Professional Football Coach. Collier served as the head coach of the National Football League's Cleveland Browns from 1963 to 1970, coaching them to four appearances in the NFL championship game and winning one in 1964. After graduating from Georgetown College, he returned to his old high school (Paris High School in Paris, Kentucky) to teach and coach sports for sixteen years. Collier served in the United States Navy during World War II and after the war joined Paul Brown, who he had met at a naval base outside of Chicago, as an assistant with the Cleveland Browns of the then All American Football Conference. He stayed with the Browns until 1954 when he became the head coach of the University of Kentucky. Collier was fired in 1961 after eight seasons with Kentucky and rejoined the Browns as an assistant. In 1963 he replaced his old friend Paul Brown as head coach of the Browns after Brown was fired by owner Art Modell. Collier's tenure as head coach saw the Browns win the 1964 NFL Championship (the most recent championship for any Cleveland-based sports team) and three more appearances in the title game (1965, 1968, and 1969). He was well-liked and respected by his players and had a lot of success as head coach. By the end of his tenure in 1970, Collier was experiencing hearing problems which affected his coaching and it led to his retirement. He continued as a scout and assistant with the Browns until 1976 and retired to his home in Texas. Collier was later inducted into the Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame.
Professional Football Coach. Collier served as the head coach of the National Football League's Cleveland Browns from 1963 to 1970, coaching them to four appearances in the NFL championship game and winning one in 1964. After graduating from Georgetown College, he returned to his old high school (Paris High School in Paris, Kentucky) to teach and coach sports for sixteen years. Collier served in the United States Navy during World War II and after the war joined Paul Brown, who he had met at a naval base outside of Chicago, as an assistant with the Cleveland Browns of the then All American Football Conference. He stayed with the Browns until 1954 when he became the head coach of the University of Kentucky. Collier was fired in 1961 after eight seasons with Kentucky and rejoined the Browns as an assistant. In 1963 he replaced his old friend Paul Brown as head coach of the Browns after Brown was fired by owner Art Modell. Collier's tenure as head coach saw the Browns win the 1964 NFL Championship (the most recent championship for any Cleveland-based sports team) and three more appearances in the title game (1965, 1968, and 1969). He was well-liked and respected by his players and had a lot of success as head coach. By the end of his tenure in 1970, Collier was experiencing hearing problems which affected his coaching and it led to his retirement. He continued as a scout and assistant with the Browns until 1976 and retired to his home in Texas. Collier was later inducted into the Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
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