Former Penn State, NFL running back and longtime football coach Gary Brown dies at 52
Former Penn State running back and longtime football coach Gary Brown passed away on Sunday night, according to both Clarence Hill Jr., of the Fort-Worth Star Ledger and the Associated Press. He was 52.
Both outlets reported that Brown died in his hometown of Williamsport. The AP said that he had been in hospice care for several weeks. The Star Ledger, then, wrote that the former two-way Penn State standout “was hospitalized in last December due to septic shock and ultimately succumbed to liver and kidney failure.”
Brown is survived by his wife, Kim, daughters, Malena and Dorianna, and son, Tre, per the Star Ledger.
Tracing Gary Brown’s Penn State history, lengthy coaching career
Brown came to Penn State in 1987 and then led the Lions in rushing in 1988 with Blair Thomas sidelined that season due to an ACL injury. Once he returned, however, Brown was moved to safety. He had never played the position but would thrive at it anyway. He stripped BYU quarterback Ty Detmer in the 1989 Holiday Bowl and raced for a score that put the game away for Penn State, which won 50-39.
Playing offense again as a senior, Brown finished with 452 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. With his time at Penn State complete, he would go on to become an eighth-round pick of the Houston Oilers. From there, Brown embarked on an NFL journey that lasted eight seasons with three teams. He rushed 1,032 times for 4,300 yards and 21 touchdowns over the course of his time in the pros.
After taking some time off with his playing days over, Brown started a nearly two-decades-long coaching career as the running backs coach at Lycoming in 2003. He’d then lead the Susquehanna offense from 2006-2007 before getting his first shot at a larger school with Rutgers in 2008. Brown would then jump to the NFL in 2009 with Cleveland, where he spent four years and also beat his first bout with cancer before heading to Dallas, where he coached from 2013-2019.
Per ESPN, doctors found a “malignant tumor near Brown’s pancreas” shortly after the Cowboys decided not to retain him. Brown sat out the 2020 season before returning to the sidelines at Wisconsin in 2021.
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What they’re saying about Gary Brown
Unsurprisingly, many ex-players, teammates, and coaches took to social media Sunday night to offer their condolences and thoughts on Brown.
“Name a man literally EVERYONE liked…that’s Gary Brown. You played with the same smile and positive energy you walked around with and I will never forget that about you. RIP teammate.”
—Former Penn State defender Tyoka Jackson.
“Gary Brown had a big heart partnered with a big smile and a big personality. His energy and spirit were infectious. He lit up every room he walked into and touched the lives of those who knew him in such a positive way. Everyone who knew him, loved him. He meant so much to the players he coached and the coaches he coached with. His love for family, football and life was evident each day. He continued to fight, and he never gave up. My family and the Dallas Cowboys family are heartbroken, and our love and support are with his wife, Kim, his daughters, Malena and Dorianna, and his son, Tre.”
—Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
“Great Father, Husband, Coach, and Mentor. Appreciate you and your family more than anything GB… Thank you for teaching me the way on the field and in life. Appreciate you Gary Brown.”
—DeMarco Murray, who won an NFL rushing title under Brown with the Dallas Cowboys.
“RIP to Penn State and New York Giants legend Gary Brown. You will be missed.”
—Former Penn State football star and current Board of Trustees member Brandon Short.
