Athletes - Dick Modzelewski

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	Athletes - Dick Modzelewski

Dick Modzelewski (born February 16, 1931) is a former football player and coach who played professionally for four teams and later served as interim head coach of the Cleveland Browns in the final game of the 1977 NFL season.

Modzelewski entered the world weighing 13 pounds, but would be nicknamed "Little Mo", in deference to older brother Ed. He was considered a small (6-0, 250 pounds) defensive tackle during a 14-year National Football League playing career, but set the standard for durability by never missing a game and retiring as the record-holder for consecutive games played (180 games).

Growing up in Natrona, Pennsylvania as one of six children, Modzelewski was a three-sport athlete at Har-Brack High School who joined brother Ed at the University of Maryland. Just as he was set to begin his sophomore season, Modzelewski moved into the starting lineup after an injury to the Terrapins' Ray Krouse.

He would keep that status for the next three years, winning All-American honors as both a junior and senior, while also caturing the 1952 Outland Trophy. In one 1951 clash against North Carolina]], Modzelewski paced a defense with 12 solo tackles, while the team held the Tar Heels to just 40 yards of offense. At the end of that season, Maryland was ranked third in the country and knocked off the top-ranked University of Tennessee Volunteers in the Sugar Bowl.

The Washington Redskins took notice of Modzelewski's accomplishments and drafted him in the second round of the 1953 NFL draft, signing him on April 10. In his two years with the team, Modzelewski showed promise as a rookie, then began having conflicts with Redskins' coach Joe Kuharich in 1954. As a result, Modzelewski signed with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, ready to play for former Maryland assistant coach Jack Hennemier. However, after the Redskins filed an injunction to stop the deal, the Stampeders signed an agreement to tear up the contract.

With Modzelewski unhappy, the Redskins traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 1, 1955, once again reuniting him with brother Ed, a fullback on the team. The brothers would enjoy just one season together before Dick was once again traded, this time twice in a four-day span. On April 24, 1956, he was traded to the Detroit Lions, then was dealt three days later to the New York Giants. In an ironic twist, the player the Lions receive was Krouse, whose 1950 injury at Maryland had led to Modzelewski's development.

Over the next eight seasons, the Giants would play for the NFL championship six times, but their only victory would come during Modzelewski's first season in 1956. Among a colorful group of defenders, Modzelewski's low-key approach often saw him remain in the shadow of these players, but his presence helped the team remain a perennial title contender.

On March 4, 1964, Modzelewski was traded to the Browns, in exchange for wide receiver Bobby Crespino. Originally expected to be a supplement to starting defensive tackles Jim Kanicki and Frank Parker, Modzelewski was rushed into the lineup following an injury to Parker in the season opener on September 13.

Over the course of the season, Modzelewski's veteran leadership helped lead the Browns to their first Eastern Conference title in seven years. In the NFL Championship game on December 27, he joined an aggressive defense in completely shutting down the Baltimore Colts offense, giving the Browns a 27-0 shutout victory.

In his final two years as a player, the Browns again reached the title game in 1965, but fell short the following year. During his final campaign, Modzelewski was joined by another brother, Gene, who played one season before fulfilling a military committment.

Modzelewski served as a scout for the Browns in 1967, then joined the team's on-field staff the following year as defensive line coach. After two solid years in which the team again reached the NFL Championship game, the Browns' fortunes declined over the next five years, with a then-team-worst 3-11 record in 1975 forcing head coach Forrest Gregg to make changes.

On February 13, 1976, Modzelewski was promoted to defensive coordinator and the team responded with a six-game improvement. Midway through the 1977 NFL season, the Browns had a 5-2 record and seemed destined for their first playoff berth in five years. However, a season-ending injury to starting quarterback Brian Sipe led to a tailspin that culminated with Gregg's dismissal on December 13. Modzelewski was named interim head coach for the team's final game, a 20-19 loss to the second-year Seattle Seahawks.

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