Bengals Founder Paul Brown Recognized By Hall Of Fame And Allstate As 'Hometown Hall Of Famer' In Massillon

Bengals founder and first head coach Paul Brown is a legendary figure in the NFL. Many believe that he was ahead of him time and helped usher in the new era of the league. The success that the Bengals found when he was running the show was a testament to his abilities as a coach and general manager and without him, there's a real chance the NFL is much different than it is today.

For his contributions to the NFL, the Hall of Fame and Allstate Insurance recently honored Paul Brown in his home town of Massillon, Ohio as part of the "Hometown Hall of Famers" program, which honors the hometown roots of the NFL's greatest players, coaches and owners with special ceremonies and plaque dedication events in local communities.

"’Hometown Hall of Famers™’ has been warmly embraced by communities and Hall of Famers alike," said Tom Schervish, Pro Football Hall of Fame chairman of the board. "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Allstate to bring the Pro Football Hall of Fame to communities across the country and honor and remember Paul Brown where it all began here in Massillon."

The ceremony will take place on Monday April 16 and will be attended by Massillon Washington High School students, faculty and staff as well as Brown's family and friends. The award will be accepted by his son and current Bengals owner Mike Brown. Paul Brown was the head coach of Massillon Washington High School's football team from 1932-1940.

Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967 and before his career was over in the NFL, he had brought film analysis into a classroom setting, began experimenting with radio equipped helmets and was the developer of the single-bar facemask. While with the Browns, he also helped break the NFL color barrier by bringing in future Hall of Famers Marion Motley and Bill Willis.

For more information on the Hometown Hall of Fame program, go here.

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