Tim Brown (American football) facts for kids
Brown in 2005
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||||||
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| Born: | July 22, 1966 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school: | Woodrow Wilson (Dallas) | ||||||||||
| College: | Notre Dame (1984–1987) | ||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1988 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6 | ||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Timothy Donell Brown (born July 22, 1966) is a former American football player. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. There, he won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to do so.
Brown spent sixteen years with the Los Angeles and Oakland Raiders. He became one of the NFL's greatest wide receivers. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2015, he was added to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
As of 2023, Brown is the chairman and commissioner of The Arena League. This is an indoor football league that started playing in 2024.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Timothy Donell Brown was born on July 22, 1966, in Dallas, Texas. He went to Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas. Another Heisman Trophy winner, Davey O'Brien, also went to this school. When Tim won the Heisman in 1987, Woodrow Wilson became the first high school with two Heisman winners.
Tim's mom did not let him play football in his first year of high school. He played in the school band instead. But he joined the football team in his second year. His mom found out when the band leader called their house. Even though Tim was a great player, his high school team did not win many games. Still, many big colleges wanted him to play for them.
Brown was also a talented track athlete in high school. He was one of the best in Texas in the 400-meter dash. He also did well in the long jump event.
College Football Career
Brown chose to play for the University of Notre Dame from 1984 to 1987. He was nicknamed "Touchdown Timmy." In his first year, he caught 28 passes, which was a record for a freshman. As a junior, he set a record with 1,937 all-purpose yards. This means he gained yards from running, catching, and returning kicks.
In 1987, Brown caught 34 passes for 846 yards. He also returned 34 punts for 401 yards. He gained 456 yards on 23 kickoff returns. He scored eight touchdowns that year.
Brown finished his college career with 137 catches for 2,493 yards. He also had a school record of 5,024 all-purpose yards and 22 touchdowns. Like in high school, his college team did not win a championship while he was there. However, the year after he graduated, Notre Dame won the national title.
Brown was named an All-American twice. He won the 1987 Heisman Trophy, becoming the first wide receiver to win it. As of 2020, Woodrow Wilson High School is still the only public high school with two Heisman Trophy winners.
When Brown left Notre Dame, he held 19 school records. In 2009, Brown was added to the College Football Hall of Fame.
Professional Football Career
Playing for the Raiders
The Los Angeles Raiders picked Tim Brown in the first round of the 1988 NFL draft. He was the sixth player chosen overall. In his first NFL season, he led the league in kickoff returns and return yards.
It took some time for him to become the team's main receiver. But from 1993 to 2001, he had nine years in a row with over 1,000 receiving yards. He also led the NFL in punt returns in 1994. In 1997, he was a co-leader in receptions.
Brown was chosen for the Pro Bowl nine times. He went as a kick returner in 1988 and 1991. He went as a receiver from 1993–97, 1999, and 2001. In 2001, he played alongside another famous wide receiver, Jerry Rice.
On December 9, 2001, Brown returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown. This made him the oldest player in NFL history to score a touchdown on a punt return. In 2002, he became the Raiders' all-time leader in games played. He also set Raiders records for catches, receiving yards, and punt return yards.
The Raiders released Brown before the 2004 season. He did not want to have a smaller role in the team's offense.
Time with the Buccaneers and Retirement
Brown then signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their coach was Jon Gruden, who used to coach the Raiders. This move was a big deal because Brown was a favorite player in Oakland. He was the last player from the Los Angeles Raiders to still be with the team.
On September 27, 2004, Brown played his first game against the Raiders in Oakland. In that game, he scored his 100th career receiving touchdown. This tied him for third place on the NFL's all-time list at that time. The Oakland fans gave him a standing ovation.
In 2005, Brown signed a special one-day contract with the Raiders. This allowed him to officially retire as a Raider. He retired with 14,934 receiving yards, which was the second-highest total in NFL history at the time. He also had 1,094 catches (3rd all-time) and 100 touchdown catches (tied for 3rd).
Brown also gained many yards from returning punts and kickoffs. He is the only player to retire in the NFL's top five leaders for both receiving and return yards.
Brown became eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. He was chosen for the Hall of Fame on January 31, 2015. He was officially inducted on August 8, 2015.
Post-Playing Career
After retiring from playing, Tim Brown has been involved in several activities. He was in the movie Little Giants. He also co-hosted a football show called FSN Pro Football Preview.
In 1995, Brown became the National Chairman of Athletes & Entertainers for Kids. This group helps children and teens through mentoring and educational programs.
As of 2013, Brown was the General Manager and Co-Owner of the Texas Revolution. This is an indoor football team in his home state of Texas. He also worked as an analyst for ESPN College Football.
Brown is currently the League Chairman and Commissioner of The Arena League. This is a new indoor football league that started playing in 2024. Brown lives in Cedar Hill, Texas.
Career Achievements and Records
- First wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy.
- NFL rookie-season record for most combined yards gained: 2,317 in 1988.
- NFL record of 10 years in a row with at least 75 catches.
- NFL record for consecutive seasons with at least 5 touchdowns (11 seasons). He shares this record with other great players like Marvin Harrison and Jerry Rice.
- NFL record for being the oldest player to score a touchdown on special teams (35 years, 140 days old) with an 88-yard punt return.
- NFL record for most consecutive games with two catches (147 games, from 1993–2002).
- NFL record for being the oldest player with 12 or more catches in a single game (36 years, 97 days old).
- NFL record for most consecutive starts by a wide receiver: 176 games.
- Only player to have 1,600 receiving yards against four different teams (Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Seahawks).
- Holds many team records with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, including:
* Most Touchdowns (104). * Most receiving yards (14,734), receptions (1,070), and receiving touchdowns (99). * Most punt-return yards (3,272), punt returns (320), and punt returns for touchdowns (3). * Most all-purpose yards (19,431). * Most yards from scrimmage (14,924).
Images for kids
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Brown in 2005
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Brown at an autograph signing in 2004.
