Who is the Cheapest Owner in the NFL?
When fans, analysts, and even fellow owners talk about penny pinching in the NFL, one name comes up more than any other – Mike Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals. Brown‘s notorious frugality when it comes to all aspects of running the Bengals has made him infamous as the league‘s tightest owner. Let‘s examine what makes Brown earn this dubious reputation.
Mike Brown‘s Control Over Spending
As the son of Bengals founder Paul Brown, Mike Brown inherited control of the franchise in 1991. Since then, he has kept an iron fist over the team‘s finances. The Bengals have ranked bottom five in cash payroll spending for two decades running. Their assistant coaching ranks and total coaches‘ salaries consistently sit far below league averages. Basic resources for personnel evaluation and drafting are lacking compared to other NFL clubs.
This isn‘t for lack of funds. The notoriously private Brown‘s net worth is estimated between $925 million and $1.3 billion. Yet the Bengals‘ 2019 revenues of $371 million and $48 million operating profit ranked 28th in the NFL. Brown simply seems disinterested in funneling resources into the team, despite the Bengals fielding talented rosters.
How Brown‘s Spending Compares in the NFL
The numbers paint a clear picture of Brown‘s miserly approach compared to his free-spending peers:
| Team | 2021 Cash Payroll | Coaches Salaries | Scouting Dept. Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | $282 million | $33 million | 27 scouts |
| New England Patriots | $241 million | $20 million | 24 scouts |
| Cincinnati Bengals | $171 million | $6.5 million | 11 scouts |
The Bengals home stadium, Paul Brown Stadium, opened in 2000 but has received just $17 million in upgrades since, much less than other venues. Their 40,000 square foot practice facility is dwarfed by most teams‘ 200,000+ square foot complexes.
Factors Influencing Brown‘s Cheap Approach
Several dynamics shape Brown‘s attitude toward spending:
- Profits Over Wins – Brown cares more about the Bengals‘ bottom line than fielding the best possible team. The Bengals made $174 million in operating income over the past decade compared to $93 million for the champion Patriots.
- Small Market Mindset – Cincinnati is the NFL‘s 28th largest market. Brown believes spending like high-revenue teams would be irresponsible, though critics argue he has the means.
- Salary Cap Limits – The cap theoretically creates a level playing field. But owners with more cap space like Brown can still be thrifty in order to pocket unused money as profits.
- Fan Criticism – Bengals fans have organized billboard campaigns calling out Brown as "the cheapest owner in the NFL." But their loyalty means empty seats rarely pressure him to change.
Where the Bengals‘ Future is Heading
Recent on-field success has quieted fan criticism for now. But Brown, 86, won‘t be around forever. His daughter Katie Blackburn is inline to take over the franchise one day. Some hold out hope Blackburn could usher in a new era of spending when that time comes.
Mike Brown seems unlikely to change his conservative ways before then. Right or wrong, being the so-called cheapest owner in the NFL is simply part of of his identity. Expect the Bengals to keep pinching pennies even as revenues soar across the ever-richer NFL.