RIP Dr. Frank Ryan

I was a Browns fan long before I ever got to see a game live and in person. The first Browns game I ever saw was early in the 1968 season. The quarterbacks were Frank Ryan and Roman Gabriel. We lost the game, and Coach Blanton Collier pulled Frank Ryan and started the Bill Nelson era (ending the hugely sucessful Frank Ryan era) the following week. Frank Ryan was an amazing guy, and one of the most under rated quarterbacks in NFL history in the opinion of many. He also had a PhD and taught math at Case Western.

There’s so much about former Browns QB Frank Ryan that people don’t know – Terry Pluto

Frank Ryan, last Browns quarterback to win a title, passes away at age 87 – Terry Pluto

 

I remember him. Rest in Peace, Dr. Ryan.

 

Remember him well, he was a Rice guy, he'd already graduated when I moved to Houston and started following SWC football. Had a great career both as a player and afterwards. RIP

 

I remember seeing him play.

 

I was big fan too. Tho I was fairly young, I remember him well. Those were some great Browns teams

 

It's interesting that back in Frank Ryan's day guys actually had careers going on even while playing as the money wasn't anywhere in the same universe as it is now and Pro Football didn't set them up for a good life if they don't blow all their money. Those guys had jobs in the off season, which wasn't like it is today there was an actual off season. NFL was over before January. Frank Ryan got a PhD, Gary Cuzo got a DDS, as did Billy Cannon, Roger Staubach became a successful real estate/finance mogul, and many more guys like them.