Cornell Brown

Cornell Desmond Brown (born March 15, 1975) is an American football coach and former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He is currently the defensive tackles coach for Eastern Michigan, a position he has held since 2025. He played college football for Virginia Tech, and earned All-American honors twice. Drafted late in the sixth round of the 1997 NFL draft, he played professionally for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens. In 2013, Brown was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame (the state-wide organization that honors sports figures from the state, or who contributed to sports programs in the state).

Early life Born in Englewood, New Jersey, Brown attended E.C. Glass in Lynchburg, Virginia. He played high school football for the E.C. Glass Hilltoppers, and led them to the state championship game in his senior year in 1992, losing to the Bethel High School team.

College career Brown attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he played for coach Frank Beamer's Virginia Tech Hokies football team from 1993 to 1996. He earned first-team All-American honors as a defensive end in 1995, and was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American in 1996. He was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

Professional career

The Baltimore Ravens selected Brown in the sixth round (194th pick overall) of the 1997 NFL draft. He played for the Ravens from to . With the Ravens, he had success as a backup outside linebacker. He earned a Super Bowl ring when Baltimore defeated the New York Giants 34–7 in Super Bowl XXXV. Brown was hit with a drug charge in 2001 however, and was cut, although the charge was eventually dropped. After going back to Virginia Tech for a year, Brown was picked up by the Oakland Raiders. Cut again, he was re-signed by the Ravens, and played the remainder of his career for them from to . In his seven NFL seasons, he played in 108 regular season games, started twenty-five of them, and compiled 147 tackles, seven quarterback sacks and three forced fumbles.

Brown was hired by Norfolk State to be the defensive coordinator in 2016.

Brown was hired by Marshall to be the defensive ends coach in 2017.

Brown was hired by Tarleton State to be the defensive line coach in June 2021.

In February 2022, Brown was hired by the Calgary Stampeders as their defensive line coach.

In March 2024, Brown was hired by Bowling Green as their defensive line coach.

In April 2025, Brown was hired by Eastern Michigan as their defensive tackles coach.

Football family Brown's brother is Ruben Brown, who was a Pro Bowl offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears.