Browns longtime Director of Equipment Operations Brad Melland retires

38 year run comes to a close

What were you doing in 1986?

That year, Hailey’s Comet came into perihelion for the first time since 1910. Chernobyl became the worst nuclear disaster in human history. The space shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds into flight. Pixar was founded. The Soviet Union launched the space station. First televised government debates debut. Microsoft holds its initial public offering of stock shares. “Hands Across America” formed a human chain of 5 million. The Picasso painting “Weeping Woman” was stolen and then found in a train station locker. The “Amazing Mets” defeated the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.

The Iran-Contra Affair was uncovered. Lady Gaga was born. The band “Green Day” was formed. The first “Martin Luther King, Jr. Day” was observed. Cary Grant, Desi Arnez, Benny Goodman, and James Cagney passed away. The book “It” by Stephen King was published. The network FOX debuts.

Gas was $.93 a gallon. Eggs: $.87. A new car was $9,281. “Platoon” won best picture. The Number 1 grossing film was “Top Gun.” The TV shows “ALF”, “The Love Boat”, and “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” aired their first episodes. “Donkey Kong” and “Asteroids” were the top video games. The inflation rate soared to a 40-year high of 7.5%.

And Brad Melland got a job dealing with football equipment.

Now after 26 years in the NFL, he has announced his retirement as Director of Equipment Operations of the Cleveland Browns.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Melland was with Cleveland for the past 19 years. He was also employed by the Seattle Seahawks for seven seasons. He has also worked for teams in the Arena League, the Canadian Football League, the World League of American Football/NFL Europe, and the University of North Dakota.

He was known as a problem-solver and performed whatever the needs of each player mandated. Melland is also known as a joke and storyteller and has a love for what he is doing.

As explained to Cleveland.com, Melland stated:

“We take care of players, make sure they are safe, and keep them looking their best.”

The job was much more than solving a chin strap problem or how to grind down rubber cleats for an artificial surface. Transporting the entire franchise’s equipment from Berea to whichever stadium they were playing this week fell under his title.

Huge rolling lockers had to be loaded, transported, and then unloaded for half the schedule. Inside the lockers was everything each player needed to suit up for the game, plus meet the coaches’ needs.

How many people does this take to accomplish this?

On the first floor of the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus of the Cleveland Browns, their training facility in Berea, Ohio, is where the spacious equipment room resides on the first floor just down from Melland’s office.

Editor’s note: Melland comes on at the 36:00 minute mark

Details are important in Melland’s world. Shoelaces have to be clean and bright, shoulder pads have to be inspected and repaired as needed, laundry, managing his department’s budget, and all aspects of the equipment department including the hiring of all personnel. He also has to facilitate the coordination of all aspects of travel for every employee under his title and follow all of the guidelines defined in the NFL Operations Guide.

Melland explained to clevelandbrowns.com:

“Could we have an effect on the game? Yeah. I don’t like to look at it that way but that’s when all of our knowledge and what we do becomes very important.”

The NFL is shield-conscious so every piece of equipment has to appear pristine instead of each week looking like players have come out of a war zone. Those days are gone which explains why the league has a uniform cop on each sideline each game.

Melland’s career began in college when he was seeking out a paid job. His little brother played for the University of North Dakota. Melland took a part-time job in the equipment department.

From there, he worked for teams in three pro football leagues and along the way met his future wife Tanya.

One of the most important aspects of his job are the uniforms. Every detail is discussed. As an example, the stripes on the sleeve. These can either be screen-printed or sew on a knit fabric by their seamstress Becky Zielinski.

During Melland’s time with the Browns, he worked for two owners, eight head coaches, and eight GMs.