Raiders legend Brown dead at 78
Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown, who provided the iconic play of the Oakland Raiders’ first Super Bowl title, died on Tuesday. He was 78.
The Raiders and Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Brown’s death but did not reveal a cause. He had been dealing with cancer.
“The entire Hall of Fame family mourns the loss of a great man,” Hall of Fame President David
Baker said in a statement. “Willie Brown was the epitome of the Raiders motto of ‘commitment to excellence’ that was integral to the team’s sustained success. He embodied virtues like passion, integrity, perseverance and always led by example. His character, on and off the field, made all those around him better.”
Al Davis acquired Brown for the Raiders in a trade from Denver in 1967 in one of the best moves he made during his Hall of Fame career running the Raiders.
Brown went on to have a brilliant career over 12 years with Oakland, highlighted by his 75-yard interception return for a touchdown against Minnesota that helped the Raiders win their first Super Bowl following the 1976 season.
“His legendary performance on the field changed the way the cornerback position was played and his valued guidance as a coach, mentor and administrator permeated the organization and touched countless individuals both on and off the field,” the team said in a statement. “Willie’s loss will leave a tremendous void, but his leadership and presence will always be a major part of the fabric of the Raiders Family.”
Brown was one of the game’s best lockdown cornerbacks and fit perfectly in Davis’ preferred bump-andrun style of defense on the Raiders. He intercepted 54 passes, was a first-team AllPro five times in the AFL and NFL and made the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1984.
His most memorable play came in the Super Bowl against the Vikings on Jan. 9, 1977. With the Raiders leading the game 26-0 in the fourth quarter, Brown intercepted a pass from Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton and raced for the score, prompting the iconic radio call from Raiders announce Bill King: “He looks and throws … intercepted by the Oakland Raiders Willie Brown at the 30, 40, 50 … he’s going all the way! … Old Man Willie! … Touchdown Raiders!”
Brown retired two seasons later. He was an assistant coach for the Raiders from 1979-88, was head coach at Long Beach State in 1991, coached at Jordan High School in 1994 and returned to the Raiders when they moved back to Oakland in 1995 as director of staff development.
PATS TRADE FOR WR SANU
The Patriots have done a lot of shuffling at receiver this season.
They are hoping Mohamed Sanu can provide some stability as they try to solidify their offense heading into a difficult part of their schedule.
The Patriots traded a second-round draft pick in 2020 to the Atlanta Falcons for the eighth-year veteran, the teams announced Tuesday.
The trade came less than 24 hours after the Patriots blew out the Jets 33-0.
“See you soon,” quarterback Tom Brady tweeted to his newest receiver.
For New England, Sanu represents its latest attempt to give Brady another versatile receiver to throw to following the short-lived tenure of Antonio Brown.
The 30-year-old Sanu has 33 receptions for 313 yards, but only one touchdown so far this season. His opportunities to be more involved will almost certainly increase as he heads to the reigning Super Bowl champion Patriots (7-0) and to an offense that leads the league in scoring at nearly 32 points a game.