Cincinnati Bengals co-founder Pete Brown dies

Pete Brown, the Cincinnati Bengals' senior vice president of player personnel and co-founder of the team in the mid-1960s along with his brother Mike and father Paul Brown, died Tuesday. He was 74.

"Pete was the quiet one, but his talents spoke volumes," Bengals president Mike Brown said in a statement Wednesday. "Pete was more prone to action than talk, and his contributions to the Bengals were significant. He was a fine scout and judge of prospects, a wonderful business partner, and an even better brother and family member. Everyone who knew Pete cared about him and respected him. I feel his loss deeply."

Pete Brown was a successful football player at Dennison University, after which he helped form the Bengals and then led the club's player personnel department for many decades. Funeral services will be private, according to the team.

The Bengals were the second team founded by Paul Brown. He organized the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference in 1946 and they joined the NFL in 1950.

After Paul Brown was forced out as head coach in Cleveland despite winning three NFL championships, he and his sons were awarded the Cincinnati franchise in the American Football League in 1967 and entered the NFL when the leagues merged in 1970.