Robert Stanford Brown (December 8, 1941 – June 16, 2023), nicknamed "the Boomer", was an American professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

offensive tackle Offensive may refer to: * Offensive (military), type of military operation * Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative * Fighting words, spoken words which would have a tendency to cause acts of violence by the ...

who played in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL) from 1964 through 1973. He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

for the

Nebraska Cornhuskers The Nebraska Cornhuskers (often abbreviated to Huskers) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding t ...

, earning

unanimous All-American The College Football All-America Team is an honorific college football all-star team compiled after each NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) season to recognize that season's most outstanding performers at their respective positions. ...

honors. Brown was selected by the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...

as the second overall pick in the

1964 NFL draft The 1964 NFL draft was held in Chicago, Illinois, at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers on Monday, December 2, 1963. The first overall pick was Dave Parks, an end from Texas Tech, selected by the San Francisco 49ers. The AFL draft was two days e ...

. A six-time

Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players. The format has changed ...

selection, he played for the Eagles from 1964 to 1968, the

Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...

from 1969 to 1970, and the

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...

from 1971 to 1973. Brown was inducted into the

College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...

in 1993 and the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...

in 2004.

Early life and college

Brown was born on December 8, 1941, in

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

, Ohio, where he later attended

East Technical High School East Technical High School or East Tech is a secondary school under the operation of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District in Cleveland, Ohio. History The school, when it opened on October 5, 1908, was the first public trade school in the ...

. He was on the football and track teams for three years. Brown was an overweight 280 pounds (127 kg) when he entered high school, and his older brother Ulysses got Brown into shape, enabling him to play football. Brown attended the

University of Nebraska A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

, along with Ulysses, and both were teammates on the football team. Brown was a

backup In information technology, a backup, or data backup is a copy of computer data taken and stored elsewhere so that it may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. The verb form, referring to the process of doing so, is "wikt:back ...

as an

offensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line ( ...

and

outside linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the lin ...

in Bill Jennings' final season as the Cornhuskers' coach in

1961 Events January * January 1 – Monetary reform in the Soviet Union, 1961, Monetary reform in the Soviet Union. * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and cons ...

. Brown became a starter in

1962 The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War. Events January * January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...

under coach

Bob Devaney Robert Simon Devaney (April 13, 1915 – May 9, 1997) was a college football coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Wyoming from 1957 to 1961 and at the University of Nebraska from 1962 to 1972, compiling a career record of . ...

. Brown preserved a 36–34 win in the 1962 Gotham Bowl, the program's first

bowl A bowl is a typically round dish or container generally used for preparing, serving, storing, or consuming food. The interior of a bowl is characteristically shaped like a spherical cap, with the edges and the bottom, forming a seamless curve ...

win, with an

interception In Ball game, ball-playing Competitive sport, competitive team sports, an interception or pick is a move by a player involving a pass of the ball—whether by foot or hand, depending on the rules of the sport—in which the ball is intended for ...

in the final minute. As a

senior Senior (shortened as Sr.) means "the elder" in Latin and is often used as a suffix for the elder of two or more people in the same family with the same given name, usually a parent or grandparent. It may also refer to: * Senior (name), a surname ...

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cove ...

, he was a

selection at

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison gu ...

, helping

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

win their first conference championship since

1940 A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280. Events Below, events related to World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January *Janu ...

. He also helped Nebraska beat Auburn 13–7 in the 1964 Orange Bowl (played on January 1, 1964), throwing a key block that allowed teammate Dennis Claridge to run 68 yards for a touchdown. The Cornhuskers' first Black All-American, Brown was voted the offensive lineman of the year by the

Washington D.C. Touchdown Club The DC Touchdown Club, earlier known as The Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C., was started in 1935 with a passion for charity and sports. In the ensuing years the Club has benefited many local charities as well as providing scholarships to deservi ...

. He also earned his second consecutive all-conference selection in the Big Eight.

Professional career

Brown was selected in the first round of the

by the

with the second overall pick. The contract he signed with the team had a $100,000 signing bonus. After his rookie season in

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...

, Brown was named to the NFL All-Rookie team and earned second-team

All-Pro All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list t ...

honors. He was named to the

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lynd ...

and

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

during his five-season career with the Eagles. After playing 50 consecutive games from his rookie year into the 1967 season, Brown suffered a knee injury, but came back and regained his form in 1968, though the Eagles were a poor 2–12 team. During his time with the Eagles, he had been called the top offensive lineman in the NFL, Eagles' coach

Joe Kuharich Joseph Lawrence Kuharich (April 14, 1917 – January 25, 1981) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of San Francisco from 1948 to 1951, and at Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, Notr ...

calling him equal to or superior to future Hall of fame tackles

Forrest Gregg Alvis Forrest Gregg (October 18, 1933 – April 12, 2019) was an American professional football player and coach. A Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle for 16 seasons in the National Football League (NFL), he was a part of six NFL champ ...

