Charles "Kippy" Brown, a Super Bowl-winning coach and a trailblazing figure as the first Black quarterback at the University of Memphis, has died at the age of 71. His cause of death was not immediately disclosed.

Brown's football journey began at the University of Memphis, where he played quarterback from 1974 to 1977. His tenure made him the first Black player to hold that position in the school's history. He was later recognized for his contributions, inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.

Following his playing career, Brown transitioned into coaching, starting at his alma mater in 1978. He later coached at Louisville and the University of Tennessee before moving to the professional ranks.

NFL Coaching Career

Brown's NFL coaching career spanned several decades and included stints with multiple teams. He served as a running backs coach for the New York Jets from 1990 to 1992. After a brief return to the University of Tennessee as a wide receivers coach in 2009, he spent the remainder of his career in the NFL.

His coaching roles included positions with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, and Seattle Seahawks. He also briefly served as the head coach for the Memphis Maniax of the XFL.

During his time as the wide receivers coach for the Seattle Seahawks from 2010 to 2014, Brown was part of two consecutive Super Bowl appearances. He coached notable players such as Doug Baldwin, Golden Tate, Jermaine Kearse, and Sidney Rice.

Former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll remembered Brown as a "great friend" with a "positive, good, fun-loving spirit." Carroll added that Brown "had a light about him, he wanted to have a good time and have fun and make things pleasant for everyone around him."

Doug Baldwin credited Brown with significantly impacting his development both as a player and as a person. "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 stated. "I owe a great deal to him as a coach who helped me develop as a player, but also the man that he was, the way that he held us accountable as young men, doing it in a way that was considerate, and we knew he was only doing it because he loved and cared about us, I wouldn't be the man that I am today without Kippy Brown."

Brown is survived by his wife, Deon, and their two children, Jennifer and Jeome.