bowlen stated he wanted his team to go in a different direction. He undertook a search over two weeks and eventually chose Josh McDaniels who at the time was the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, as the new head coach of the Broncos. Subsequently, after a losing streak in the 2010-11 season, McDaniels was fired as head coach of the Broncos.On February 12, 2009, Bowlen appointed Brian Xanders as the team's sole general manager and fired Jim Goodman and Jeff Goodman.

Within two weeks of the end of the 2010-11 regular season, Bowlen and the Broncos had hired former Carolina Panthers' coach John Fox to be their new head coach. Although Bowlen had discussions with Fox before the hiring, new front-office executive John Elway was mostly responsible for the hiring. Since late 2009, rumors have begun to emerge that Bowlen stepped out of the spotlight and is suffering from short-term memory loss.He told The Denver Post columnist Woody Paige that his memory wasn't what it used to be and that he couldn't recall details of the Broncos back-to-back Super Bowl titles in the late 1990s. For most of 2010, Bowlen was invisible. He no longer plays a major role in the Broncos' decision making; Executive VP John Elway, and President Joe Ellis now have that control.

Colorado Crush ownership
Besides being owner and CEO of the Broncos, Bowlen was also part-owner of the Arena Football League's Colorado Crush. He shared ownership with Denver-based sports mogul Stan Kroenke and legendary Broncos quarterback John Elway. The Crush entered the AFL as an expansion franchise in 2003. After going through a 2-14 season in '03, the team soon became a perennial playoff contender and one of the league's top franchises. The Crush won the Arena Football Championship in 2005. Bowlen has won 3 championships as a football franchise owner; 2 Super Bowl titles with the Broncos in 1998 & 1999, and an Arena Football title in 2005 with the Crush.

Denver Outlaws ownership
In 2006 Major League Lacrosse decided to expand adding the Denver Outlaws to its league of teams. The Denver Outlaws have been the most winning franchise that Bowlen has ever owned boasting a regular season win percentage of .700 since their creation. The Outlaws have been to the Playoffs every year they have been in existence and advanced as far as the championship game 3 times (2006, 2008, 2009).

Jerry Jones - Dallas Cowboys' Owner

Jerral Wayne "Jerry" Jones Sr. (born October 13, 1942) is an American businessman. He is the owner, president, and general manager of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

Jones was born in Los Angeles, California. His family moved to North Little Rock, Arkansas, when he was an infant. Jones was a star running back at North Little Rock High School. He attended college at the University of Arkansas where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He was also a co-captain of the 1964 National Championship football team. He was an all-Southwest Conference offensive lineman for Hall of Fame coach Frank Broyles and a teammate of Jimmy Johnson. Other notable teammates were Glen Ray Hines, a consensus All-American offensive tackle, Ken Hatfield, Jim Lindsey, and future Outland Trophy winner Loyd Phillips. Several future great head coaches were assistant coaches for Frank Broyles and the Razorbacks during his college career in Fayetteville including Hayden Fry, future legendary Head Coach at the University of Iowa, Johnny Majors, future Head Coach at Iowa State University, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Tennessee, and most notably Barry Switzer, Hall of Fame coach of the University of Oklahoma. Jones is one of a very small number of NFL owners who actually earned a significant level of success as a football player (Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers being another).

When he graduated from college in 1965, he was hired as an executive vice president at Modern Security Life of Springfield, Missouri, his father's insurance company. He received his Master's degree in business in 1970. After several unsuccessful business ventures (including passing up the opportunity to purchase the American Football League's San Diego Chargers in 1967), he began an oil and gas exploration business in Arkansas, Jones Oil and Land Lease, which became phenomenally successful.[3] His privately held company currently does natural resource prospecting.

In one of the most dramatic eras of ownership in professional sports, Jerry Jones' stewardship of the Dallas Cowboys has brought unprecedented results and success to one of the world's most popular sports entities.

Aside from being one of only four current owners to guide their franchises to at least three Super Bowl titles, Jones' efforts in the areas of sports marketing, promotion and the development of AT&T Stadium have created a vivid imprint on the landscape of the NFL and the American sports culture.

