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Equipment Manager Morrie Komo
Morrie Komo never played a game for the Browns, but he had an important role in 2 of them. It all started in 1946, when he interviewed for the position with Paul Brown. Brown hired Komo on the spot, and Komo accepted...without even knowing how much he was going to get paid!!! Komo later learned that it would be $50 per week. This was enough for Komo, thankfully for Cleveland.
The first game he was involved in was the NFL title game in 1950, Cleveland's first in the league. Len Ford, the Browns' bruising defensive lineman and future Hall of Famer, missed most of the season with a broken jaw. Komo developed a protective bar that attached to Ford's helmet so he could play in the game. This bar, later adopted by all players as the face mask, played an important role in this game. Ford had a career game, even though he was still weak from lack of food, and helped the Browns win the game 30-28.
Komo's heroics wouldn't end there, however. In a game later that decade against Cleveland's old AAFC rivals, the San Francisco 49ers. The teams were battling, and Cleveland had held the Niners on 3rd down to bring up a punt. As the punt was sailing through the air, one of San Francisco's cover men ran out of bounds to avoid blockers in an attempt to run back in and tackle Cleveland punt returner Don Paul. However, instead of getting back in bounds to make the tackle, the defender plowed into Komo. The beauty part of it was that this guy was the only one who could possibly make the tackle on Paul, but didn't, thanks to Komo. Paul ran the kick back for a touchdown, and the Browns won the game.
Komo finally retired in 1980, after more than 43 years with the Browns. Komo was the last man affiliated with the Browns to retire, and had put in more years with the team than any man on the 1980 roster had BEEN ALIVE!! Komo said that he enjoyed every minute of it, and if he could do it over again, he would.
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