The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Ernie Accorsi recalls Marty’s ’88exit
Art Modell got stubborn. Marty Schottenheimer got stubborn.
Had they met at the 50-yard line at old Cleveland Stadium with the gray, cloudy sky doming a huge building instead of meeting in the den of Modell’s home in Waite Hill, the room still would not have been big enough to hold the stubbornness exuding from both proud men.
So, when that meeting Dec. 26, 1988 ended, the Browns, after four straight years of making the playoffs, were a team without a head coach.
“I blame myself,” former Browns Director of Football Operations Ernie Accorsi said Feb. 6 in a phone interview. “I should have figured a way to resolve that thing, and I didn’t do it.”
Two days earlier, the Browns were eliminated from the playoffs, 24-23, by the Oilers. The loss ended one of the most remarkable seasons in team history. Four different players started at quarterback because of injuries, yet the Browns still managed to finish 10-6 and make the playoffs as a wild-card team.
Schottenheimer, the Browns’ most successful head coach in the last 50 years, passed away Feb. 8 after a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
The backstory to the franchisechanging argument between Modell and Schottenheimer starts with the success Lindy Infante had as Browns offensive coordinator in 1986 and 1987. Those teams produced 391 and 390 points and advanced to the AFC championship game both times. Infante’s success as a play-caller enticed the Packers to hire him as their head coach.
Schottenheimer, who took over as Browns head coach midway through 1984 when Sam Rutigliano was fired, did not name a successor to Infante but instead called plays in 1988. Despite the rash of injuries at quarterback, the Browns scored 16 rushing touchdowns and 27 passing touchdowns.
Schottenheimer said he did not name a successor to Infante because he believed it was his duty to take on the pressure of following Infante’s success than leave that burden to a replacement.
“Play calling is overrated,” Schottenheimer said at one point during 1988.
Modell disagreed. Disappointed with another exit in the playoffs, Modell wanted Schottenheimer to hire an offensive coordinator for 1989 and make changes to the coaching staff, including moving Marty’s brother Kurt Schottenheimer from defensive coordinator to another position — all this just 48 hours after being eliminated by the Oilers.
“First of all, Marty did the best coaching job that year I’ve ever been around,” Accorsi said. “We had six quarterback injuries. Two of them got hurt twice. It was unbelievable we won as many games as we did. And then we lose the playoff game by one point.
“That game with Houston was on Christmas Eve. Marty was going to go on vacation with Patty (Schottenheimer’s wife) on the 26th. After games, we had to go in and sit with Art. Art said to Marty, ‘Let’s have a meeting on the 26th.’ Marty said, ‘Art, Patty and I are going on vacation.’ Art said, ‘If you spent money on it, I’ll give you the money for it. I want you in here on the 26th.’
“Art wasn’t planning on firing him. He wanted to talk to him. When Marty left, I said to Art, ‘Why don’t you just let him go on the vacation?’ I figured if he had gone on the vacation, things might have cooled off and it would have given me time. Art said, ‘I don’t know what he wants, but I want to get it over with.’
“So Marty didn’t go. That’s why I blame myself, because I didn’t talk Art into letting him go and let things cool off for a while. It’s just a shame.”
Schottenheimer heard Modell’s demands. He would not acquiesce. Neither man blinked. They agreed to part ways. It was not the first time Schottenheimer and Modell butted heads.
Now, let’s rewind the clock to 1984. Accorsi was in his first year with the Browns with the title Assistant to the President after two years as general manager of the Baltimore Colts. Schottennheimer was in his fifth season as defensive coordinator.
By 1984, the 11-5 Kardiac Kids season was ancient history. Quarterback Brian Sipe was playing in the USFL, replaced by Paul McDonald. The Browns were 5-11 in 1981 and 4-5 in 1982. They were 9-7 in 1983 in Sipe’s final season with Cleveland, but when the Browns were 1-7 midway through 1984, Modell decided Rutigliano had to go.
Schottenheimer had coached linebackers one year with Portland in the World Football League (1974), the Giants linebackers (1975-76), was the Giants defensive coordinator (1977) and then coached the Lions linebackers in 1978 and 1979 before being hired as Browns defensive coordinator in 1980.
He played middle linebacker for the Bills from 1965 to 1968 and the same position for the Boston Patriots two years before retiring.
“By the time I got to Cleveland, people were talking about Marty as a head coaching prospect,” Accorsi said. “He was a coach with the Giants, and they didn’t win. The Lions didn’t win when he was
there, and they weren’t winning in Cleveland, but people saw something in Marty.
“In those days, they used to give you three beers on the charter flight home from a road trip. Coaches would unwind. It’s not like now when coaches are into their computers. Marty would be the one guy who didn’t want the beer. He would be head down, working. I was really impressed by that.”
A 12-9 loss in Cincinnati on Oct. 21, 1984, would be Rutigliano’s last game coaching the Browns. Modell summoned Accorsi to Waite Hill that night to be present when he fired Rutigliano. Rutiglaino was Modell’s neighbor, so it did not take long for him to arrive at his boss’ door.
“He called Sam to come to his house and fired Sam,” Accorsi said. “It was an uncomfortable experience. Sam left and Art calls Marty to come out to his house. It took Marty forever to get there. We didn’t know what was going on.
“To show you how classy Marty was, he went to Sam’s house first. He knew what we were calling for. He asked Sam, ‘Are you OK if I take this job if it’s offered?’
“So Marty shows up and Art says, ‘I’m going to give you a trial. I’m going to give you the last eight games. I’ll give you more money, and we’ll evaluate you at the end of the season.’”
Schottenheimer’s response was not the gracious one Modell expected.
“Marty said, ‘I don’t want the job on that basis,’” Accorsi said. “Art said, ‘What do you mean you don’t want it?’ Marty said, ‘I want a threeyear contract. They’re going to have to know they’re going to have to deal with me and I’m going to be the coach, otherwise they’re not going to respond. They’re 1-7. They’re not going to respond to me.’
With that, Modell left Schottenheimer alone momentarily for a summit with Accorsi in the Modell kitchen.
“So Art calls me in the kitchen and says, ‘What should I do?’” Accorsi recalled. “I said, ‘You better give him the job. Give him the three-year contract. That (Schottenheimer’s stance) showed me something. That showed me leadership. So we went back and Art gave him the three-year contract.”
The Browns were 4-4 under Schottenheimer the rest of 1984. They went 8-8 and finished first in the Central Division in 1985 with rookie quarterback Bernie Kosar taking most of the snaps and Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner each rushing for 1,000 yards. They were division champs again in 1986 and 1987 with records of 12-4 and 10-5. And then 1988 happened.
“Marty was one of those guys that who was instantly competitive as soon as you walked onto the field,” Accorsi said. “Look at his record. He won everywhere he went. He was in Washington only one year, but they started 0-5 and finished 8-8.”
Schottenheimer coached the Browns four full seasons, 10 seasons in Kansas City, one in Washington and five in San Diego. In all that time, his teams had losing records only twice — 7-9 his final year with the Chiefs and 4-12 in 2003 with the Chargers. His record of 200-126-1 makes him the eighth-winningest coach in NFL history.