Seahawks Will Give Brown A Ring -- Honor Awaits Original Hawk

Friday, August 21, 1992
Craig Smith

KIRKLAND - When Dave Brown was acquired by Seattle in the 1976 allocation draft, he cried.

He had been fitted weeks earlier for a Super Bowl ring as a Pittsburgh Steeler.

"I was hurt," he said. "Every team I had played on, to that point, had been a winning team. My high-school team (in Akron, Ohio) was 26-4. My college team (Michigan) was 32-1. And my rookie year in the pros, we won a Super Bowl."

Well, things have turned out just fine, says Brown, whose name will be added to Steve Largent's and Jim Zorn's tomorrow night in the Seahawk Ring of Honor.

"I am just humbled at the opportunity for my name to be up there," said Brown, now a first-year Seahawk assistant coach after 15 years as an NFL player, including 11 with the Seahawks.

Brown said being sent to Seattle ultimately changed his life because it was the key to his becoming a Christian.

"I just really thank the Lord that I did end up coming here because it did help me see there was a God and I had to answer to him," he said. "Before, I thought that anything I thought would come true and for the most part it did. Then I realized that I wasn't in control. I realized I had to bow down to the Almighty God."

Brown said the Ring of Fame ceremony at tomorrow's game makes him think of the important people in his life, including his wife, Rhonda, and late mother, Lillian.

"I think of my mother who died when I was 15 and who never saw me play a game of football," he said.

"I've been married for 16 1/2 years. My wife's name will never be up there, but every play I played and every time I've been injured or successful or I've had a failure, she's felt it, just like I have, probably more."

Brown, who retired from the Green Bay Packers before last season after missing 1990 because of an Achilles' injury, is fifth on the NFL all-time interception list with 62. The ex-cornerback is Seattle's all-time leader with 50.

Although Brown was on Seattle teams that went to the AFC championship game in 1983 and the playoffs in 1984, one of his fondest memories is of the early years, when the team struggled.

"There were Seahawker fans who were always at the airport even though we got beat terribly," he said. "They were always there to encourage us. I get a smile on my face that someone loved us despite our circumstances."

Seahawks defenders determined to improve

By José Miguel Romero
Thursday, May 10, 2007 - Page updated at 02:01 AM
Seattle Times staff reporter

The late Dave Brown, a former Seahawks defensive back and assistant coach who died last year, will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame at a ceremony in December, joining 11 other former players and two coaches. He will be officially enshrined in July 2008 at the Hall in South Bend, Ind. Brown was a three-time all-conference selection at Michigan and was drafted in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1975.

Manifest destiny: The few, the mainstays

By Bob Elliott, NFL.com
Source: www.nfl.com
February 15, 2002

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (March 30-31, 1976) -- Right cornerback Dave Brown is arguably the greatest pick in expansion draft history.

He was by far the longest lasting and best of the 39 players the Seahawks took. Brown, who was primarily a punt returner his rookie year with Pittsburgh in 1975, made a franchise-record 50 interceptions -- five for touchdowns -- in his 11 seasons with Seattle.

He played three more years with Green Bay before retiring. He remains tied for sixth with Dick LeBeau on the all-time interceptions list with 62.

Aug 22, 1992 Dave Brown becomes the third inductee into the Seahawks Ring of Honor around the 200 Level of the Kingdome.

A Look Back

Seahawks Media Guide, 1977

I thought it might be interesting to look back to the Media Guide in 1977 to see what they had to say about Mr. Brown at that time.

Pro: Became the Seahawks starting free safety after coming to the club in the veteran allocation from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Was Pittsburgh's No. 1 draft choice in 1975 but played almost exclusively on special teams for Super Bowl championship team. Led Seattle in tackles last year with 99 and tied for team lead in interceptions with four. Had season high of 14 tackles against St. Louis and scored safety against Atlanta. Had two interceptions against the Falcons. Had a 33-yard interception return against Green Bay and a 32-yard run against New Orleans.

At the end of his career:
He leads the team with 50 career interceptions from 1976 - 1986.
He leads the team in Yards Returned for interceptions at 643!
He ties an NFL record in Most Touchdowns per Game from Interceptions at 2, vs. Kansas City in 1984!