Guy Brown

Guy Brown, III (born June 1, 1955 in Palestine, Texas) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Houston.

Early years

Brown attended Palestine High School, before moving on to the University of Houston, where he played as a defensive end.

Professional career

He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (108th overall) of the 1977 NFL Draft, with the intention of playing him at linebacker.

In 1980, he had a chance to earn the starting strongside linebacker job after Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson was waived, but he was passed over by Mike Hegman.^[1] Hegman dislocated his elbow in the wild card playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams, which gave him a chance to start in the next two playoff games. The next year he started six games at strongside linebacker.

Brown would eventually earn the weakside linebacker full-time starter job, when D. D. Lewis retired in 1982.

After experiencing recurring neck problems and visiting with doctors,^[2] he was subsequently diagnosed with a narrow spinal column condition (cervical spinal stenosis), which forced him to announce his early retirement on July 11, 1983.^[3] He was replaced in the starting lineup with Anthony Dickerson.

Personal life

Brown works in the fire protection industry and founded the company Guy Brown Fire & Safety, Inc. in 1982.^[4]

He was one of the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against the National Football League, alleging that it failed to adequately respond to the serious health risks posed by concussions and other repeated head traumas suffered during games.

References