Willie Brown, a renowned American football player and coach, was born on March 21, 1942, and passed away on July 26, 2018. During his high school years, he attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, where he excelled in football and earned the California Interscholastic Federation player of the year award in 1959.
Brown's college football career was marked by his exceptional talent as a two-way player for the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans. He began his collegiate career as a tailback and kickoff returner, but also played defensive back and flanker. In 1962, he led the Trojans to a national championship, dominating in rushing, kickoff returns, and interceptions. The following year, as team captain, he led the team in receiving, scoring, and interceptions.
In addition to his football prowess, Brown was also an accomplished baseball player. He played center fielder and shortstop for the university's baseball team, which won the 1963 College World Series.
The Los Angeles Rams selected Brown with the fourth pick of the third round, 32nd overall, in the 1964 NFL Draft. He played two seasons with the Rams before finishing his playing career with the Philadelphia Eagles. During his time in the NFL, he accumulated 133 rushing yards and 110 receiving yards. After his playing career, Brown went on to coach for the USC Trojans and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League.
