FOOTBALL

USC Great Joey Browner Passes Away

Former USC defensive back Joey Browner, who was an All-American and one of the greatest defensive backs in school history, passed away Saturday. He was 65.

Browner played at USC from 1979-82 and finished his collegiate career with nine career interceptions and an impressive 40 pass deflections. He was USC’s Team MVP in 1982.

He became the first defensive back selected in the first round in the history of the Minnesota Vikings with the 19th pick in 1983.

Browner was a 6-time Pro Bowler and 4-time first team All-Pro. He was named to the NFL 1980’s All-Decade Team and a part of the 50 Greatest Vikings announced in 2010.

His younger brother, former USC linebacker Keith Browner, passed away last November after a sudden illness.

Last August, former Vikings players held a fund-raiser for Joey, who was battling “serious health issues.”

The Browner family established a record for brothers who played in the NFL.

His oldest brother, Ross, was a defensive lineman for the Bengals from 1978-86 and played 11 games for Green Bay in 1987. The next brother, Jim, played defensive back for Cincinnati in 1979-80. Keith played 65 games with four different teams from 1984-88. Willard played collegiately at Notre Dame. The youngest brother, Gerald, played at Georgia.

Keith and Joey Browner (right)

20 thoughts on “USC Great Joey Browner Passes Away”

  1. Quite a Browner family story. Passing away at a relatively young age of 65 is remindful of how these great players always say that the aftermath of pain and even early death is well worth it, that there is nothing like the experience of being a high profile football player

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    1. When Ali’s health began slipping [seriously] after the Larry Holmes fight he was asked if he’d do things differently if he had his life to live over again. Like Errol Flynn he said, given the chance, he’d happily do it over the exact same way…

      #..AndIThinkBothOfThemReallyMeantIt…

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      4. And others gladly give up those years, to be a superstar. That’s one of the many things true Americans cherish: All of the choices we have and being free to make them!

        Myra: “I don’t want this to be the high point of his life. I’ve seen them, the real sad ones. They sit around the rest of their lives talking about their glory days, when they were 17 years old.”

        Dale: “You know, most people would kill to be treated like a god, just for a few moments.” 

        Myra: “Gods come pretty cheap nowadays, don’t they? I mean, you become one by putting a leather ball through an iron hoop. And I hate to tell you this, Mr. Dale, but it’s only a game.” 

        “Just stay away from Jimmy. I don’t want him coaching in Hickory when he’s 50.”

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      2. GEORGE –HAVING READ THE HEPBURN BIOGRAPHY I COULDN’T EXACTLY SAY SHE WAS INNOCENT [“VIRGINAL BUT NOT A VIRGIN” AS RICHARD WAGNER DESCRIBED ONE OF HIS GIRLFRIENDS]….BUT MERLE IS DEFINITELY THE EXOTIC LOOKING ONE….

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    1. Classy of you to say that, T. !

      How did you like Duke’s lazy pass at the tail end of the game?

      #OnlyOneWayToLoseThatGameWithNoTimeLeft….

      #…AndDukeFoundIt…

      #ItWasLikeWatchingUSCVersusTulaneInTheCottonBowl

      #[D’Oh]!

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