Six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Roger Brown died Friday at age 84, according to his family.
Brown played seven seasons for the Detroit Lions after they drafted him in the fourth round of the 1960 NFL draft, making the Pro Bowl every year from 1962 to 1966. He was also a Pro Bowler in 1967 during his three seasons (1967-69) with the Los Angeles Rams.
“Roger Brown will always hold a special place in our team’s history,” Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp said in a statement. “A member of the Lions’ esteemed ‘Fearsome Foursome’ of the 1960s with Alex Karras, Darris McCord and Sam Williams, Roger’s career accomplishments solidify his legacy alongside some of the all-time greats of our game.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Kay, and the entire Brown family.”
Brown’s most memorable game with Detroit was on Thanksgiving Day in 1962 against Green Bay when he sacked Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr seven times. The Lions had 11 sacks in that game, which remains a franchise record.
Sacks weren’t made into an official statistic by the NFL until 1982, but Brown had four seasons with 10 or more with Detroit, according to Pro Football Reference, including 14½ in 1964.
Brown was traded to the Rams in 1967 and joined their “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line alongside Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Merlin Olsen for three seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 1967 after getting seven sacks.
Brown was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009 after a dominating career at Maryland Eastern Shore from 1956 to 1959. He was a two-time NAIA All-American and was part of a team that went 24-5-1 during his four years at the school.
“Roger Brown was an absolute force on the defensive line at Maryland Eastern Shore,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “He was a huge part of HBCU football history and helped usher in the era of massive linemen to the game.”
Brown was a successful businessman and restaurateur in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia following his retirement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.