Charles Henry "Kippy" Brown[1](born March 6, 1955)[2]is anAmerican footballformer coach and former player who most recently was the wide receivers coach for theSeattle Seahawksof theNational Football League(NFL). He was a college-level startingquarterbackforMemphisand coached in various capacities at both the college and professional levels ofAmerican football.He retired in May 2015.
 Brown in 2013 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born: | March 6, 1955 Sweetwater, Tennessee,U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Sweetwater (TN) |
| College: | Memphis |
| Career history | |
| As a coach: | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season: | XFL: 5–5 (.500) |
| RecordatPro Football Reference | |
Playing career
editKippy Brown began his football career atSweetwater High SchoolinSweetwater, Tennessee,under long-time Sweetwater coach King Berrong (1925–2013).[3]He led Sweetwater to the 1971 and 1972 state championships,[4]and helped the team lead the state in scoring in 1972 and 1973.
Following his high school career, Brown attended Memphis State University (now known as University of Memphis) where he was quarterback for the Tigers from 1975 to 1977. Notably, Brown's Tigers upset seventh-rankedAuburn University31–20 in 1975. Brown engineered this victory by completing 7 of 11 passes for 103 yards and twotouchdowns,including a 37-yard strike toKeith Wrightin the fourth quarter that put the game out of reach.[5]
Coaching career
edit1978–1999
editAfter graduating from MSU in 1977 with a B.A. in Communications, Brown switched gears from playing to coaching at hisalma materand served asrunning backscoach in 1978 under head coach Richard Williamson and receivers coach from 1979 to 1980.
After coaching two years with the Tigers, he moved toLouisville, Kentuckyto coachreceiversat theUniversity of Louisville(U of L) Cardinals for the 1982 campaign. One of his pupils wasMark Clayton,who would go on to become a five-time Pro Bowl receiver for theMiami Dolphinsfrom 1983 to 1992.
Following the 1982 season at U of L, Brown returned to his roots in the state of Tennessee helping coach theJohnny Majors-runUniversity of TennesseeVolunteers football team. During his first stint with the Vols from 1983 to 1989, Brown helped Tennessee acquire the nickname "Wide Receiver U.,"[1]coaching numerous pass catchers to greatness. ReceiversLenny Taylor,Clyde Duncan,Tim McGee,Joey Clinkscales,Anthony Miller,Alvin Harper,Anthony Morgan,andCarl Pickensall benefited from Brown's tutelage prior to their joining the professional ranks.[6][7]
Brown caught the attention of theNew York Jetswhile with Tennessee and coached for the Jets from 1990 to 1992. While with the Jets in 1991, he coached running backs for New York head coachBruce Cosletand saw his backs rank fifth in theNFLinrushing.That 1991 squad also returned to theplayoffsfor the first time since 1986.
Brown later returned to Tennessee when the Vols' new head coachPhillip Fulmerconvinced him to return to the collegiate ranks as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach for two seasons (1993–1994).[1]He brought an offensive flair from the professional ranks to the UT offensive package as the Vols compiled an 18–6 record and outscored their opponents 847–383 over the course of those two years. Receivers he worked with during this period includedCory Fleming,Billy Williams,Joey Kent,andMarcus Nash.[7]A youngPeyton Manningalso benefited from Brown's guidance during hisfreshmancampaign as the Vols' signal caller.
Following a highly successful 1994 Tennessee season, Brown was again called to the pro ranks, joiningTampa Bay Buccaneersin 1995. Then-Tampa Bay head coachSam Wychenamed Brown running backs coach stating, "Getting Kippy is a major coup for us."[citation needed]While inTampa,he also worked closely with former Bucs head coach and former head coach of theIndianapolis Colts,Tony Dungy.
From 1996 to 1999, he was onJimmy Johnson's Miami Dolphins coaching staff, where he was theoffensive coordinatorfrom 1998 to 1999 and the running backs coach from 1996 to 1997. In 1996, Brown helped running backKarim Abdul-Jabbarbecome the first Dolphins running back to reach 1,000 yards in 18 years, and in 1997, Abdul-Jabbar tied a league-high 15 rushing touchdowns.[8]
2000–2015
editIn 2000, Brown joined theGreen Bay Packersas running backs coach under head coachMike Sherman.Following the creation of theXFLin 2001, Brown took command of his hometownMemphis Maniaxfinishing the year 5–5; second in the Western Division and was the only team to defeat eventual XFL championsLos Angeles Xtremetwice. The team disbanded after one year as the XFL league collapsed.
