One of the greatest, Willie Brown, has died

[PittsburghTiger 6472]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRUXB0ZZlIk

 

https://www.sfchronicle.com/raiders/article/Former-Raiders-cornerback-Willie-Brown-dies-at-78-14553579.php

Willie Brown, the Hall of Fame cornerback who authored one of the iconic moments in Raiders history with a late interception in Super Bowl XI, has died, the team confirmed Tuesday.

Brown was 78. A cause of death was not immediately known.

In a statement, the Raiders said Brown “will forever be cherished as a true Raider.”

“His legendary performance on the field changed the way the cornerback position was played and his valued guidance as a coach, mentor and administrator permeated the organization and touched countless individuals both on and off the field,” the Raiders said. “Willie’s loss will leave a tremendous void, but his leadership and presence will always be a major part of the Raiders Family.”

Brown played 12 seasons with the Raiders after being acquired in 1967 by then-owner Al Davis in a trade with the Denver Broncos. He played 10 seasons under coach John Madden, who in a phone call Tuesday recalled Brown as “something special.”

“He was kind of the inventor of tight coverage,” Madden told The Chronicle. “He was one of the first guys, if not the first guy, that ever used it - and he did it better than anyone else. He would just get on top of the receiver and play him all the way down the field.”

Edited October 23, 2019 by PittsburghTiger

[Bullneck 19672]

RIP.  

Childhood memories of the Chiefs and Raiders squaring off on Sunday.  Jim Otto, Willie Brown, Charlie Taylor, Jan Stenerud, Len Dawson, Daryl Lamonica, Fred Biletnikoff.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

The Raiders of the late 60's, mid 70's were the bad boys of the NFL.  RIP sir.

[Saint Tacky 1655]

First Cliff Branch and now "Old Man Willie Brown." Damn.  The Raiders stopped being my team when they moved to Los Angeles, but these players never stopped being Oakland Raiders to me. RIP.

[IDIOTsavant 8690]

Still remember him picking of Tarkenton in one of those old NFL films Super Bowl VHS retrospectives they sent when I signed up for Sports Illustrated as a kid. I can still hear the call, "Picked off! Old man Willie, he's going all the way!" RIP

[Dennis Taylor 19432]

19 minutes ago, IDIOTsavant said:

Still remember him picking of Tarkenton in one of those old NFL films Super Bowl VHS retrospectives they sent when I signed up for Sports Illustrated as a kid. I can still hear the call, "Picked off! Old man Willie, he's going all the way!" RIP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjKwZOFoG5M

no announcer, but it's the cool slo-mo replay of him returning the pick right at the camera

wont let me imbed

Edited October 23, 2019 by Dennis Taylor