Age: 25 (Oct.
29)
3rd
season in pro football (2nd active) & with Redskins
College: South
Carolina State
Height: 5’10” Weight: 179
Prelude:
An
outstanding receiver on a run-oriented college team, Brown was chosen by the
Redskins in the eighth round of the 1981 NFL draft but spent his first year on
injured reserve due to a knee injury suffered in the third preseason game. He
made an impact in the 1982 season opening game by scoring on a 78-yard touchdown
catch, the first of eight TDs in the strike-shortened campaign that saw him
pull in 32 receptions for 690 yards (21.6 avg.). Brown caught another 17 passes
for 242 yards and two TDs in the postseason as the Redskins won the NFL
Championship and he received second-team All-NFL recognition from the NEA and
was selected to the Pro Bowl. He became part of a group of capable receivers
known as “the Fun Bunch” that were a component of the NFL’s most potent
offense.
1983 Season Summary
Appeared in 15
of 16 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Pass
Receiving
Receptions – 78
[6, tied with Earnest Gray & Roy Green, 1st in NFC]
Most
receptions, game – 11 (for 180 yds.) vs. LA Raiders 10/2
Yards – 1225
[6]
Most yards,
game – 180 (on 11 catches) vs. LA Raiders 10/2
Average gain
– 15.7
TDs – 8 [7,
tied with five others]
100-yard
receiving games – 4
Rushing
Attempts – 4
Yards – 53
Average gain
– 13.3
TDs – 0
Scoring
TDs – 8
Points – 48
Postseason: 3 G
Pass
receptions – 14
Most pass
receptions, game – 6 vs. LA Rams, NFC Divisional playoff
Pass
receiving yards – 401
Most pass
receiving yards, game – 171 vs. LA Rams, NFC Divisional playoff
Average yards
per reception – 28.6
Pass
Receiving TDs – 1
100-yard
receiving games – 2
Awards & Honors:
2nd
team All-NFC: UPI
Pro Bowl
Redskins went
14-2 and finished first in the NFC East while leading the NFL in scoring (541
points) and touchdowns (63). Won NFC Divisional playoff over Los Angeles Rams
(51-7) and NFC Championship over San Francisco 49ers (24-21). Lost Super Bowl
to Los Angeles Raiders (38-9).
Aftermath:
Brown
suffered through an injury-plagued season in 1984, catching just 18 passes for
200 yards (11.1 avg.), and was traded to the Atlanta Falcons. Following a
mediocre 24-catch season in ’85, Brown rebounded in 1986 with 63 pass
receptions for 918 yards (14.6 avg.) and four touchdowns. It was his last
hurrah as he caught just five more passes in 1986 and his NFL career came to an
end with his release by the Colts in 1988. Brown played arena football in 1990
with the a Washington Commandos and caught 11 passes for 129 yards and two TDs.
Overall in the NFL, Brown had 220 receptions for 3548 yards (16.1 avg.) and 25
touchdowns, with 128 of those catches for 2115 yards and 19 TDs coming with
Washington. He added another 31 catches for 643 yards (20.7 avg.) and three TDs
in eight postseason games. Brown received second-team All-NFL honors once,
second-team All-NFC recognition twice, and was chosen to two Pro Bowls.
--
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
