Vikings fans are mourning the loss of one of the franchise’s all-time greats.
Joey Browner, a member of the Vikings Ring of Honor and one of the most dominant safeties in team history, has died at 65, the team announced Sunday morning.
The franchise did not reveal a cause of death.
Browner was a star from the moment he arrived in Minnesota. Drafted in the first round out of USC, he spent nine seasons with the Vikings from 1983 through 1991 before finishing his NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
During his time in Minnesota, Browner built a legacy that made him impossible to forget. He was a three-time All-Pro, a six-time Pro Bowler, and earned a spot on the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1980s.
He was also a key part of some of the Vikings’ toughest defenses.
Browner led Minnesota in tackles in both 1986 and 1987 and helped power the team to the 1987 NFC Championship Game. He was also one of the driving forces behind the Vikings’ top-ranked defense in yards allowed in 1988 and 1989.
His numbers still stand out today.
Browner ranks second in franchise history in sacks by a defensive back and total tackles, while his 37 career interceptions are still the fifth-most ever by a Viking.
Former teammates and fellow Vikings greats are now remembering him not just for his talent, but for the kind of person he was off the field too.
Former Minnesota tight end Steve Jordan called Browner a great friend and one of the best teammates the Vikings ever had. He said Browner was blessed with incredible talent and a big heart, and remembered him as someone who brought positivity to the people around him.
Even current Vikings stars recognized Browner’s impact. After grabbing his 38th career interception last season, Harrison Smith paid tribute to Browner, calling him a player who helped define what it meant to play safety in the NFL.
The heartbreaking news comes just one day after the Vikings also announced the death of linebacker Jeff Siemon, another franchise legend who helped lead the team during its glory years in the 1970s.
Both Browner and Siemon were named to the Vikings’ 50 Greatest Players list in 2010.