Kippy Brown, Tennessee football legend and longtime NFL assistant, dies at 71

Kippy Brown, Pioneering Coach and Player, Dies at 71

Kippy Brown, the pioneering quarterback and longtime football coach whose career spanned college and the NFL, has died at the age of 71. Brown's death was reported by Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle. He is remembered for his role as the first Black quarterback at both Sweetwater High School and the University of Memphis, as well as for his 22-season career as an NFL assistant coach.

A Trailblazing Player and Early Coaching Career

Brown's football journey began at Sweetwater High School in Tennessee, where he played quarterback and led the Wildcats to back-to-back state championships in 1971 and 1972. He then played at Memphis State University from 1974 to 1977, where he became the first Black quarterback to play for the school.

After his playing days, Brown began his coaching career at his alma mater from 1978 to 1980. He spent time at Louisville in 1982 before joining the University of Tennessee staff in 1983.

Success at Tennessee and the 'Wide Receiver U' Era

Brown served as wide receivers coach at Tennessee under head coach Johnny Majors from 1983 to 1989, a period during which the program earned the nickname "Wide Receiver U." He later returned under head coach Phillip Fulmer from 1993 to 1994 as assistant head coach. Brown coached standout receivers including Anthony Miller, Tim McGee, Alvin Harper, and Carl Pickens.

Fulmer, in a 2015 documentary, praised Brown's contributions: "Kippy is smart, he's energetic, his personality is infectious. He's a great recruiter, and he's a detailed football coach." Fulmer added, "It really came together at a great time for us in our careers. We kind of changed the culture at Tennessee back to a winning program. We just had a lot of fun doing it."

Brown returned to Tennessee in 2009 as wide receivers coach under Lane Kiffin, taking over as interim head coach when Kiffin left. He was replaced by Derek Dooley. Brown said he would have left for Seattle if Kiffin had not left, and that he didn't feel he had a real chance at the head coach job.

Long NFL Career and Super Bowl Victory

Brown's NFL coaching career spanned 22 seasons with seven teams. He was an offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins, an associate head coach for the Detroit Lions, and coached for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, and New York Jets.

He served as the Lions' associate head coach under Rod Marinelli during Detroit's 0-16 season in 2008. Brown also interviewed for the Texans' head coaching job in 2006 but was passed over for Gary Kubiak. He coached Hall of Fame receiver Andre Johnson during his four seasons in Houston.

Brown's final NFL job was as wide receivers coach for the Seattle Seahawks under Pete Carroll from 2010 to 2014, a stint that included two straight Super Bowl appearances. The Seahawks' 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII gave Brown his only Super Bowl ring.

Off the Field and Legacy

Away from the NFL, Brown was head coach of the Memphis Maniax of the XFL in 2001. He was the oldest of 13 children, and his nickname Kippy came from his grandfather calling him Skippy. He was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

Richard Williamson, a former coach, once described Brown as "a little things guy," a testament to his attention to detail. Brown is remembered as a pioneer and a beloved figure in the football community.