Ross Browner facts for kids
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| No. 79 | |||
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| Position: | Defensive end | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | March 22, 1954 Warren, Ohio |
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| Died: | January 4, 2022 (aged 67) Nashville, Tennessee |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||
| Weight: | 262 lb (119 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Warren Western Reserve High School | ||
| College: | Notre Dame | ||
| NFL Draft: | 1978 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Ross Dean Browner (born March 22, 1954 – died January 4, 2022) was an American football player. He played as a defensive end for ten seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Most of his career was with the Cincinnati Bengals. In 2007, he was honored by being named to the Bengals' 40th Anniversary Team.
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Early Life and Football Start
Ross Browner was born and grew up in Warren, Ohio. When he was younger, he enjoyed swimming and diving. Later, he decided to focus on football. He went to Warren Western Reserve High School. In his final year, he was chosen as a top defensive end for the state.
College Football Star
Ross Browner became one of the most famous defensive players in college football history. He played for the University of Notre Dame. He was a starting defensive end for four years, from 1973 and then from 1975 to 1977.
Amazing Awards and Honors
Ross was named an All-American in both his junior and senior years (1976 and 1977). In 1976, he won the Outland Trophy. This award goes to the best interior or defensive lineman in the country. He was also named Lineman of the Year by United Press International (UPI) in 1976.
He continued to win big awards in 1977. He received the Lombardi Trophy for the nation's best lineman. He also won the Maxwell Award as the nation's best player. Ross won the UPI Lineman of the Year Award again, making him the only player ever to win it twice! He was also the only lineman in the 1970s to win the Maxwell Award.
Notre Dame Success
During his time at Notre Dame, the team had an amazing record of 39 wins and only 7 losses. They won National Championships in 1973 and 1977. Ross set a school record with 340 tackles. He also blocked two kicks and scored a touchdown and two safeties. In 1999, Ross Browner was added to the College Football Hall of Fame.
Professional Football Career
In the 1978 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals chose Ross Browner as their first pick. He played nine seasons for the Bengals. In Super Bowl XVI, he set a record for the most tackles by a defensive lineman. In 1985, he briefly played for the Houston Gamblers in the USFL. However, he returned to the Bengals in the same season. Ross played one final season in 1987 with the Green Bay Packers before he retired.
Later Life and Family
After retiring from football, Ross Browner lived in Mason, Ohio, for several years. He later moved to Nashville, Tennessee.
Ross had a family with strong football ties. His son, Max Starks, also played in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ross's brothers, Jimmie Browner, Keith Browner, and Joey Browner, were also NFL players. His nephew, Keith Browner, Jr., played for the Houston Texans.
Ross Browner passed away on January 4, 2022, at the age of 67.
