Willie Brown (American football)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (October 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Willie Brown

Brown in 2007
No. 24
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Born:	(1940-12-02)December 2, 1940 Yazoo City, Mississippi
Died:	October 21, 2019(2019-10-21) (aged 78) Tracy, California
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school:	Taylor (Yazoo City, Mississippi)
College:	Grambling State
Undrafted:	1963
Career history
As a player:
Houston Oilers (1963)* Denver Broncos (1963–1966) Oakland Raiders (1967–1978)
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
As a coach:
Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders (1979–1988) Defensive backs coach Long Beach State (1991) Head coach Jordan HS (1994) Head coach
As an administrator:
Oakland Raiders (1995–2019) Director of staff development
Career highlights and awards
3× Super Bowl champion (XI, XV, XVIII) 4× Pro Bowl (1970–1973) 2× First-team All-Pro (1971, 1973) 2× Second-team All-Pro (1970, 1972) AFL champion (1967) 5× AFL All-Star (1964, 1965, 1967–1969) 3× First-team All-AFL (1964, 1968, 1969) 3× Second-team All-AFL (1965, 1966, 1967) AFL All-Time Team NFL 1970s All-Decade Team NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions: 54 Interception yards: 472 Touchdowns: 2
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

William Ferdie Brown (December 2, 1940 – October 21, 2019)^[1] was an American professional football player, coach, and executive. He played as a cornerback for the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League (NFL). Following his playing career, Brown remained with the Raiders as an assistant coach. He served as the head football coach at California State University, Long Beach in 1991, the final season before the school's football program was terminated. Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1984. At the time of his death he was on the Raiders' administrative staff.

Playing career[]

Brown played college football at Grambling State University and was not drafted by any professional team after leaving school in 1963. He was signed by the Houston Oilers of the American Football League (AFL), but was cut from the team during training camp. He was then signed by the AFL's Denver Broncos and became a starter by the middle of his rookie season. He won All-AFL honors in his second season and played in the AFL All-Star Game.

In 1967, Brown was traded within the Western Division to the Oakland Raiders and spent the remainder of his playing career there. He served as defensive captain for 10 of his 12 years with the team. He was named to five AFL All-Star games and four NFL Pro Bowls. He was also named All-AFL three times and All-NFL four times.

Perhaps Brown's most memorable moment as a Raider came late in Super Bowl XI, when he intercepted a Fran Tarkenton pass with under six minutes remaining and returned it a Super Bowl-record 75 yards for the clinching touchdown.^[2][3] NFL Films immortalized Brown's play with a film clip of Brown running with the ball, appearing to be running straight to the camera. He was also given a popular nickname as a result of Bill King's radio call of the play: "He (Tarkenton) looks and throws...intercepted by the Oakland Raiders Willie Brown at the 30, 40, 50...he’s going all the way!...Old Man Willie!...Touchdown Raiders!"^[4] His record stood for 29 years, until it was broken by Kelly Herndon's non-scoring 76-yard interception return from the end zone in Super Bowl XL.^[5]

Brown retired after the 1978 season, and finished his Raiders career with 39 interceptions, tied for first all-time on the team. He finished his sixteen seasons in professional football with 54 interceptions, which he returned for 472 yards and two touchdowns. He also recovered three fumbles.

Brown was selected to the American Football League All-Time Team and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 28, 1984, his first year of eligibility. In 1999, he was ranked number 50 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest-ranking Raiders player.

Coaching career[]

Brown served as a defensive backfield coach for the Raiders from 1979 to 1988. He was also the last head football coach at Long Beach State before the program was discontinued. Brown had succeeded George Allen, who had died just after the end of the 1990 season. He earned a master's degree at the same school in 1991, and later coached at Jordan High School in Los Angeles in 1994. In 1995, he returned to the Raiders as the Director of Staff Development.

Awards[]

• All-AFL Team (1964)
• Five AFL All-Star Games (1964–65, 1967–69)
• Named to the All-Time AFL Team in 1969
• Four AFC-NFC Pro Bowls (1970–73)
• Named to the Pro Football 25-year All-Star team
• Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984
• Inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1985
• Inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1994

Records[]

• Previously held Super Bowl record for longest interception (75 yards, Super Bowl XI), now held by Pittsburgh Steelers Linebacker James Harrison (100 yards, Super Bowl XLIII)
• Oakland Raiders franchise leader for interceptions (39, t-1st)

Death[]

Brown died on October 21, 2019, at the age of 78.^[1]

Head coaching record[]

See also[]

• List of American Football League players

References[]

External links[]

• Willie Brown at the Pro Football Hall of Fame
• Willie Brown at Find a Grave