Mike Brown still holds the title of Bengals President and Owner, but he "admits the title is just that and little else these days," according to a profile by Paul Dehner Jr. of the CINCINNATI ENQUIRER. The "vast majority of day-to-day operations aren’t on his radar anymore." They fall to his daughter, Exec VP Katie Blackburn, her husband, VP Troy Blackburn, and Mike Brown's son Paul, who is VP/Player Personnel. Mike’s brother Pete is still Exec VP/Player Personnel. Outside of NFL circles, "not much is known" about Katie Blackburn. She "works quietly and purposely avoids the public eye." Dehner Jr. noted in the "growing business mogul paradise that is the NFL, the old football family model draws closer and closer to extinction." Mike Brown said, "It’s been a tsunami." As in every era of challenges for the Brown family, they "approach these new-age problems the same way as the old ones." They practice "loyalty to each other and those welcomed into their circle." Katie Blackburn: "We’ve treated the football team like it’s a person. You want to make sure it’s healthy and strong." There are "more or less eight old-school football families left in the league." They include the Cardinals (Bidwills), Bears (McCaskeys), Bengals (Browns), Lions (Fords), Chiefs (Hunts), Giants (Maras), Raiders (Davis') and Steelers (Rooneys). Football families who "fell by the wayside" of late include the Bills (Wilsons), Ravens (Modells), and Falcons (Smiths). It is "hard not to see the difference at the annual owners’ meetings when the Bengals settle into the same spot they have for half a century in the front, left corner of the room." With their "differing opinion defending small markets and core values of the game, other owners would always know where the Browns were" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 8/1).
