Kippy Brown, a former NFL assistant coach and a pioneering college quarterback, died Monday at the age of 71, the University of Memphis announced. Brown was a part of the Seattle Seahawks team that won their first Super Bowl in 2014, retiring after the 2015 season after a career that spanned seven NFL franchises.
Before his coaching career, Brown made history at the University of Memphis, then known as Memphis State. He became the first Black quarterback in the program's history, playing from 1974-77. During his collegiate career, he appeared in 33 games and notably led Memphis to an upset victory over No. 7 Auburn on September 13, 1975.
His accomplishments at Memphis led to his induction into the M Club Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
Brown transitioned to coaching, beginning at the college level with his alma mater, Louisville, and Tennessee. He entered the NFL in 1990 as an assistant for the New York Jets under head coach Bruce Coslet, working alongside Pete Carroll.
Over his NFL coaching tenure, Brown also served on the staffs of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, and Detroit Lions before reuniting with Carroll in Seattle. Among the notable players he coached were Hall of Famers Dan Marino, Andre Johnson, and Calvin Johnson.
Pete Carroll remembered Brown as a "great friend to everybody" with a "positive, good, fun-loving spirit" who made things pleasant for those around him. Former Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin credited Brown with being instrumental in his development as a player and as a man, stating, "I owe a great deal to him as a coach who helped me develop as a player, but also the man that he was."
Brown is survived by his wife, Deon, and two children.