Mike Brown ( 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 box es prohibited 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 receipt s . 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 . 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 3 winning seasons out of 21 and has a winning percentage of . 361 ( 115 - 204 - 1 ) in the regular season and . 000 ( 0 - 3 ) 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 . 465 winning percentage ( 60 - 69 - 1 ) . The Bengals won the AFC North Division in 2005 and 2009 ( then losing to the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets respectively ) and earned a Wild Card spot in the playoffs in 2011 ( Lost to the Houston Texans 31 - 10 ) . In 2009 Yahoo sports ranked Mike Brown as the second worst owner in the NFL . Philosophy . Brown is considered the de facto general manager of the team . 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 . 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 relapse d 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 three winning seasons out of nine in Cincinnati , three playoff appearances , and a 78 - 79 - 1 regular season record ( 0 - 3 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 president of the team and her husband Troy is an executive 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 . " 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 . In his first press conference as Bengals head coach , Marvin Lewis claimed Brown assured him of a retooled scouting staff . 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 first round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and a conditional second round pick for the 2013 NFL Draft if Oakland makes it to the AFC Championship game in 2011 or 2012 . " 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 he worn during the last home game to the fans and won a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in the following season . Frugality . 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 . 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 Brown esque 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 affiliate s 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 . 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 with the exception of the fans , players and taxpayers . " 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 .