Courtney Brown (defensive end) facts for kids
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | February 14, 1978 Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 285 lb (129 kg) | ||||||||||||
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| High school: | Macedonia (Alvin, South Carolina) |
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| College: | Penn State (1996–1999) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2000 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1 | ||||||||||||
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Courtney Lanair Brown (born February 14, 1978) is a former American football player. He played as a defensive end for seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He spent most of his career with the Cleveland Browns.
Before playing professionally, he played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He was recognized as one of the best college players in 1999. The Cleveland Browns chose him as the first overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft. He also played for the Denver Broncos.
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Early Life and High School Years
Courtney Brown was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He grew up in Alvin, South Carolina. He went to Macedonia High School. In his senior year, he was an All-American linebacker, meaning he was one of the top high school players in the country. He also played offense as a tight end.
Courtney earned the Gatorade Player-of-the-Year award in his senior year. He also played in the Shrine Bowl, a special game for talented high school players. Besides football, Courtney was a great basketball player. He even played in the North/South All-Star game. He was also an excellent student, keeping a perfect 4.0 grade point average. He never missed a single day of school from kindergarten through 12th grade.
College Football Career
Courtney Brown attended Pennsylvania State University. He played for coach Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions football team from 1996 to 1999. At Penn State, he was teammates with other famous players like LaVar Arrington.
In 1999, his senior year, he was chosen for the first-team All-Big Ten. He was also recognized as a consensus first-team All-American. This means he was considered one of the best college football players in the nation.
Brown also won the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award. He was named Defensive Lineman of the Year in his senior year. He was a finalist for three major national awards: the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, and Lombardi Award. He finished his college career with an NCAA record-breaking 33 quarterback sacks. He also had 70 tackles for a loss.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in integrative arts from Penn State in 2000.
Professional Football Career
Joining the NFL: The Draft
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash | Vertical jump | Bench press | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4+7⁄8 in (1.95 m) |
269 lb (122 kg) |
4.52 s | 37.0 in (0.94 m) |
26 reps | ||||||||
| All values from the NFL Combine/Penn State Pro Day | ||||||||||||
The 2000 NFL draft was a big moment for Courtney Brown. The Cleveland Browns picked him first overall. This made him the eleventh defensive lineman ever to be chosen as the very first pick in the NFL Draft's history.
Time with the Cleveland Browns
Courtney Brown had a good first year, known as his rookie season. He made 69 total tackles and 4.5 sacks. His second season was cut short because of an injury. However, he still managed to get 4.5 sacks in just five games.
Unfortunately, Courtney had trouble staying healthy for the rest of his career. From 2002 to 2004, he played in only 26 games. He recorded nine sacks during this period. Injuries made it difficult for him to play consistently at his best.
Playing for the Denver Broncos
He finished his professional football career with the Denver Broncos in 2005. That season, the Broncos had a great record of 13 wins and 3 losses. In the playoffs, they beat the New England Patriots. The Patriots were led by Tom Brady and had won the Super Bowl two years in a row. However, the Broncos later lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. The Steelers went on to win the Super Bowl that year.
