Gary Brown, a former NFL running back who served as the Wisconsin Badgers’ running backs coach last season but was unable to travel with the team to the Las Vegas Bowl in December because of medical issues, died Sunday.
Brown was 52.
He is survived by his wife, Kim, daughters Malena and Dorianna and son Tre.
Brown, who played eight seasons in the NFL and coached 11 years for the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, gained the respect of the UW coaches and players during his lone season on Paul Chryst’s staff.
“It has been difficult,” tailback Chez Mellusi said earlier this spring when asked about missing Brown. “I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for coach Brown. It was difficult for me but the most important thing is his health. As sad as it is, that is the most important thing.”
Under his tutelage freshman Braelon Allen developed into one of the Big Ten’s top running backs last season.
Allen took over as the starter after Wisconsin lost Mellusi (815 yards, five touchdowns) to a season-ending knee injury in November and finished with 1,268 yards, a 6.8-yard average and 12 touchdowns. He was a consensus second-team, all-Big Ten pick.
Brown, a native of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was a running back at Penn State. He played for three teams over eight seasons in the NFL before retiring in 1999. Brown posted two 1,000-yard rushing seasons (1993 with the Houston Oilers and 1998 with the New York Giants).
He was twice diagnosed with cancer, first when he was in his…
