A prospective new USFL conjures memories of how the Browns once became contenders overnight
May 17, 2012 -- 6:00am
By Tony Grossi
The Morning Kickoff …
Son of USFL: There’s a movement afoot to establish a new United States Football League. Ambitious plans call for a 14-game schedule in 2013 with eight teams – possibly one based in the University of Akron’s InfoCision Stadium.
It sounds like a developmental league to the NFL. There is a real need for that.
The original USFL was not a minor league, but a real threat to the NFL. It existed for only three seasons – 1983 through 1985 – but had a profound effect on the NFL and, in particular, the Cleveland Browns.
Future Pro Football Hall of Famers whose careers began in the USFL included Reggie White, Jim Kelly, Steve Young and Gary Zimmerman. Donald Trump first became famous by buying into the USFL, owning the New Jersey Generals, and throwing money at established NFL players. One was Brian Sipe, the leader of the Browns’ Kardiac Kids.
While Sipe’s defection to the USFL in 1984 hastened the end of one era – and Sam Rutigliano’s reign as coach – the ultimate demise of the USFL was an unforeseen catalyst to the Browns’ turnaround in 1985.
Deal of the century: With the USFL heading for self-implosion, the NFL scheduled a supplemental draft of USFL players in June of 1984, ostensibly to avoid a bidding war among its own teams for the many quality players soon to be available.
At the time, the Browns had a personnel assistant, Chip Falivene, scout the USFL profusely. The regular NFL draft was 12 rounds then, and Browns VP of player personnel, Bill Davis, felt there were better players in the USFL than available in the late rounds of the college draft. So he instructed his scouts to scour their contacts for teams that would be interested in trading picks in the upcoming USFL supplemental draft in exchange for regular draft picks.
“We wanted as many USFL picks as we could get because we wanted to get into the Reggie White, Steve Young part of the (USFL) draft,” recalled Davis, who is the father of Browns linebacker coach Billy Davis. “The highest we could get was 11th in the first round.”
The Browns found a sucker in Bill Tobin, who was working for the Chicago Bears. Davis peddled four Browns’ picks in the ninth through 12th rounds of the regular draft for the Bears’ three picks in the USFL draft.
The Browns used the Bears’ USFL selections on running back Kevin Mack, return specialist Gerald McNeil and linebacker Doug West (who never panned out). The Browns used their own first USFL pick on linebacker Mike Johnson. Their other two picks didn’t pan out.
A gold mine: Mack joined 1984 10th-round pick Earnest Byner as a 1,000-yard rusher in 1985, transforming the Browns overnight into a physical offense. McNeil, listed as 142 pounds but actually closer to 125, was an instant electrifying return specialist. Johnson fortified the run defense as a starting inside linebacker.
Through other measures, the Browns raided the USFL for more starters – cornerback Frank Minnifield, right guard Dan Fike, defensive end Sam Clancy, punter Jeff Gossett and nickel back Mark Harper.
That made eight core players added to the Browns from the USFL. Also at this time, the Browns added two more from the Canadian Football League – tight end Harry Holt and safety Felix Wright. One CFL star who didn’t impress the Browns in a private workout, disclosed Davis, was quarterback Warren Moon.
“He was erratic as hell,” Davis said of the future Hall of Famer.
The centerpiece transaction turned out to be quarterback Bernie Kosar. He was acquired by yet more unconventional means, a special NFL supplemental draft in the summer of 1985.
This talent infusion transformed the Browns from an old, 5-11 team into an ascending AFC power. Starting in 1985, the Browns won four division titles and a wild-card berth in five consecutive years.
“The USFL made us a much better team right away,” Davis said. “But we worked hard as hell to get players from everywhere.
I wish the best of luck to organizers and investors of the new USFL. If it ever gets off the ground, with a team in Akron, I would hope the Browns would scout it as vigorously as the original USFL.
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