Husky Legend: Dennis Brown
October 18, 2019 | Football
By Tanner Kay
Dennis Brown came to the University of Washington hoping to become a better football player. But, by the time he left, he'd grown not only as a football player, but as a man as well.
Brown was raised in Los Angeles and played high school football at Long Beach Jordan. At one point, Brown had committed to play football at USC, but after a conversation with his grandmother, Brown decided Seattle was the best place for him.
"UW has always been known for turning out defensive linemen into the NFL. Reggie Rogers, Ron Holmes, guys like that. I wanted to play professional football," Brown explained. "I was raised by my grandmother and with Coach (Don) James coming to my house, he told my grandma that he could promise me an education, a chance to be a part of a team, and a chance to play in four bowl games. I was 18 years old and it was just that simple."
Leaving Southern California was a new experience for Brown and UW provided a completely new environment. But, that new experience is something that Brown has really come to appreciate.
"It meant a lot," Brown said of his time at UW. "Coming from LA, Seattle was a different culture than I was used to. I think I grew as a person. I grew up at the University of Washington. I was able to get out of the LA box and be involved with something different than I was used to. Seattle is a very diverse community and it was very cool trying new things. I had never even had salmon before. Small stuff like that. It really broadened my horizons."
Brown graduated early from high school and was able to get to campus in time for spring ball leading up to the 1986 season. It was at spring ball that Brown began to learn some of the lessons that would help him grow into the man he is today.
"When I first got to UW, I got to spring ball and I didn't know that Coach James coached from a tower. I can remember it was pouring down rain and here I was right out of high school and I had done something I wasn't supposed to do," Brown recalled. "Coach James had a foghorn and he was leaning down the 12-foot tower yelling at me telling me that's not how they do things here. That kind of set the tone for the culture he had there. It was a good learning moment for me and it kind of taught me what football was about."
The 1986 season saw the Huskies finish at 8-3-1, finishing second in the Pac-10 and earning an appearance in the Sun Bowl. Brown played as a true freshmen and in his sophomore season saw his role grow even more. He started in all 12 games for the Huskies at defensive tackle, recording 21 tackles for loss, which ranks sixth all-time at UW for tackles for loss in a single season. UW went 7-4-1 in that 1987 season and finished with a victory over Tulane in the Independence Bowl.
In his junior season, Brown and the Huskies went 6-5, as Brown started in eight games for the Huskies at defensive end. However, there was one game in particular that really stood out to him.
"It's not a good game," Brown laughed. "It was in Oregon and I can just remember they beat us on a reverse at the end of the game. I think it was my junior year and I just remember the fans. The students running on the field yelling in my face. So, I've always kind of had a grudge against the University of Oregon because of that. The next year we beat them like we are supposed to. That was a game that for me always made that rivalry."
In his senior season Brown was named a team captain and helped to lead the Huskies to an 8-4 record and win in the Freedom Bowl against Florida. After a strong senior season Brown was named an All-American and stills sits on the UW leaderboards at seventh all-time in career tackles for loss with 45.
Brown learned a lot in his time at UW. But, he is especially thankful for the players that helped to guide him in his time with the Huskies.
"I was lucky I had a lot of guys helping me. There was a lot of good leadership on that team when I got to it," Brown remembered. "When I got there as a freshman I didn't redshirt. I was able to play as a true freshman. So, a lot of those guys went out of their way to tutor me. Reggie Rogers was one of those big guys. Rod Jones was another one. They knew I could contribute to the team and they took me under their wing."
After Brown's senior season he was selected in the second round of the NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Brown played seven seasons in the Bay Area, appearing in six NFC championship games, and winning the Super bowl in 1994. After retiring from the NFL, Brown took some time away from football before returning to the 49ers in 2007 as part of their Alumni department. Since then, Brown has continued his work with the 49ers helping with community outreach, as well as working in both TV and radio broadcasts in the Bay area.
"I was lucky," Brown expressed. "I played football, lived football, and now I work in football."
Now, nearly 30 years after dominating on the shores of Montlake, Brown will return to the place that helped to mold him. He will stand before a screaming crowd as his name is called, and he will be able to think back both on the kid he was when he came to Seattle, and the man he is now.
