Larry Brown (cornerback)

Larry Brown
No. 24, 34
Position: Cornerback
Personal information
Date of birth: (1969-11-30) November 30, 1969
Place of birth: Miami, Florida
Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight: 184 lb (83 kg)
Career information
High school: Los Angeles (CA)
College: Texas Christian
NFL Draft: 1991 / Round: 12 / Pick: 320
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Tackles: 317
Interceptions: 14
Interception yards: 210
Touchdowns: 2
Player stats at NFL.com

Larry Brown, Jr. (born November 30, 1969) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and the Oakland Raiders. He is mostly known for being named the MVP of Super Bowl XXX. Brown was a starting cornerback on all three Dallas Cowboys championship teams of the nineties. He attended Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas.

Early years

He was a two-sport athlete at Los Angeles High School, earning All-City honors in football and track.

After not receiving any scholarship offers, he began his collegiate career at Los Angeles Southwest College as a running back. He was moved to cornerback during his sophomore season, at the end of which he transferred to Texas Christian University.

At TCU he was a starter from his first game, leading the team in pass deflections during his senior season.

In 1990 he was invited to the Blue–Gray Football Classic where he earned MVP honors.[1]

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys (first stint)

Brown was drafted in the 12th round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. Although there wasn't many expectations for him at the start of preseason, he surprised the coaches with his play, even though he quit training camp for a few days because of personal reasons and also had a brief hospitalization that was thought to be appendicitis.

He became the first Cowboys rookie to start at cornerback since Ron Francis in 1987. He was also named to the NFL all-rookie team. In the Cowboys 52-17 win over the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII, Brown recorded an interception in the second quarter.

In 1995 with the Cowboys having discussions to possibly sign the flashy free agent cornerback Deion Sanders, Brown was on his way to becoming a nickelback until Kevin Smith tore his achilles tendon in the first game of the 1995 season against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. The move went from a luxury to a need and Sanders was signed the following week, while Brown remained in the starting lineup and responded with the best season of his career, recording 6 interceptions (tied for the team lead), 124 return yards, and two touchdowns.

That year the Cowboys reached Super Bowl XXX, where Brown became the first cornerback to win the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award and the first defensive back since 1972 to do it. In that game, Brown's two interceptions of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Neil O'Donnell helped lift the Cowboys to their third championship in four seasons. The award and acclaim he received was especially poignant considering the death of his young son earlier in the season. Brown also had a key 28-yard interception return against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game prior to the Super Bowl.[2]

Brown was a pivotal member of 3 Super Bowl championship teams and although he was considered the weak link of the defense, he more than held his own against some of the best wide receivers in NFL history, like Jerry Rice, Art Monk, Cris Carter and Sterling Sharpe. Rice had some terrible games playing against him, which led Brown to claim that he owned Rice, a statement that came back to haunt him after the 1994 NFC Championship Game.

Oakland Raiders

Brown became a free agent immediately after his Super Bowl MVP performance and used his award as leverage to gain a lucrative contract with the Oakland Raiders: five years, $12.5 million with $3.5 million guaranteed.[3] But he was a disappointment and was waived after playing just 12 games in two years for the Raiders.

Dallas Cowboys (second stint)

He returned to Dallas for the 1998 season, which would be the last year of his playing career. He retired with 14 career interceptions, which he returned for a total of 210 yards and two touchdowns. He also recorded two fumble recoveries.

Personal life

Currently, Brown is a cohost of The Dallas Cowboys Radio Network Pregame and Postgame Shows on 105.3 The Fan, the flagship station of the Dallas Cowboys Radio Network.

He also played himself in an episode of Married... with Children.[4] He was named Number 3 in NFL Top 10 for One Shot Wonders.[5]

References

  1. ↑ White, Lonnie (1993-01-28). "SUPER BOWL XXVII : Brown Doesn't Mind Anonymity in Hometown : Cowboys: The cornerback, a former Los Angeles High player, is known in Dallas". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ↑ Paul Domowitch (1996-01-25). "Dallas cornerback has bounced back from family tragedy". accessmylibrary.com. Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  3. ↑ http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14047370/ranking-25-worst-contracts-nfl-history-part-2
  4. ↑ "Larry Brown". imdb.com. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  5. ↑ "Top Ten One Shot Wonders: Larry Brown". NFL.com.
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