James Brown (quarterback) facts for kids

James Brown (born May 17, 1975) is a former American football quarterback. A quarterback is the player who leads the team's offense. He was the main starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns from 1994 to 1997.

At that time, he was only the second black quarterback to lead the Texas team for a whole season. He is known for "opening doors" for future black quarterbacks at Texas, like Casey Thompson and Vince Young. After college, he played professionally in several leagues. These included the Canadian Football League, Indoor Professional Football League (IPFL), NFL Europe (NFLE), Arena Football League (AFL), and Intense Football League (IFL).

He played in championship games for the IPFL, NFLE, and AFL. He won both a World Bowl and an Arena Bowl. James Brown was also named the 1999 IPFL Offensive MVP and a 2008 IFL All-Star.

Early Life and High School Football

James Brown was born in Beaumont, Texas. He played high school football at West Brook Senior High School. In 1992, he was recognized as one of the best high school players in Texas.

He was considered the top quarterback prospect in the state when he joined the University of Texas.

College Football Career at Texas

James Brown joined the Texas Longhorns in 1993. He spent his first year learning and practicing with the team. This is called "redshirting."

Becoming the Starting Quarterback

In 1994, Brown started as a backup player. But when the main quarterback got hurt, Brown stepped in. He led the Longhorns to an exciting comeback win against Oklahoma. Later that season, he became the full-time starting quarterback. In the Sun Bowl game, he helped Texas win with a great performance. This secured his spot as the team's leader.

Leading the Longhorns to Championships

In 1995, Brown led Texas to win the final Southwest Conference (SWC) Championship. They had a great record of 10 wins, 2 losses, and 1 tie. He was named the SWC Offensive Player of the Year. This meant he was the best offensive player in the conference.

In 1996, Brown led Texas to another big win. They upset the defending national champions, Nebraska, in the first-ever Big 12 championship game. This was a huge moment for the team.

The Famous "Roll Left" Play

One of James Brown's most famous plays happened in the 1996 Big 12 championship game against Nebraska. Texas was ahead by a small score late in the game. They faced a tough situation: fourth down and only one yard to go for a first down.

Their coach, John Mackovic, decided to take a risk. He called a play called "roll left." Brown was supposed to fake a handoff to the running back and then run to his left. But as he rolled out, he saw his teammate, Derek Lewis, open down the field. Brown quickly threw the ball to Lewis, who ran for a long gain. This play helped Texas score a touchdown on the next play and win the Big 12 title!

Finishing College and Records

Brown finished his college career with many records at Texas. He set records for passing yards, total offense, and touchdown passes. His record as a starting quarterback was 25 wins, 13 losses, and 1 tie.

After his football career, he returned to the University of Texas. He finished his studies and earned his degree in sport management in December 2001.

College Statistics

• 1994: 80/115 passes for 1,037 yards with 12 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He also ran for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• 1995: 163/322 passes for 2,447 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also ran for 136 yards and 1 touchdown.
• 1996: 170/299 passes for 2,468 yards with 17 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also ran for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• 1997: 133/267 passes for 1,676 yards with 5 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also ran for 29 yards and 1 touchdown.

Professional Football Career

James Brown was not drafted by any National Football League (NFL) teams. This was partly because he was considered a bit small for an NFL quarterback.

Playing in Different Leagues

His professional journey began in 1998 with the British Columbia Lions in the Canadian Football League (CFL). After that, he played for the Texas Terminators in the Indoor Professional Football League (IPFL) in 1999. He led them to the championship game and was named the IPFL Offensive Player of the Year.

From 2000 to 2001, he played for the Nashville Kats in the Arena Football League (AFL). He helped the Kats reach the ArenaBowl championship game twice. In one game, he came in as a backup quarterback and threw a long touchdown pass to tie the game.

In 2002, he played for the Scottish Claymores in NFL Europe. He won his only start for the team. Later that year, he joined the San Jose SaberCats in the AFL. He was part of the team that won ArenaBowl XVI, a major championship in Arena Football.

In 2003, Brown played for the Georgia Force in the AFL. He then joined the Frankfurt Galaxy in NFL Europe. He helped the Galaxy win the division title and the league championship in World Bowl XI. This was his last game in NFL Europe.

After a break from playing, he returned in 2008 to play for the CenTex Barracudas in the Intense Football League (IFL). He led the team to the playoffs and was named an IFL All-Star.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, James Brown became a football coach.

He started as a quarterback coach and offensive coordinator at Hyde Park Baptist High School from 2002 to 2006. He also coached running backs at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, from 2010 to 2014.

In 2014, he became the head coach and athletic director at Houston's KIPP Sunnyside High School. He left that position by 2024.