Former NFL coach and Memphis football standout Kippy Brown has died at the age of 71.
The University of Memphis announced Brown’s death, honoring a man who made history as a college quarterback before building a long and respected coaching career in the NFL.
Brown starred at Memphis, then known as Memphis State, where he became the school’s first Black quarterback.
He appeared in 33 games and helped lead Memphis to a memorable upset over No. 7 Auburn in 1975.
After his playing days ended, Brown moved into coaching and eventually reached the NFL.
His first NFL opportunity came in 1990, when he joined the New York Jets as running backs coach.
Over the course of his career, Brown coached for seven NFL teams and worked with some of the biggest names in football.
He spent time with Dan Marino while serving as offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins and later coached Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson during his time with the Detroit Lions.
Brown’s career eventually brought him to Seattle, where he served as the Seahawks’ wide receivers coach from 2010 through 2014.
That run included a Super Bowl championship when Seattle defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll remembered Brown as someone who brought energy and warmth wherever he went.
“He was a great friend to everybody, because he had such a positive, good, fun-loving spirit,” Carroll said.
Carroll added that Brown had a way of making life more enjoyable for the people around him and said many former players and friends had reached out to support Brown’s wife, Deon, and the family in recent weeks.
“He was a wonderful person, and my heart goes out to Deon and the family,” Carroll said.
Former Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin also credited Brown with playing a major role in his development.
“For me as a young person to have him as my rookie coach, I know I would not have been the player I was if it wasn’t for Kippy,” Baldwin said.
Baldwin said Brown not only helped him improve as a player, but also helped shape the man he became.
“He held us accountable as young men,” Baldwin said, adding that players understood Brown pushed them because he genuinely cared about them.
Brown’s impact extended far beyond the NFL.
Memphis inducted him into the M Club Hall of Fame in 2016, and he was later inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
From breaking barriers as Memphis’ first Black quarterback to winning a Super Bowl as an NFL coach, Brown leaves behind a legacy that touched generations of players and coaches.