Brown Visits Browns

As Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown spoke, Browns lineman Jim Pyne looked around at the faces of some of Cleveland’s rookies to see their reaction.

“I know what it was like when I met him,” Pyne said. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to walk onto the field for your first practice and Jim Brown’s standing there. That was awesome.”

Brown, who has distanced himself from the Browns in recent years, flew to Cleveland on Friday and addressed his former team before they took the field for the first practice of a three-day minicamp.

“It was emotional,” said rookie defensive tackle Gerard Warren, Cleveland’s first-round draft pick. “He’s one of the great running backs of all-time and one of the greatest Cleveland Browns. What a way to start off minicamp.”

Brown’s speech was the highlight on the first day of Cleveland’s second minicamp under rookie coach Butch Davis.

Things went smoothly during the two-hour practice, but Davis later revealed that free agent right tackle Ross Verba will undergo back surgery on Monday. He will need six weeks to recover and could be sidelined until late July.

The Browns signed Verba to a four-year, $16 million contract this winter in hopes he could solidify their offensive line. He strained his lower back while lifting weights April 6, during the club’s offseason conditioning program, and it hasn’t improved.

Davis said Verba and the Browns considered other treatment options before deciding on the procedure, which will involve shaving one of the discs in his back.

A team spokesman did not know if the operation would be arthroscopic or laser surgery.

“The only way to 100 percent take care of it was to go in,” Davis said. “We wish that it didn’t happen, but it did and we’ll deal with it.”

Following morning physicals and meetings, the Browns began their afternoon practice by first listening to a speech from team owner Al Lerner and then one from Brown.

Brown said he wanted the players to understand what it means to play for the Browns, and told them about the club’s storied history. He also told them that he would be taking a more active role with the club and would be available to them anytime.

Lerner said he could detect that more than one of Cleveland’s players was impressed.

“I think the young men were in awe of being in his presence,” Lerner said. “He is the Cleveland Brown. He’s my hero.”

Brown, who still holds nearly every Browns’ rushing record, had been a fixture on Cleveland’s sidelines for several years before the franchise moved to Baltimore in 1996 and was on the team’s payroll as a player liaison.

But since the team’s return, Brown had not been as visible.

Brown said that during a talk with Lerner at an awards banquet this winter, he decided he wanted to get more involved.

“Anything they want me to do to help them reach their goals, I’m willing to do,” said Brown, who added that he is not currently being paid for his services.

While Chris Palmer coached the Browns, he often talked about the importance of Cleveland’s players learning about the team’s history, the fans and town they played for. Yet, during his two seasons, only once did Palmer have one of the old Browns--Lou Groza--talk to the new ones.