Highlighted by Super Bowl victories following the 1992, 1993 and 1995 seasons, Jones became the first owner in NFL history to guide his team to three league championships in his first seven years of ownership. In 1995 Dallas also became the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in four seasons while tying the then-NFL record for most Super Bowl victories by an organization with five.

The first decade of Jones' ownership closed with eight playoff appearances, six division titles, four conference championship game appearances and three world crowns as the Cowboys were named the NFL's Team of the 1990s. Dallas closed the first decade of the new millennium with division titles in 2007 and 2009 while the 2009 club secured the 11th playoff appearance in Jones' 22 seasons of leadership.

Along with the success of the Dallas Cowboys on the field, Jones' vision and leadership provided the driving influence behind the concept, design, and construction of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - a venue that is recognized internationally as perhaps the most spectacular and state-of-the-art sports stadium in the world.

Opened to the public in May of 2009, AT&T Stadium's dramatic first season of operation resulted in the venue being named the Sports Facility of the Year by the Sports Business Journal in May of 2010. Along with that achievement for the team's new home, Jones was also named the 2009 Sports Executive of the Year by the SBJ.

The 100,000 plus seat AT&T Stadium established the attendance record for an NFL regular season game as 105,121 witnessed the September 20, 2009 home opener, while the 108,713 who attended the NBA All-Star Game on February 14, 2010 became the largest crowd to witness a basketball game in the history of the sport.

In just over two years of operation, more than four million fans have attended events that included high school and collegiate football, major college basketball, professional bull riding, Motocross, world championship boxing and a handful of concerts that featured world renowned recording artists. Another million visitors have passed through the twelve-story-high doors of the stadium for daily public tours of the venue.

With its architectural versatility and cutting edge media capabilities, AT&T Stadium has become a visible beacon that has established North Texas as a major focal point on the sports and entertainment canvas of North America.

The brilliant home of the Cowboys has become a powerful catalyst in attracting a wide range of national and international events that will define the future of the region for generations to come. After already playing host to Super Bowl XLV in February of 2011, other top flight events for the future include the annual AT&T Cotton Bowl, the 2014 NCAA Final Four in men's basketball and the annual Texas A&M-Arkansas football series just to name a few.

Since he took over as general manager in 1989, the Cowboys have drafted 25 different players who have gone on to appear in a combined total of 95 Pro Bowls. Dallas has also signed 11 free agent players who have made 28 Pro Bowl appearances while representing the Dallas Cowboys. Since 1989 the Cowboys have made 129 trades, the most celebrated of which was the 1989 deal that sent Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings and provided the personnel foundation for three league titles.

In selecting the on-the-field leadership for the Cowboys, Jones hired a pair of coaches who won three Super Bowls in Dallas: Jimmy Johnson (1992-1993) and Barry Switzer (1995). Chan Gailey followed with a division title and playoff appearances in 1998 and 1999. In 2003 Jones successfully recruited two-time Super Bowl winner Bill Parcells to Dallas, and Parcells directed the team to three winning seasons and two playoff trips in four seasons. In February of 2007, Jones added another successful NFL head coach in Wade Phillips who guided the club to a pair of division titles in his first three years (2007 and 2009) and a playoff victory in 2009. In 2011, Jones named Jason Garrett as the team's eighth head coach after the former Cowboys' quarterback guided the club to a 5-3 record as the interim coach in the second half of the 2010 season.

In the last 33 years, 34 different owners have entered the National Football League. Of that group, only Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft of New England have guided their franchises to more than two Super Bowl championships. Moreover, Jones joins Art Rooney, Jack Kent Cooke, Al Davis, Eddie DeBartolo and Kraft as the only men to have won at least three Super Bowls as NFL owners.

On the league front, he actively contributes his vision and enthusiasm to enhancing the NFL's status as the world's premier professional sports league by serving on a wide range of league committees. He was recently very involved—as a member of the Management Council Executive Committee--in the labor negotiations that resulted in the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and its players. In addition to the CEC, Jones is currently the Chairman of the NFL Network Committee, and he is a member of the NFL Broadcasting Committee, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Committee and the NFL Player Dire-Need Committee. Jones also served on the committee that was charged with overseeing the search for a successor to retired NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue -- a search that successfully landed current NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in September of 2006. In addition, Jones has served two prior terms as a member of the NFL's Competition Committee as well as a stint on the Business Ventures Committee.

