Former Lions, Rams star Brown dies
Roger Brown, a College Football Hall of Famer and six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle with the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams, has died. He was 84.
The Lions and College Football Hall of Fame announced his death on Friday. No cause was given.
Brown played 10 years in the NFL. He was selected in the fourth round of the 1960 draft by Detroit. In his seven seasons with the Lions, Brown went to the Pro Bowl five times (196266) and was an All-Pro selection in 1962 and ’63. He started in 124 of the 138 games he played.
“In my 10 years with the Lions and the Rams, I never missed a game,” Brown said in a 2015 interview with The Virginian Pilot. “I had broken hands and broken bones. But probably not as many as I caused. I had 12 operations.”
Brown’s most memorable game with Detroit was on Thanksgiving Day in 1962 against Green Bay when he sacked Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr seven times. The Lions had 11 sacks in that game, which remains a franchise record.
Brown was traded to the Rams in 1967 and joined the “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line alongside Deacon Jones, Lamar Lundy and Merlin Olsen for three seasons. He made the Pro Bowl in 1967 after getting seven sacks.
Brown was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009 after a dominating career at Maryland Eastern Shore from 195659. He was a two-time NAIA All-American. RAIDERS’ JACOBS OUT SUNDAY >> Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs will miss this week’s game at Pittsburgh with injuries to his toe and ankle.
Jacobs didn’t practice all week after rushing for 34 yards and two touchdowns in a season-opening 33-27 win in overtime against Baltimore on Monday night.
The Raiders gave free agent Kenyan Drake an $11 million, two-year contract this offseason to give the team another option out of the backfield with Jacobs, but coach Jon Gruden said Friday that Peyton Barber also will take a big load. SAINTS STAYING AT TCU >> The New Orleans Saints have decided to continue practicing at TCU next week in preparation for their Week 3 game at New England before returning to their New Orleans-area headquarters in Week 4, when they will host the New York Giants in the Superdome.
The Saints have been displaced to the Dallas area since Aug. 28, when they flew on hastily arranged charter flights as Hurricane Ida approached Louisiana’s coast as a powerful Category 4 Hurricane that ultimately inflicted widespread damage to homes and knocked out power to the entire New Orleans area for days. HURTING BROWNS >> The Browns will be down a key defensive player for Sunday’s home opener.
Starting linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least three games with a hamstring injury.
Walker, who signed as a free agent in March after four seasons with Indianapolis, got hurt during Thursday’s practice. He led Cleveland with nine tackles in last week’s 33-29 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. CHARGERS LOSE STARTING TACKLE >> Starting offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga was placed on injured reserve by the Los Angeles Chargers.
Bulaga was battling groin and back injuries throughout training camp. He started at right tackle during last Sunday’s opener at Washington, playing 45 snaps before being sidelined early in the third quarter after tweaking his back. He did not practice this week as the Chargers prepare for Sunday’s home opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
ANOTHER TITANS KICKER >> The list of kickers signed by the Tennessee Titans just keeps growing with the addition of Ryan Santoso to the practice squad.
Randy Bullock will kick Sunday for the Titans in Seattle as their fourth different kicker since training camp started. Santoso will provide insurance with Sam Ficken and Tucker McCann both on injured reserve.