Willie Brown

William Ferdie Brown (December 2, 1940 – October 21, 2019) was an American professional football player, coach, and administrator. He played as a cornerback for the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League (AFL) and later 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.

Early life Brown was born on December 2, 1940, in Yazoo City, Mississippi. He grew up on Mushroom Street, with his parents, six brothers and two sisters. He attended the all black N. D. Taylor High School in the segregated city, known as Yazoo No. 2 (made famous in Yazoo author Willie Morris's My Dog Skip). He played both offense and defense for coach Peter Boston, brother of Olympic track star Ralph Boston. In 1978, the city changed the name Mushroom Street to Willie Brown Street. Brown was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

College career Brown played college football at Grambling College—now Grambling State University, located in Louisiana. He played both offense (split end) and defense (linebacker), under College Football Hall of Fame coach Eddie Robinson (one of over 80 Robinson players to reach the AFL or NFL). Robinson said that Brown would have been a great running back or tight end as well because he was an outstanding blocker.

Brown was senior class president at Grambling in 1963.

One of Brown's Grambling teammates was future Pro Football Hall of Fame player and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time teammate Buck Buchanan, who would go on to play with the Raiders arch-rival Kansas City Chiefs.

Brown became a Raider’s defensive captain. In 1969, he was presented with the Gorman Award as “'the player who best exemplifies the pride and spirit of the Oakland Raiders.'” 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!" 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.

Brown had five interception returns for touchdowns, two in the regular season and three in the playoffs. In addition to the touchdown scored against Tarkenton, he returned an interception against future Hall of Fame Miami quarterback Bob Griese in the 1970 playoffs. All three of Brown's playoff interception touchdown returns were against Hall of Fame quarterbacks. His two regular season interception touchdown returns were against Griese and future Hall of Fame Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson.

Legacy 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 2019, he was named to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, a distinction he shared with Raiders teammates Jim Otto, Art Shell, and Gene Upshaw.

Coaching and post-coaching career Brown served as a defensive backfield coach for the Raiders from 1979 to 1988, during which time the Raiders won two Super Bowls, in 1981 (Super Bowl XV) and 1984 (Super Bowl XVIII). As a defensive backs coach, he played a key part in developing All-Pro and Pro Bowl cornerbacks Lester Hayes (who shares the Raiders interception record with Brown at 39 ) and Mike Haynes. 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. Of becoming a high school coach after a storied career, Brown said, "'The bottom line is these kids need help. ... If I can help on or off the field or in or out of the classroom, then I have made some kind of contribution.'" In 1995, he returned to the Raiders when they moved back to Oakland as the Director of Staff Development. He continued to work for the Raiders in various capacities over the years, culminating in serving as a team ambassador. Even after his coaching days ended, Brown spent time working with Raiders defensive backs like future hall of famers Charles Woodson and Rod Woodson. No. 66 on The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players NFL 1970s All-Decade Team AFL All-Time Team 90th greatest player of all time listed by The Athletic (2021) Pro Football Hall of Fame (1984) Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (1985) In 1972, the NFL honored Brown for his work with its drug abuse campaign. Al Davis owned the Raiders during the time Brown played for the team, and Davis gave the induction speech when Brown entered the Professional Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Over the years, Brown showed great care, kindness, and attention to Davis's wife Carol, and became her best friend.

Brown died on October 21, 2019, at the age of 78. He had been dealing with cancer.