His contributions and innovations in the areas of marketing, corporate sponsorships, television, stadium management, stadium development, labor negotiations and community service have made a visible imprint on the ever evolving face of professional sports in America. Since becoming involved with the Cowboys, Jones' accomplishments have been recognized through his induction into the Boys and Girls Clubs of America Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame (2007), the Texas Business Hall of Fame (2005), the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame (1999) and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame (1998). In August of 2007, he served as the presenter for Michael Irvin's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame -- a recognition he was also named for by Emmitt Smith as the NFL's all-time leading rusher was enshrined in Canton in August of 2010.

As a co-captain of the 1964 National Championship Arkansas Razorbacks, Jones is one of a very small number of NFL owners who actually earned a significant level of success as a football player. He is the only man in the history of the National Football League to play for a collegiate national championship football team and own a Super Bowl winner. In addition, Jones and the legendary George Halas are the only two men to become NFL owners after playing in a major college football bowl game. His current ties to the college game include membership on the Board of Directors for the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame.

A man of varied interests who will not rest on yesterday's achievements, he is a dedicated businessman and family man - sharing a vivid enthusiasm for both. Although Jones and his family are very involved in numerous civic and charitable causes, the Joneses have left an indelible local and national impression on the philanthropic landscape with their love and dedication to The Salvation Army.

For the past 14 seasons, the Jones family has dedicated the Cowboys Thanksgiving Day halftime show as a national showcase to kick off The Salvation Army's annual Red Kettle Drive. Through the donation of national television air-time, the event has created a new holiday tradition, while helping to increase donations to The Salvation Army's annual fund raising efforts by hundreds of millions of dollars. Major George Hood of The Salvation Army states that "by presenting the National Kettle Kickoff on Thanksgiving Day, the Dallas Cowboys have helped the Army raise over one billion dollars in the past 14 years." Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Clint Black, Jessica Simpson, Billy Gilman, Creed, LeAnn Rimes, Toby Keith, Destiny's Child, Sheryl Crow, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, The Jonas Brothers, Daughtry and Keith Urban have provided the entertainment for the holiday extravaganzas.

The Salvation Army points to the annual Cowboys kickoff event as one of the most effective, creative and important innovations that has been developed in the long and storied history of the organization.

The Joneses received the Evangeline Booth Award in 1999, one of the Army's highest national community service awards and have been selected for membership into the prestigious Salvation Army William Booth Society. Gene and Jerry were also named to the Army's National Advisory Board in April of 1998 shortly after being named the organization's Partners of the Year in 1997. In April of 2007, Gene and Jerry Jones served as the honorary chairpersons for the Salvation Army's National Advisory Organizations Conference (NAOC) that was held in Dallas.

For 10 years, Gene and Jerry Jones served as hosts and underwrote the costs for the Super Lunch, a fundraising event for The Salvation Army Irving Corps Community Center. In 1998 the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Center for Children opened in conjunction with The Army.

As part of the Jones Family and the Dallas Cowboys commitment to Arlington, Texas, the home of the club's new stadium, Gene and Jerry Jones Family Charities will donate a total of $16.5 million to non-profit organizations serving youth in Arlington from 2009-2041.

In 2001 the Joneses were awarded the Chairman's Award by The Boys and Girls Clubs of America. In June of 2002, Gene and Jerry Jones were recognized as the recipients of the Children's Champion Award for Philanthropy that was presented by the Dallas for Children organization. In 2003 the Family Gateway organization of Dallas presented Gene and Jerry with the Annette G. Strauss Humanitarian Award. In April of 2005, Gene and Jerry were recipients of the Hope Award, the highest community service recognition awarded by the Lone Star Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In 2010 the Jones Family and the Cowboys were selected by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to receive the prestigious Chairman's Award that recognized the Cowboys long and dedicated history of supporting that organization.

The Jones family is very involved with several other community-related organizations, including Children's Medical Center of Dallas, Happy Hill Farm Academy/Home, the National Board for The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Kent Waldrep Paralysis Foundation, The Rise School of Dallas, The Family Place and The Family Gateway. In 2010, the Jones family endowed the North Texas Youth Education Town with a $1 million grant. Created as a lasting legacy of Super Bowl XLV, the North Texas YET will be administered by The Salvation Army and provide North Texas youth with education, mentoring, fitness and character enrichment programs.

