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Tim Brown (American football)

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Tim Brown
No. 81
Position:Wide receiver
Career information
College:Notre Dame
NFL draft:1988 / round: 1 / pick: 6
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Stats at Pro Football Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Timothy Donell Brown (born July 22, 1966) is a retired American football wide receiver, who played college football for Notre Dame, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and in the National Football League. He spent sixteen years with the Oakland Raiders, during which he established himself as one of the League's most prolific wide receivers. His fame and success with the Raider's organization earned him the title, Mr. Raider.

College career

Before his college career, Brown played for Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, Texas, the same school as 1938 Heisman Trophy winner Davey O'Brien. Despite his contributions, the team fared poorly, with a 4-25-1 record over his three years as a starter. Nevertheless, Brown was heavily recruited by major colleges. His five official visits were to Notre Dame, Nebraska, Oklahoma, nearby SMU and Iowa[1].

Brown chose Notre Dame and played there from 1984-1987, earning the nickname "Touchdown Timmy." In his first year, he set a freshman record with 28 receptions. As a junior, he set a record with 1,937 all-purpose yards. He made the College Football All-America Team twice and won the Heisman Trophy in 1987, becoming the first wide receiver ever to win the award. His alma mater, Woodrow Wilson High School, became the first high school in history to produce more than one Heisman winner; as of 2007, Woodrow is still the only public high school with two winners, though private school Mater Dei has matched the record. During that year, he caught 34 passes for 846 yards, returned 34 punts for 401 yards, rushed for 144 yards, and gained 456 yards on 23 kickoff returns. He also scored eight touchdowns. Brown finished his career at Notre Dame with 137 receptions, a school record 5,024 all-purpose yards, and 22 touchdowns.

However, just as in high school, Brown's team achieved limited success, with a 25-21 record over his four seasons, and an 0-2 record in bowl games. Ironically, in the year after Brown graduated (1988), Notre Dame won the national title.

NFL career

Brown was selected by the Los Angeles Raiders with the 6th pick of the 1988 NFL Draft. In his first NFL season, he led the league in kickoff returns, return yards, and yards per return average. He also led the NFL in punt returns in 1994, and receptions in 1997. He was voted to the Pro Bowl nine times, in 1988 and 1991 as a kick returner, and in 1993-97, 1999 and 2001 as a receiver. In 2001, Brown would later play alongside another well-known wide receiver, Jerry Rice. In 2002 he passed Gene Upshaw to become the Raiders' all-time leader in games played with 224. He also set Raiders franchise records for receptions, receiving yards, and punt return yards.

Brown was released by the Raiders before the 2004 season, as he did not want to accept a smaller role in the offense. He was signed shortly thereafter by the Buccaneers (coached by former Raider head coach Jon Gruden). The move was mildly controversial. Brown had always been a fan favorite in the Oakland area and was much admired by many current and former Raiders players and staff over the 15 years he spent with the Raider organization. However, Brown's declining performance in recent years may have contributed to the decision to release him. He was the last of the Los Angeles Raiders to remain with Oakland.

On September 27, 2004, in his first game at Oakland since being signed by Tampa Bay, Brown reached 100 career receiving touchdowns, tying him (with Steve Largent) for 3rd on the NFL's all-time career receiving touchdown list (behind former teammate Jerry Rice [204] and Cris Carter [130]).

In 2005, Brown signed a one-day contract with the Raiders to retire with the team he had played 16 seasons for. The July 18 news conference was attended by two Raiders' officials, and only one active Raider, wide receiver Jerry Porter. Brown retired with 14,934 receiving yards, the second-highest total in NFL history, 1,094 receptions (3rd), and 100 touchdown catches (3rd-Tied). Brown also gained 190 rushing yards, 3,320 punt-return yards, 3 fumble-return yards, and 1,235 yards returning kickoffs. This gave him a total of 19,682 combined net yards, ranking him #5 among the NFL's all-time leaders in that category at the time of his retirement. He also scored 105 total touchdowns (100 receiving, 1 rushing, 3 punt returns, 1 kickoff return).

NASCAR

Brown is currently starting a NASCAR racing team as part of their Drive for Diversity program. He is recruiting African American sponsors to fund the venture, and has worked out a technical alliance with Roush Fenway Racing, who will provide support to the upstart team. Brown hopes to eventually find a black, Hispanic, or woman driver to be the star of his team in order to bring an element of diversity to what is a white-dominated sport. He now lives in DeSoto, Texas.

Career records

  • First wide receiver to win a Heisman Trophy
  • Holds the NFL rookie-season record for most combined yards gained, with 2,317 yards (1988).
  • Holds the NFL record for 10 consecutive seasons with at least 75 receptions.
  • Holds the following team records with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders:
    • Touchdowns scored (104 total, 99 receiving)
    • Receiving (14,734 yards, 1,070 receptions, 13.7 yard average)
    • Punt return (3,272 punt-return yards, 320 punt returns, 10.2-yard average)
    • All-purpse yards (19,431)
    • Yards from scrimmage (14,924)

Facts

Notes and references

  1. ^ BlueandGold.com // No. 4: Tim Brown
Preceded by Heisman Trophy Winner
1987 		Succeeded by
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