and Jim Parker; but in 1969 he demanded that Eagles general manager

Pete Retzlaff Palmer Edward "Pete" Retzlaff (August 21, 1931 – April 10, 2020), nicknamed "Pistol Pete" and "the Baron", was an American football player and executive for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played as a flanke ...

trade him. After asking for a trade from the Eagles, Brown was sent to the

in a five-player exchange on May 12, 1969. The Eagles traded Brown, along with cornerback Jim Nettles, to the Rams in exchange for offensive tackle

Joe Carollo Joseph Xavier Carollo (born March 12, 1955) is a Cuban-American politician who served as mayor of Miami from 1996 to 1997 and again from 1998 to 2001. Following his loss in the 2001 mayoral election, he served as Doral, Florida city manager fr ...

, guard Don Chuy, and defensive back Irv Cross. Ram's future Hall of fame head coach George Allen called Brown "the finest offensive lineman in pro football". In a ''SPORT'' magazine poll of over 1,000 players before the 1970 season, Brown was selected as the National Football Conference's top offensive lineman. Brown played two All Pro and Pro Bowl seasons for the Rams in 1969-70. Brown was traded by the Rams to the

, along with two draft picks, in exchange for offensive tackle Harry Schuh and cornerback Kent McCloughan on June 23, 1971. Raiders' future Hall of fame coach

John Madden John Earl Madden (April 10, 1936 – December 28, 2021) was an American professional football coach and sports commentator in the National Football League (NFL). He served as the head coach of the Oakland Raiders from 1969 to 1978, leading them ...

called Brown "probably the best tackle in football". He played three seasons for the Raiders, teaming on the offensive line with fellow future Pro Football Hall of famers

Art Shell Arthur Lee Shell Jr. (born November 26, 1946) is an American former professional football player and coach. He played as an offensive tackle in the American Football League (AFL) and later in the National Football League (NFL) for the Oakland / ...

Gene Upshaw Eugene Thurman Upshaw Jr. (August 15, 1945 – August 20, 2008) was an American professional American football, football guard (gridiron football), guard who played for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) and later the Nati ...

, and

Jim Otto James Edwin Otto (January 5, 1938 – May 19, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a center for 15 seasons with the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played coll ...

. During the 1971 season, another eventual Hall of famer, Ron Mix played his final pro season as Brown's backup at right tackle. Hall of Fame Kansas City Chief middle linebacker

Willie Lanier Willie Edward Lanier (born August 21, 1945), is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) from 1967 through 1977. He ...

had particular respect for Brown, among all the great offensive lineman that played for the Oakland Raiders. He also had a reputation as the meanest lineman. Brown said his game was predicated on inflicting more pain on the defensive lineman than would be inflicted on him. "'The guy who wins is the one who inflicts more pain. I try to drive out his intestinal fortitude. Then he's mine.'" When the head slap was still a legal maneuver for defensive lineman to use against offensive lineman, Brown would reverse the screws in his helmet, with the pointed ends facing out, and sharpen them. He was known for the exceptional force with which he delivered the "ripup" move, where an offensive lineman would drive his fists into the oncoming pass rushing defender's chest, with Brown sometimes lifting the defensive ends off their feet. Brown was named a first-team All-Pro during five of his ten NFL seasons. Named the NFL/NFC offensive lineman of the year three times, Brown was also selected to the Pro Bowl six times: thrice with the Eagles, twice with the Rams, and once with the Raiders.

Awards and honors

In 1993, Brown was inducted into the

. A member of the

NFL 1960s All-Decade Team This is a list of National Football League (NFL) players who had outstanding performances throughout the 1960s and have been compiled together into this fantasy group. The team was selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame at the end of t ...

, he was inducted into the

in 2004. Brown's No. 64 was

retired Retirement is the withdrawal from one's position or occupation or from one's active working life. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours or workload. Many people choose to retire when they are elderly or incapable of doing their j ...

by the University of Nebraska in 2004.

Personal life and death

Brown was married to Cecelia and had a son, Robert Jr. His son was his presenter at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Brown had a stroke in April 2023. Afterwards, he lived in a rehabilitation center in

Oakland, California Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, California, Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major We ...

, where he died on June 16, 2023, at the age of 81.

References

External links

* *
Bob Brown
a
Professional Football Researchers Association
Coffin Corner Vol. 26(3) (2004) {{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Bob 1941 births 2023 deaths American football offensive guards American football offensive tackles Los Angeles Rams players Nebraska Cornhuskers football players Oakland Raiders players Philadelphia Eagles players All-American college football players American Conference Pro Bowl players College Football Hall of Fame inductees Eastern Conference Pro Bowl players National Conference Pro Bowl players Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees Western Conference Pro Bowl players Players of American football from Cleveland 21st-century African-American sportsmen 21st-century American sportsmen 20th-century African-American sportsmen 20th-century American sportsmen Second overall NFL draft picks