The NFL commissioner and boycotting Browns Hall of Famer were together in Washington, D.C., last night. Goodell made it to Cleveland. Brown did not.
Updated at 12:43 p.m.
CLEVELAND -- While members of the Browns Ring of Honor inductees and their families got together at a special dinner in Cleveland Browns Stadium Saturday night, Jim Brown was in Washington, D.C., attending a meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell joined Brown at the meeting.
On Sunday morning, Goodell took an airplane to Cleveland to attend the Browns' Ring of Honor ceremony. But Brown did not join Goodell in Cleveland.
Goodell said he and Brown spoke about his boycott of the event and his rift with Browns President Mike Holmgren, but he would not share what was said.
Historians will note that in the 1957 draft, it was Paul Brown's wish to find his successor to quarterback Otto Graham. Brown's first choice was Len Dawson of Purdue. But Dawson was taken just ahead of the Browns' pick, by the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 5. Brown then "settled" for Jim Brown at No. 6.
For a long time, Dawson has been an analyst on Chiefs' radio broadcasts. Thus, in an ironic twist, Dawson was present for the Ring of Honor ceremony, and Brown was not.