Jerry (10/13/42) and Gene live in Dallas. They have three children, Stephen, Charlotte and Jerry, Jr., and nine grandchildren.
Jones is the son of J.W. "Pat" Jones and Arminta Jones. He is married to Eugenia "Gene" Jones, and they have three children: Stephen, Charlotte and Jerry, Jr. Stephen (born July 21, 1964) serves as the Cowboys' chief operating officer/executive vice president/director of player personnel. Charlotte (born July 26, 1966) serves as the Cowboys' executive vice president and chief brand officer.Jerry, Jr (born September 27, 1969) is the Cowboys' chief sales and marketing officer/vice president.

Jimmy Haslam - Cleveland Browns' Owner

 Jimmy Haslam --James Arthur "Jimmy" Haslam III (born March 1954) is the CEO of the Pilot Flying J truck stop chain and the current majority owner of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League.On October 16, 2012, Haslam's $1 billion purchase of the Browns was unanimously approved by the 32 teams in the NFL; the sale itself closed on October 25, 2012.His father, fellow businessman Jim Haslam, founded the Pilot Flying J company in 1958 as the Pilot Oil Corporation.

Haslam, who lives in his native Knoxville, Tennessee, is brother to Bill Haslam, the Governor of Tennessee.

While attending the University of Tennessee Haslam was a roommate of Bob Corker, the current United States Senator from Tennessee. He is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

Haslam bought a minority interest in the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008. In 2012, he reached an agreement with Browns owner Randy Lerner to purchase the franchise for $1 billion (USD). The Browns were valued at $977 million in 2011 by Forbes magazine, 20th in the NFL. Haslam's family also owns the Tennessee Smokies, a Class AA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. NFL rules prohibit ownership in multiple teams and so Haslam sold his interest in the Steelers.

Haslam is married to Susan "Dee" Bagwell Haslam, CEO of RIVR Media. They have three adult children, Jim, Whitney and Cynthia.

Knoxville businessman Jimmy Haslam, CEO of family-run Pilot Flying J, is No. 831 on the 2013 Forbes list of the richest people in the world.

The owner of the Cleveland Browns, Haslam has a net worth of $1.8 billion, according to Forbes.

Pilot Flying J was started a one-gas station business by his father and has grown to one of the largest businesses in the country.

Jimmy Haslam is in his second stint as CEO after having left for a number of months upon buying the Browns.

Jimmy Haslam Net Worth: Jimmy Haslam is an American businessman, NFL team owner and philanthropist who has a net worth of $1.5 billion. Born James Arthur Haslam II on December 13, 1930, in Detroit, Michigan, he is the CEO of the truck stop chain, Pilot Flying J, and the owner of the NFL's Cleveland Browns. It was his father, fellow businessman Jim Haslam, that he established the company in 1958 as the Pilot Oil Corporation, which later merged with bankrupt Flying J in 2010 to become Pilot Flying J of today. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn, the truck stop chain is currently one of the largest companies in the USA, with 600 locations in 43 states and Canada that generate $31 billion in sales. When it comes to his acquisition of the Cleveland Browns, Haslam bought the team from Randy Learner for $1.05 billion in August 2012, and NFL authorized the sale in October the same year. What's more, he is also the brother of Bill Haslam, the Governor of Tennessee. Married with three children, Jimmy Haslam currently resides in Knoxville, TN.

Mike Brown -- Cincinnati Bengals' Owner

Mike Brown -- Cincinnati Bengals' Owner

Michael "Mike" Brown (born August 10, 1935) is the owner of the Cincinnati Bengals, an American football team in the National Football League. He is the son of former Cleveland Browns, Ohio State University and Cincinnati Bengals coach/co-founder, Paul Brown. Brown's ownership has been criticized for a lack of on-field success, his refusal to cede football operations to a general manager and the team's relationship with Hamilton County before and after a voter-approved tax increase to fund Paul Brown Stadium.

