Al Lerner

Al Lerner

Most people know Al Lerner simply as the owner of the new Browns, and as the man that brought football back to Cleveland. This is true in many ways. Once the Browns finished their 1995 season and packed up for Baltimore, the fans, politicians, and local business owners went on a mission to get a team back.
Mike White, Mayor of Cleveland, and Al Lerner, President of MBNA and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, led the fight for football in Cleveland. After numerous attempts to block the Browns move to Baltimore, The city of Cleveland settled on getting a new expansion team, complete with the Browns name, heretige, history, and colors. This new team would begin play in 1999. Lerner and White were deemed heros, while Modell received permanent "villian" status in the city. Lerner, armed with over $2Billion and Bernie Kosar, easily earned the nod from the NFL to run the new franchise. Kosar, who was from Ohio, was to be kept abord as a "consultant." The new management group, which also included Carmen Policy (the brains behind the '80's dynasty 49ers), Dwight Clark, and others. The first thing they did was hire Jaguars offensive coordinator Chris Palmer to run the field, and fund the new Cleveland Stadium.
The Browns began play in 1999 on schedule, and the premier season wasn't riddled with success. A 43-0 beating at the hand of the Steelers paved the way to a 2-14 season. A one game improvement the next year was enough for Lerner to give Palmre the axe, which he did. Butch Davis took over coaching duties in 2001.

However, Lerner's contribution to the NFL may have been tainted. To read more about this, click HERE...

 

 
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