to the New York Giants. In an ironic twist, the player the Lions received was Krouse, whose 1950 injury at Maryland had led to Modzelewski's development. New York Giants Over the next eight seasons, the Giants played for the NFL championship six times, but their only victory came 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. Cleveland Browns 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 commitment. Coaching career 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 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. As 1978 began, new Browns head coach Sam Rutigliano quickly announced he was eliminating the defensive coordinator position, and offered Modzelewski the job of defensive line coach. Seeing