Before Bengals ownership

He is one of two living sons by Paul Brown (His brother, Pete, is currently the Senior Vice-President of Bengals' player personnel.His older brother, Robin, died of cancer in 1978.) He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1957, where he played quarterback for their football team, and from Harvard Law School in 1959.In an unusual meeting between future sports owners, eventual New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner hired him to a summer job as a deck hand for Kinsman Marine Transit Company.

Brown eventually followed his father into football management. Paul Brown founded the Bengals, then an American Football League team, in 1968. (This was several years after Paul Brown was dismissed as Cleveland Browns head coach in a well-publicized falling out with Art Modell). Mike Brown began his executive duties with the Bengals as assistant general manager. Along with personnel decisions, he was a spokesman for the team on issues of league rules and team policy.

Taking over the team

He assumed ownership responsibilities upon his father's death in August 1991 and has remained in the ownership position since. His first significant move as owner was to fire popular coach Sam Wyche after the 1991 season (although he originally claimed that Wyche resigned). Days later, Brown hired Dave Shula to be head coach, making Shula (at the time) the second youngest NFL head coach in history and making Dave and Don Shula the first father-son to lead different NFL teams in the same year. Going into 1993, Brown sought to negotiate a new lease with Cincinnati to keep the Bengals in the city.

Threats to move and a new stadium deal
Initially, Brown rejected advances from other cities to discuss moving the team. By 1995, he felt Riverfront Stadium's small seating capacity and lack of luxury boxes hindered the Bengals' success.

In 1995, he announced that Cincinnati had breached its lease agreement when it was late by one week in paying $167,000 in concession receipts. He threatened to move the team to Baltimore if Cincinnati or Hamilton County would not fund a new stadium. The leverage of this threat proved successful as Cincinnati’s City Council and the Hamilton County Commissioners opted to fund the new Paul Brown Stadium with a proposed county sales tax increase, which needed voter approval. In 1996, Hamilton County voters passed a one-half percent sales tax increase to fund the building of a new facility for the Bengals and a second new facility for the Major League Baseball Cincinnati Reds., the Bengals filed suit against the County for the right to manage it in 2000. County commissioners agreed to let a Bengals' subsidiary run the stadium and it opened later that year.



Todd Portune unseated future Bengals employee Bob Bedinghaus for the role of Hamilton County Commissoner
In 2007, Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune (a former Cincinnati City Council member, though not Commissioner at the time the parties executed the lease), filed a lawsuit in federal district court against the NFL, the Bengals and the other 31 NFL teams. Portune felt, among other things, that published revenues from 1995-1999  contradicted Brown's claims of financial distress. The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners eventually was substituted as the plaintiff in the case. Fans supporting Portune cite what they feel is the broken promise that the Bengals would "be more competitive" with a new stadium. The Bengals have had only three winning seasons out of 11 since the stadium opened.

Rick Eckstein, co-author of "Public Dollars, Private Stadiums," describes the Hamilton County arrangement as "the single most lopsided stadium deal since 1993" and questions Bob Bedinghaus' role with the team after having been County Commissioner when the deal was reached. A 2008 Forbes survey suggests the team's rankings in direct revenues have dropped since the stadium's construction (placing the team 21st in total value at $941 million).

The Bengals have requested that the County extend the lease for the stadium for 20 years, while Portune maintains his criticisms of the original agreement.

Lack of on-the-field success
Since Brown became owner, the team has had only 5 winning seasons out of 23 and has a winning percentage of .403 (151-224-1) in the regular season and .000 (0-5) in the playoffs. In 2008, the Bengals set a record for the most games needed under one specific owner to attain 100 wins (288). In 2010, the team set a record for the least games needed to lose 200 (both considering and not considering playoffs) under one specific owner (314).

The Bengals hold a number of distinctions for the time frame of Brown's ownership: It is the only team with three nine-game-or-more losing streaks. It also holds six of the twenty-five 0-6 starts (24%) and four of the thirteen 0-8 starts (31%) in that time. The Bengals have gone winless in October nine different times in twenty-two years under five different head coaches (Sam Wyche was originally hired by Paul Brown).