After the demise of the XFL, Brown spent four seasons as theHouston Texanswide receivers coach. Among his pupils in Texas was WRAndre Johnson,who was taken by Houston with the third overall pick in the2003 draft.Johnson became the first Texans offensive player to earn a trip to thePro Bowl,selected for his outstanding 2004 season that included club records of 79receptionsfor 1,129 yards.
Brown arrived inDetroit,Michiganfor the 2006 season with theDetroit Lions.There, he reunited withLarry Beightol,with whom Brown worked on the New York Jets in 1990–92, Miami in 1996–98 and Green Bay Packers in 2000. For the 2008 Season, Brown served as Assistant Head Coach/Passing Game Coordinator.
On December 17, 2009, Brown accepted an offer from University of Tennessee head coachLane Kiffinto coach wide receivers and also become their "Passing Game Coordinator". This appointment was brief, however, as within a few weeks Kiffin resigned to become head coach atSouthern Cal.Brown was named the Vols' interim head coach, and expressed interest in becoming head coach permanently, but the university hiredDerek Dooley.[9]On January 16, 2010, after not being named Kiffin's successor, he left to joinPete Carroll's staff as Wide Receivers Coach of the Seattle Seahawks. He won his first Super Bowl title when the Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos inSuper Bowl XLVIII.[10]Brown retired in March 2015.
In June 2014, Brown's hometown ofSweetwaternamed the road circling Sweetwater High School "Kippy Brown Way."[11]
Head coaching record
editXFL
edit| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| MEM | 2001 | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 3rd in Western Division | did not qualify | |||
| Total | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 0 | 0 | .000 | |||
Family life
editBrown and his wife, Deon (Wilson), were married in Memphis in 1974. Deon is a native Memphian who taught locally at Craigmont High School from 1978 to 1981. The couple has two grown children, Jerome, born April 8, 1975, and Jennifer, born July 28, 1980.
Jerome earned a basketball scholarship at the University of Tennessee under former Vol head coachWade Houston,and competed on theBuy.comgolftour. Jennifer studied atSpelman CollegeinAtlanta, Georgia.[12]
Brown is the older brother of former Atlanta Falcons running backs coachGerald Brown.[13]
Footnotes
edit- ^abc1993 Tennessee Volunteers Football GuideArchivedMarch 4, 2016, at theWayback Machine,UTSports.com, p. 26. Accessed November 1, 2015.
- ^"Biographical information on Kippy Brown".Dean's Packer Backer Website.RetrievedDecember 6,2006.
- ^Beth Haynes, "HomeGrown: Kippy Brown, Seattle Seahawks Assistant Coach[permanent dead link],"WBIR.com, November 18, 2014.
- ^1983 Tennessee Volunteers Football GuideArchivedMarch 4, 2016, at theWayback Machine,UTSports.com, p. 27. Accessed November 1, 2015.
- ^"Upset: Memphis State Shocks No. 7 Auburn, 31-20,"Daytona Beach Morning Journal,September 13, 1975.
- ^1983 Citrus Bowl Press GuideArchivedMarch 4, 2016, at theWayback Machine,UTSports.com, p. D-12. Accessed: November 1, 2015.
- ^ab"Kiffin Trying to Lure Brown Back to Tennessee,"ESPN, December 16, 2009. Retrieved: November 1, 2015.
- ^"All-XFL.com".Local Website.RetrievedDecember 6,2006.Career biographical information on Kippy Brown
- ^Terry Wood, "Kippy Brown Went From Rocky Top to the Super Bowl,"Knoxville News Sentinel,January 31, 2015.
- ^"Super Bowl XLVIII - Seattle Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos - February 2nd, 2014".Pro-Football-Reference.com.RetrievedFebruary 20,2023.
- ^"Sweetwater Dedicates 'Kippy Brown Way'[permanent dead link],"WBIR.com, June 21, 2014.
- ^"All-XFL.com".Local Website.RetrievedDecember 6,2006.Family information on Kippy Brown
- ^Price, Austin (February 27, 2017)."VolReport - Jones adds familiar name; veteran offensive mind".Rivals.com.RetrievedFebruary 20,2023.