Hall of Fame
Position: Guard
Years: 1958-1960
Place of Birth: Albert Lea, MN
Date of Birth: Dec 5, 1936
Date of Death: Mar 12, 2026
Jersey Number: 69
Height: 5-11
Weight: 225
High School: Minneapolis, MN (Central HS)
Brown's 1960 season was one of the most remarkable seasons in college football history, landing him unanimous First Team All-America honors at guard. As a member of the Golden Gophers, he was part of a team that went from last place in the Big Ten the previous year to winning the national championship and gaining a trip to the Rose Bowl.
Individually, he finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, the highest-ever placement for an interior lineman. While playing defense, he was an immovable object who became known as the "Rock of Gibraltar."
On offense, his coach, Murray Warmath, compared him to a "rolling boulder" in opening holes for Gopher ball carriers. He was best in big games, such as when Minnesota beat top-ranked Iowa. On defense, he stopped a Hawkeye drive deep in Minnesota territory with a five-yard tackle for loss. When the Gophers took possession, it was Brown who Minnesota ran behind in the 27-10 victory that put Minnesota on top of the polls.
In addition to his Heisman near-miss, he won the Outland Trophy as the nation's best lineman in 1960. A two All-Big Ten pick (First Team in 1960 and Second Team in 1959), he was the Big Ten Conference Most Valuable Player and the UPI Lineman of the Year in 1960.
After his collegiate career, he played professionally in the Canadian Football League with the BC Lions from 1961-67. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1984.
Born Dec. 5, 1936, he got his start playing football at Central High School in Minneapolis.
Brown passed away March 12th, 2026. He was 89.