The most successful coach during Mike Brown's tenure is current coach Marvin Lewis with a .509 winning percentage (90-90-1). The Bengals won the AFC North Division in 2005, 2009 and 2013 (then losing to the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets and San Diego Chargers respectively) and earned a Wild Card spot in the playoffs in both 2011 and 2012, losing to the Houston Texans both times: 31-10 in the 2011 playoffs and 19-13 in the 2012 post-season. The team then earned a Wild Card (Due to insufficient regular season wins for a bye week in the AFC) match against San Diego in the playoffs of the 2013 season, but lost 10-27 in that 2013 post-season match.

In 2009 Yahoo sports ranked Mike Brown as the second worst owner in the NFL.

Philosophy
In addition to being majority owner, Brown is considered the Bengals' de facto general manager as well. He is one of two NFL owners who have either the title or powers of general manager, the other being Dallas' Jerry Jones.

In 2009, The Cincinnati Enquirer publicized details of testimony in a Hamilton County Probate Court trial over the $300 million estate of Austin Knowlton. Brown testified that he received a general manager bonus every year since he took over the team in 1991. Due to the team's record under his ownership, Brown has been subject to criticism for his approach to the running the football side of the Bengals' organization.

Tolerance of off field conduct
In the mid-to-late 2000s, the Bengals were involved in a series of disciplinary measures with a variety of players. In 2005, the Bengals drafted Chris Henry and Odell Thurman, each considered exceptionally talented but possible disciplinary hazards during their college careers. The following year, they were among nine Bengals players arrested for various offenses. Brown cut several "problem players" in 2008 including Henry and Thurman, but re-signed Henry later that year. This came after five arrests of Henry and Brown's statement earlier in the year that Henry's "conduct could no longer be tolerated." One fan protested by purchasing an electronic billboard along the Cincinnati interstate reading "CHRIS HENRY AGAIN? ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Henry died during a domestic dispute on December 17, 2009. Commenting on his death, Brown defended his decision to re-sign Henry, noting that "We knew him in a different way than his public persona.". Posthumously, it was discovered that Chris Henry was suffering from a progressive degenerative brain disease known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE. According to a West Virginia University research study, the CTE may have contributed to Chris Henry's troubled behavior and, ultimately, his death.

Later in 2008, the Bengals signed running back Cedric Benson, whom the Chicago Bears had waived, in part, due to his off-field activities. In 2009, the team added Larry Johnson to provide depth for the position after the Kansas City Chiefs released him for "detrimental conduct." Johnson had also experienced recent legal difficulties. Benson was among 2009's leading NFL rushers, while Johnson saw limited action.

In recent years, Brown claims to have rethought this approach. Talking about the team's second appearance on Hard Knocks, Brown stated, "We have a different team now than we had a few years ago. We want the public to see them. We think they're good people. We think the public will be taken by them, will like them. It gives us a boost."

Brown has commented that the league's current attitude towards discipline is a change from a past "boys will be boys" attitude. Brown's father welcomed tailback Stanley Wilson back to the Bengals in 1988 after two drug suspensions. Wilson relapsed the night before Super Bowl XXIII and his absence in short-yardage situations affected the Bengals' efforts in one of the closest Super Bowl games in history.

Loyalty issues
Brown is historically reluctant to fire personnel after multiple losing seasons. His first hire as head coach, David Shula, lost fifty games faster than any NFL coach in history (69 games). Shula's successor, Bruce Coslet, resigned with a 21-39 record in 2000; Brown had yet to fire him. Current head coach Marvin Lewis has five winning seasons out of eleven in Cincinnati, five playoff appearances, a 90-85-1 regular season record and an 0-5 playoff record. Nevertheless, Brown agreed to extend Lewis' contract shortly after its expiration at the end of the 2010 season. Lewis received another contract extension prior to the beginning of the 2012 season.

Brown also values his family's connection with the franchise; evident in his choosing to name Paul Brown Stadium after his father rather than to sell corporate naming rights for it. Daughter Katie Blackburn is the executive president of the team and her husband Troy is an VP with additional family members among the front office staff. From 1994-2000, the Bengals paid out over $50 million to the Brown family members of Bengals staff in salaries.