Dennis Brown came to the University of Washington hoping to become a better football player. But, by the time he left, he'd grown not only as a football player, but as a man as well.
Brown was raised in Los Angeles and played high school football at Long Beach Jordan. At one point, Brown had committed to play football at USC, but after a conversation with his grandmother, Brown decided Seattle was the best place for him.
"UW has always been known for turning out defensive linemen into the NFL. Reggie Rogers, Ron Holmes, guys like that. I wanted to play professional football," Brown explained. "I was raised by my grandmother and with Coach (Don) James coming to my house, he told my grandma that he could promise me an education, a chance to be a part of a team, and a chance to play in four bowl games. I was 18 years old and it was just that simple."
Leaving Southern California was a new experience for Brown and UW provided a completely new environment. But, that new experience is something that Brown has really come to appreciate.
"It meant a lot," Brown said of his time at UW. "Coming from LA, Seattle was a different culture than I was used to. I think I grew as a person. I grew up at the University of Washington. I was able to get out of the LA box and be involved with something different than I was used to. Seattle is a very diverse community and it was very cool trying new things. I had never even had salmon before. Small stuff like that. It really broadened my horizons."
Brown graduated early from high school and was able to get to campus in time for spring ball leading up to the 1986 season. It was at spring ball that Brown began to learn some of the lessons that would help him grow into the man he is today.
"When I first got to UW, I got to spring ball and I didn't know that Coach James coached from a tower. I can remember it was pouring down rain and here I was right out of high school and I had done something I wasn't supposed to do," Brown recalled. "Coach James had a foghorn and he was leaning down the 12-foot tower yelling at me telling me that's not how they do things here. That kind of set the tone for the culture he had there. It was a good learning moment for me and it kind of taught me what football was about."
The 1986 season saw the Huskies finish at 8-3-1, finishing second in the Pac-10 and earning an appearance in the Sun Bowl. Brown played as a true freshmen and in his sophomore season saw his role grow even more. He started in all 12 games for the Huskies at defensive tackle, recording 21 tackles for loss, which ranks sixth all-time at UW for tackles for loss in a single season. UW went 7-4-1 in that 1987 season and finished with a victory over Tulane in the Independence Bowl.
In his junior season, Brown and the Huskies went 6-5, as Brown started in eight games for the Huskies at defensive end. However, there was one game in particular that really stood out to him.
"It's not a good game," Brown laughed. "It was in Oregon and I can just remember they beat us on a reverse at the end of the game. I think it was my junior year and I just remember the fans. The students running on the field yelling in my face. So, I've always kind of had a grudge against the University of Oregon because of that. The next year we beat them like we are supposed to. That was a game that for me always made that rivalry."
In his senior season Brown was named a team captain and helped to lead the Huskies to an 8-4 record and win in the Freedom Bowl against Florida. After a strong senior season Brown was named an All-American and stills sits on the UW leaderboards at seventh all-time in career tackles for loss with 45.
Brown learned a lot in his time at UW. But, he is especially thankful for the players that helped to guide him in his time with the Huskies.
"I was lucky I had a lot of guys helping me. There was a lot of good leadership on that team when I got to it," Brown remembered. "When I got there as a freshman I didn't redshirt. I was able to play as a true freshman. So, a lot of those guys went out of their way to tutor me. Reggie Rogers was one of those big guys. Rod Jones was another one. They knew I could contribute to the team and they took me under their wing."
After Brown's senior season he was selected in the second round of the NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. Brown played seven seasons in the Bay Area, appearing in six NFC championship games, and winning the Super bowl in 1994. After retiring from the NFL, Brown took some time away from football before returning to the 49ers in 2007 as part of their Alumni department. Since then, Brown has continued his work with the 49ers helping with community outreach, as well as working in both TV and radio broadcasts in the Bay area.
"I was lucky," Brown expressed. "I played football, lived football, and now I work in football."
Now, nearly 30 years after dominating on the shores of Montlake, Brown will return to the place that helped to mold him. He will stand before a screaming crowd as his name is called, and he will be able to think back both on the kid he was when he came to Seattle, and the man he is now.
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