Former Cowboys RB coach Gary Brown passes at 52
Former Cowboys running back coach Gary Brown, who helped shape Ezekiel Elliot’s career, passed away on Sunday from cancer at the age of 52.
The NFL and college football communities lost a valued member on Sunday with the tragic passing of Gary Brown.
The former Penn State running back who played for the Oilers, Chargers and Giants in the NFL before beginning a long coaching career with teams like the Cowboys and Browns died of cancer.
He was 52.
Many football communities came together to mourn Brown’s passing, including those where he coached and played.
Twitter mourns former Cowboys running backs coach Gary Brown
Former Cowboys running backs coach Gary Brown passed away today in Pennsylvania following latest battle with cancer. He was 52. Just as he lived, Brown fought with an incredible spirit. He spent seven seasons in Dallas, including the first four of Ezekiel Elliott’s NFL career. pic.twitter.com/7JGhV6OrAu
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) April 11, 2022
Great Father, Husband, Coach, and Mentor. Appreciate you and your family more than anything GB… Thank you for teaching me the way on the field and in life. Appreciate you Gary Brown. 🙏🏾
— DeMarco Murray (@DeMarcoMurray) April 11, 2022
We mourn the passing of Gary Brown, a great man who played for Big Blue for two years - including a 1,000-yard season in 1998.
— New York Giants (@Giants) April 11, 2022
Once a Giant, Always a Giant. pic.twitter.com/86A99vs1ZX
Thank you Coach for always looking out for me. Making me better, smarter and allowing me to love your wife and kids as much as you. You are 1 of 1 Gary Brown pic.twitter.com/z9mWSyxCV0
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) April 11, 2022
Heartbreaking. Gary Brown was a big part of our (very entertaining) crew way back at Penn State. RIP, GB. Sending love to his family. https://t.co/IjnVGeZc8d
— Kim Jones (@KimJonesSports) April 11, 2022
https://twitter.com/kelsey_charles/status/1513322721026920453
This one hurts…rest easy coach. pic.twitter.com/i3iN5H2Zli
— Braelon Allen (@BraelonAllen) April 11, 2022
Brown was an eighth-round pick for the Oilers in the 1991 NFL Draft. He played in Houston from 1991 to 1995, posting a 1,002-yard season in 1993.
After one year with the Chargers rushing for 945 yards, he joined the Giants and managed another successful campaign with 1,063 yards and give touchdowns.
He rushed for 4,300 yards and 21 touchdowns on 1,032 carries over his eight-year career.
Brown retired after the 1999 season and went into coaching.
In 2008 he landed a gig as the running backs coach at Rutgers. The next year he took a job with the Browns, remaining on staff until 2012.
Dallas hired Brown as running backs coach in 2013. Immediately, he helped running back DeMarco Murray achieve back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons.
When the Cowboys drafted Ezekiel Elliot, Brown was there to guide him to three Pro Bowls in his first four seasons.
In 2020, Brown was not retained by the new coaching staff and he took a year off from coaching while dealing with his health. He joined Paul Chryst’s staff at Wisconsin for the 2021 season but had to miss the Las Vegas Bowl as his battle with cancer progressed.
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