Former Bengals receiver Cris Collinsworth argues Brown's loyalty played a role in decision to not persuade Boomer Esiason out of retiring despite a productive 1997 season. Esiason became a color analyst on ABC's Monday Night Football. Collinsworth suggested Brown "thought he was doing the right thing by Boomer" and did not want to cost him the MNF job. Collinsworth contrasted this attitude to other NFL owners, like the Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Jones, whom Collinsworth felt "would have flown Boomer down to the Bahamas on his personal jet, offered to kiss his ring and signed him right there."

Emphasis on the quarterback
Brown has publicized his belief that a "bell cow" quarterback is a necessity in turning a team into a winner. In a 1999 interview, he remarked "If you don't have a productive quarterback, you won't go anywhere...I know it doesn't seem that simple, but it is." Comparing quarterbacks to other positions on a football team, Brown has said "He's the hub of the wheel...like a queen on a chessboard. These other guys are like rooks or bishops or other pieces that are not quite as valuable. Some are more valuable than others. That's just a fact."

Brown turned down then-Saints coach Mike Ditka's offer of nine draft picks for one in the 1999 NFL draft against then-coach Coslet's advice. Coslet wanted as many draft picks as possible to help the Bengals' defense. Instead, Brown overruled Coslet and selected University of Oregon quarterback Akili Smith. Smith only played 22 games in his NFL career. Coslet later regretted that he "didn't insist hard enough" in trying to persuade Brown to accept the Saints' offer.

Before the 1992 Draft, press reports stressed the Bengals' need for either a cornerback or defensive lineman. Brown himself had been quoted the day before the draft as stating "we would dearly love to get a top defensive lineman, they're at a premium, and it's less true of other positions." Instead, the Bengals selected Houston quarterback David Klingler. Then Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason and strong-safety David Fulcher both openly questioned the move the next day, arguing the team needed help on defense. Klingler became an eventual bust. Esiason has since revealed that he had actually demanded a trade at the end of the 1991 season, which may have influenced Brown to select Klingler (Esiason was traded to the New York Jets in 1993).

Brown placed a great deal of responsibility on Carson Palmer, calling him the Bengals' "lead dog" and stating "as he goes, we go." Palmer holds a number of team records and three Pro Bowl selections. The Bengals were 46-51 (.474) with Palmer as starter. Palmer threatened retirement from football if the Bengals did not trade him during the 2011 offseason. Brown insisted that he wouldn't "reward" Palmer's demands, arguing that Palmer made a commitment to the organization when he received a contract extension. Brown released Carson's younger brother, Jordan from the team on August 27, 2011. On October 18, 2011 the Bengals finally traded Carson Palmer to the Oakland Raiders for a 2012 first round draft pick and a conditional second round 2013 pick if Oakland made it to the AFC Championship game in 2011 or 2012 (which they did not).

Andy Dalton was taken in the 2011 NFL Draft and immediately became the first QB in franchise history to lead the team to the playoffs three years in a row.

"Carl Pickens Clause"
In 1998, the Bengals cut punter Lee Johnson. Brown attempted to fine Johnson after cutting him for "conduct detrimental to the team" in relation to comments Johnson had made about the organization and the 1998 season. A reporter asked Johnson after a Bengals loss "if you were a fan, would you have come here today?" to which Johnson replied "No, no way...why would you? You're saying (losing) is OK. I guess if you've got nothing else to do. I'd sell my tickets." This fine resulted in a dispute with the NFL players union, whose counsel remarked "A fine is a disciplinary measure, you discipline someone to try and make sure they're a better employee in the future. How can you do that if you've fired them?"

In 2000, the Bengals instituted a "loyalty clause," which allows the Bengals to deny various bonuses to players depending on the remarks they make about the Bengals. The ability to enact such a clause appears justified under the collective bargaining agreement which states an NFL team can fine a player one week's salary and suspend him without pay for up to four weeks for any action the club considers detrimental to the team. Brown responded that the clause would only be enacted under extreme circumstances. He wrote an editorial for the Cincinnati Enquirer, citing team cohesion as his main motivation for the clause.

It is often dubbed the "Carl Pickens Clause," stemming from the 2000 offseason. Brown renewed Bruce Coslet's contract despite his 21–36 Bengals record. Pickens responded, "I don't understand it. We're trying to win; we're trying to turn this thing around out there. And they bring (Coslet) back." Pickens finished his career with the Tennessee Titans.

