 After a 7 – 6 – 1 season in 1962 , Modell fired Brown and offered the head coaching job to Collier . Collier told Modell he first needed the blessing of his wife and of Brown , to whom he still felt a sense of loyalty . He called Brown , who told him he had to take the job because he had a family to support . Collier accepted a three @-@ year contract that would pay him $ 35 @,@ 000 a year ( $ 270 @,@ 527 in 2016 dollars ) . In contrast with Brown , Collier was almost universally liked by players and other coaches . He was soft @-@ spoken , which was unusual for a head coach , but he earned the respect of the team with his extensive knowledge and his willingness to give players more freedom than Brown ever did . One significant difference was his approach to play @-@ calling . Like Brown , Collier served as his own play @-@ caller . However , he let Frank Ryan , who replaced Plum as the team 's starting quarterback in 1963 , change plays at the line of scrimmage and allowed more flexibility in pass routes and blocking schemes . 
