"Some legacies shape more than just history," said Miami University President Gregory Crawford as he began an exclusive interview with Bengals President Mike Brown on the In Such a Place podcast.
During this special Bengals episode, the podcast brought President Crawford and Brown together at Paycor Stadium, where they discussed the importance of leadership and legacy, enduring institutional values, Miami's historic football heritage as the Cradle of Coaches, the innovations needed to sustain organizational excellence, and the shared responsibility of sports teams and universities to support meaningful community impact.
Brown also shared many stories about his father, Paul Brown — the iconic football innovator, founder of the Bengals franchise, and proud Miami alumnus — whose legacy is deeply entwined with the university.
"My father was a university man through and through," Brown said. "He loved Miami. From the very start. He later was a trustee in old age, and he just had a love for Miami that was part of him from the time he was a young man to the day he died."
Earlier this year, Miami became the Cincinnati Bengals' official education partner. It's a partnership that gives the next generation of students unparalleled access to internships, gameday roles, industry mentorship, and real-world projects that connect academic experiences to the regular daily operations of a premier NFL franchise.
It also further extends the relationship between Miami University and the Cincinnati Bengals, which is nearly 100 years in the making, and it's rooted in common values, leadership traditions, and a belief in the power of both sport and education to make a meaningful impact on the entire community.
To hear more about how this shared legacy has grown and continues to evolve, listen to the full conversation between President Gregory Crawford and Mike Brown on the In Such a Place podcast.