Over the years since the clause, Bengals players have commented on a negative atmosphere within the organization, notably Takeo Spikes, Jeff Blake and Jon Kitna.

The most vocal critic of the Bengals since the clause was instituted was Corey Dillon. In 2001, after becoming the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards or more in five consecutive seasons, he remarked "at the end of the season, what do I have to feel good about? Nothing at all. It's not cool." After a fifth losing season with the team in 2002, he remarked ""I'm tired of it, six years of this B.S. I ain't lying to you. I'm sick of this crap, period." Dillon demanded a trade at the end of the 2003 season after throwing most of his gear to the fans during the last home game of the season. He went on to win a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in the following season.

Scouting
Brown employs a very small scouting staff. A 2008 comparison between the Bengals' scouting department and five AFC teams with a .540+ winning percentage since 1991 showed the winning teams employing five or more scouts whereas the Bengals employed only one. Since then, the Bengals have added two additional scouts (Marvin Lewis originally claimed when hired that Brown assured him of a retooled scouting staff).

Frugality

Warren Sapp went to the Oakland Raiders after the Bengals appeared to have signed him
In 1994, agent Leigh Steinberg described Brown as "in a lonely fight for economic rationality in the NFL" and "a Don Quixote-type figure pushing back the forces of salary madness." Over the years, Brown has proven reluctant to finish free agent signings or trades. Warren Sapp (in 2004), Shaun Rogers (in 2008), and Johnathan Joseph (in 2011) are notable recent examples.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus described it as a "matter of hours" before the Bengals would sign Sapp, only a day before the Raiders signed him. Sapp accused the Bengals of "playing with the money" on the original deal they offered him, deferring more money to incentives rather than in guarantees. The Associated Press reported a completed trade between Cincinnati and the Detroit Lions on February 29, 2008 for Rogers. However, the trade fell through and the next day, it was confirmed that the Lions instead traded Rogers to the Cleveland Browns.

Responses to criticism of Brown
Several people cast Mike Brown sympathetically in response to fan and media criticism. After a surprising upset of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2003, Marvin Lewis tearfully awarded the game ball to Brown and told his players "he has put up with so much for you guys." Former Bengals dismiss notions that Brown is unconcerned with winning. Boomer Esiason, now a CBS analyst, refers to Brown as a "nice man" who is simply over his head running the team. In 1998 interviews, Cris Collinsworth and Bengals radio analyst Dave Lapham also rejected notions that Brown did not care about winning. Collinsworth remarked "I don't think anybody could be suffering more over this than Mike is."

Fan response
Organizers from MikeBrownSucks organized a boycott of a December 2001 regular season game  and fans visiting this site as well as another site, SaveTheBengals.com, paid for planes to fly a banner in the Cincinnati area calling for Brown's resignation.

Who Dey Revolution (WDR) has staged "Project Mayhem" since 2008 in an effort to persuade Brown to make changes to the Bengals. These steps ranged from calling the Bengals "JERK line" to report Brown's behavior as abusive to purchasing billboards displaying a request for a General Manager to merchandise and ticket donations/boycotts and letter-writing campaigns. The website's purchase and distribution of 1000 urinal cakes at a Bengals' home game advertised Brown's lifetime regular season record of 98-186-1 to that point.

WDR publishes a comic strip titled "The Lost Generation", presenting Mike Brown in a Charlie Brownesque caricature, presumably to correlate Brown's track record to the famous cartoon character's history of hard luck and failure.

Despite these protests, the Bengals have remained popular within Cincinnati. A November 21, 2010 game vs. the Buffalo Bills marked the first time since November '03 that network affiliates and DirectTV were legally obliged to "black out" the Bengals game within a 75-mile radius of Paul Brown Stadium for lack of ticket sales. The remaining home games against the New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, and San Diego Chargers were also blacked out. Prior to this, the team sold out 57 straight games, a club record.

Personal life
Brown is considered somewhat reclusive although he occasionally grants interviews, mostly to discuss offseason moves with the Bengals. In 2008, Brown and the Bengals donated $250,000 to assist the Cincinnati Park Board in paying for Cincinnati Riverfront Park.