Age: 22
1st
season in pro football
College: Notre
Dame
Height: 6’0” Weight: 190
Prelude:
The versatile
Brown was utilized primarily as a flanker in college and also as a runner from
scrimmage and kick returner. He ended up as Notre Dame’s all-time pass
receiving yardage leader (2493 on 137 catches), returned six kicks (three punts
and three kickoffs) for touchdowns, and won the 1987 Heisman Trophy as well as
receiving consensus All-American honors. Brown was chosen by the Raiders in the
first round of the 1988 NFL draft (sixth overall) and had an impact both as a
pass receiver and kick returner.
1988 Season Summary
Appeared in all
16 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Pass Receiving
Receptions – 43
Most
receptions, game – 8 (for 95 yds.) vs. Kansas City 10/30
Yards – 725
Most yards,
game – 114 (on 4 catches) at Seattle 11/28
Average gain
– 16.9 [15]
TDs – 5
100-yard
receiving games – 1
Rushing
Attempts – 14
Most
attempts, game – 3 (for 17 yds.) at Denver 9/26, (for 13 yds.) vs. Miami 10/9,
(for 17 yds.) vs. Atlanta 11/20
Yards – 50
Most yards,
game – 17 yards (on 3 carries) at Denver 9/26, (on 3 carries) vs. Atlanta 11/20
Average gain
– 3.6
TDs – 1
Kickoff
Returns
Returns – 41
[1, tied with Joe Cribbs]
Yards – 1098
[1]
Most yards,
game – 178 (on 5 ret.) at Seattle 11/28
Average per
return – 26.8 [1]
TDs – 1 [1,
tied with seven others]
Longest
return – 97 yards
Punt Returns
Returns – 49
[2]
Yards – 444 [3]
Most yards,
game – 102 (on 7 ret.) at San Diego 11/6
Average per
return – 9.1 [14]
TDs – 0
Longest
return – 36 yards
All-Purpose
yards – 2317 [1]
Scoring
TDs – 7
Points – 42
Awards & Honors:
1st
team All-NFL: PFWA, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News
1st
team All-AFC: Pro Football Weekly
Pro Bowl
Raiders went 7-9
to finish third in the AFC West.
Aftermath:
Brown’s 1989
season ended with torn knee ligaments in the opening game and he was slow to
come back, following up with a mediocre year in ’90. He began to return to form
in 1991 and ’92, catching 36 and 49 passes, respectively, before breaking out
with 80 receptions for 1180 yards and seven TDs in 1993. It was the first of
seven straight seasons in which he had at least 80 catches and nine consecutive
thousand-yard receiving totals, with highs of 104 receptions and 1408 yards in
1997. While lacking his former speed, Brown remained a dangerous runner after
the catch. He stayed with the Raiders, who returned to Oakland in 1995, through
the 2003 season, a total of 16 years, and caught 1070 passes for 14,734 yards and
99 touchdowns, all franchise records, as well as his 104 total TDs. He finished
up with Tampa Bay in 2004, bringing his career totals to 1094 pass receptions,
which ranked third in NFL history at the time, for a second-ranked 14,934 yards
and 100 TDs. He added another 45 catches for 581 yards and three TDs in 12
postseason games. As a kick returner, he averaged 25.2 yards on 49 kickoff
returns with one TD and 10.2 yards on 326 punt returns, scoring three
touchdowns. In all, he compiled 19,682 all-purpose yards, the league’s fifth
highest total at the time. Brown received consensus first-team All-NFL honors
once, at least some first-team recognition after one other season, was first- or
second-team All-AFC seven times, and was selected to nine Pro Bowls. He was inducted
into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2015.
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
