Jerry Brown (gridiron football) facts for kids
Brown in August 2012, four months before his death.
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| No. 20, 53, 57 | |||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | October 20, 1987 St. Louis, Missouri |
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| Died: | December 8, 2012 (aged 25) Dallas, Texas |
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | St. Louis (MO) Vashon | ||||||||
| College: | Illinois | ||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2010 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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| Career Arena statistics | |||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||
| Player stats at ArenaFan.com | |||||||||
Jerry Jerome Brown Jr. (born October 20, 1987) was a talented American football linebacker. He played for five different teams during his professional career. These teams were in the National Football League (NFL), Arena Football League (AFL), and Canadian Football League (CFL).
Jerry played on the defensive line for the University of Illinois in college. As a professional, he was part of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL. He also played for the Jacksonville Sharks and San Antonio Talons in the AFL. Later, he joined the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. He first signed with the Jacksonville Sharks in 2011 as a free agent. He even helped them win the ArenaBowl XXIV championship!
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High School Football Success
Jerry Brown played football at Vashon High School in St. Louis. He helped his team win many titles. They won three St. Louis Public High League championships. They also won three Missouri district championships.
His best year was in 2005, when he was a senior. That year, he made 97 tackles and 13 sacks. He also had one interception. During his high school career, he was named the Public High League Defensive MVP twice. He was also chosen for the first-team All-Public High League Conference.
As a senior, he earned special honors like PrepStar All-America. He was also named to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch first-team All-Metro squad. The Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association chose him for their Class 5 first-team all-state team. Experts like Rivals.com ranked him as a top high school recruit.
College Football Journey
In 2006, Jerry Brown received a football scholarship. He went to the University of Illinois. He spent his first year as a "redshirt" player. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. By the end of that season, he was named the team's defensive scout player of the year.
As a sophomore, he played in 13 games. He helped the Illinois team reach the 2008 Rose Bowl. During that season, he made 2.5 sacks. In 2008, as a junior, he played in 11 games. He recorded 3 tackles against the University of Missouri.
In 2009, during his senior spring game, he played very well. He made seven tackles and two sacks, which were the most in the game. However, he later had to leave school due to academic challenges. Throughout his college career, he mainly played as a backup defensive end. He finished with 13 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two passes defended.
Professional Football Career
Playing for the Jacksonville Sharks
After the 2011 NFL Draft, Jerry Brown was not chosen by an NFL team. However, he signed with the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League (AFL). This happened on March 3, 2011. He helped the team win the ArenaBowl XXIV championship!
In that championship game, he had one tackle assist. He also forced a fumble and recovered another fumble. During the regular season, he played in 13 games. He recorded 19.5 tackles, six sacks, and three fumble recoveries.
Time with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
After the AFL season ended, Jerry joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. This team is part of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was added to their practice squad on September 27, 2011.
Joining the San Antonio Talons
Jerry Brown signed with another AFL team. He joined the San Antonio Talons on November 11, 2011. He played in 11 games for them. During his time there, he made 34 tackles. He also recovered two fumbles and blocked one kick.
Playing for the Indianapolis Colts
Jerry worked out for a few NFL teams. These included the Houston Texans, New York Jets, and Philadelphia Eagles. Then, on May 23, 2012, the Indianapolis Colts signed him. He joined them as a free agent to play linebacker.
He was one of the last players cut before the regular season. But he still made the team's practice squad. He played in one regular season game against the New York Jets. After that, he was waived and then signed back to the practice squad. The Colts released him from the team on October 20, 2012.
With the Dallas Cowboys
On October 24, 2012, the Dallas Cowboys signed Jerry Brown. He joined their practice squad. He was doing very well with the team. He was even named scout team player of the week. The Cowboys were thinking about moving him to their main roster. Sadly, his life ended in a car accident before that could happen.
Remembering Jerry Brown
On December 8, 2012, Jerry Brown passed away in a car accident. He was a passenger in a car driven by his Cowboys and Illinois teammate, Josh Brent.
The accident happened just one day before a big game. The Cowboys were set to play against the Cincinnati Bengals. This game was very important for both teams. The Bengals were expected to win. The Cowboys' head coach, Jason Garrett, told the team about the sad news before they flew to Cincinnati. That Saturday, the players had emotional meetings. They hung the jerseys of both Josh Brent and Jerry Brown in their locker room.
This game became one of the most emotional in the team's history. The Cowboys' defense was already missing several key players. They also lost Josh Brent, who was supposed to start. Despite all this, the Cowboys surprised everyone. They won the game against the Bengals 20–19. The win was decided in the final seconds by a 40-yard field goal from Dan Bailey.
After the game, Coach Garrett hugged Jason Hatcher. Hatcher was holding Jerry Brown's jersey, which had been placed on the bench during the game. To honor Jerry, the Cowboys wore a special "53" decal on their uniforms. They also kept his locker just as it was.
For Jerry's memorial service, his mother, Stacey Jackson, asked Josh Brent to meet with the family. She wanted him to ride and sit with them during the event. The team gave Jerry's mother the game ball from the 20–19 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. They also gave her a "hard-hat award." This award was given to players who did their job well, no matter the challenges.
