Remembering the life of Eagles legend, Pro Football Hall of Famer Bob Brown

Former Philadelphia Eagle and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Bob Brown died this past Friday at the age of 81. Brown was a first-round draft pick by the Eagles in 1964 and played for the Los Angeles Rams and Oakland Raiders as well.

Brown passed away in Oakland, California surrounded by family and friends. He was still recovering from a stroke he suffered a couple of months ago. Let's take a brief moment to remember his career with the Eagles and in the NFL.

Bob Brown was a well-accomplished player

He was a dominant offensive lineman in both college and the NFL. Bob Brown played his college ball at Nebraska where he was an All-American and had his jersey number retired by the program. The Eagles drafted him in 1964 with the second overall pick.

Brown spent five seasons in Philadelphia (1964-1968) and was part of a unit that protected Eagles quarterback Norm Snead and running back Timmy Brown. Unfortunately, the 60s were not a memorable era for the Eagles. They won the NFL Championship in 1960, but with the NFL and AFL merger, it took awhile for the Eagles to be competitive again.

With being a part of just one winning season out of five with Philly, Brown requested a trade following the 1968 season. The Eagles sent him to the Los Angeles Rams where he had an opportunity to play for a playoff team. After two seasons in LA, he finished his career for the Raiders where he played for three years.

Remembering the Eagles Great

Bob Brown was one of the Eagles' best players from the 1960s despite the team's disappointing record and no playoff appearances for 18 years following the championship. He was either a first-team or second-team All Pro in each of his five seasons with the Eagles and nine out of ten overall in his career. Brown made the Pro Ball six times overall and is a member of the 1960s all-decade team. He made his long-awaited induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio released a statement remembering the life of Bob Brown and who he was as a person.

"Bob Brown demonstrated different personalities on and off the field. On the field, he was as fierce an opponent as any defensive linemen or linebacker ever faced. He used every tactic and technique – and sometimes brute force – to crush the will of the person across the line from him. And took great pride in doing so. Yet off the field, he demonstrated a quiet, soft-spoken, and caring nature"

- Hall of Fame President Jim Porter

Today's generation of Eagles fans are lucky to have dominant offensive lineman such as Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson, but Bob Brown set the standard many decades ago. It's a sad moment to hear about his passing, but may his legacy never be forgotten.

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