Pro Football Hall of Famer Bob Brown, who John Madden once called “the most aggressive lineman that ever played,” died Friday, the Hall of Fame announced Saturday. He was 81.
Brown was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles with the second overall pick in the 1964 NFL draft. The Cleveland native and Nebraska product, nicknamed “Boomer,” spent five seasons with the Eagles, two with the Rams and the final three years of his career with the Raiders.
The offensive tackle racked up accolades along the way.
He was a six-time Pro Bowl selection and was named first team All-Pro in five of his 10 seasons (and earned three other second-team nods). Brown was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
“Bob Brown demonstrated different personalities on and off the field,” Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in a statement. “On the field, he was as fierce an opponent as any defensive linemen or linebacker ever faced. He used every tactic and technique – and sometimes brute force – to crush the will of the person across the line from him. And took great pride in doing so.
“Yet off the field, he demonstrated a quiet, soft-spoken and caring nature that his son, Robert Jr., captured eloquently when he presented his dad for enshrinement in 2004. The Hall extends its thoughts and prayers to CeCe and Robert Jr. for their loss.”
