Dec 24, 1994; Los Angeles, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Raiders receiver Tim Brown (81) against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images RVR Photos-Imagn Images

A Look Back on Raiders Legend Tim Brown

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Nov 8, 2024 11:00 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders have struggled significantly this season, causing some members of Raider Nation to reflect on the good ol’ days of Raiders football.

The Raiders are one of the most successful franchises of all time and feature some of the greatest players football has ever seen.

That includes Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown. A star at Notre Dame, Brown would go on to become the Raiders’ all-time leading receiver.

The Raiders selected Brown with the sixth overall pick in the 1988 NFL Draft. Brown won the Heisman Trophy in 1987 for the Fighting Irish after catching 39 passes for 846 yards and three touchdowns (keep in mind, they threw the ball a lot less back then).

Brown made an immediate impact in his rookie season in the Silver and Black. He caught 43 passes for 725 yards and five touchdowns en route to a Pro Bowl. That season, Brown torched the Seattle Seahawks for four catches, 114 yards, and a touchdown.

The Raiders clearly had something special with their 6-foot, 195-pound receiver.

Brown caught many passes for Jay Schroeder, Steve Beuerlein, Jeff Hostetler, Jeff George, and Rich Gannon, to name a few. It can be tough for receivers to have so much success with several quarterbacks, but it did not stop Brown.

Brown played in five straight Pro Bowls from 1993 to 1997, earning Second-Team All-Pro honors in 1997. Brown’s best skill sets were his speed, his ability to make plays after the catch, and his versatility. He was also a serious threat on special teams.

Many spoke highly of Brown’s character and maturity. Wide receivers are often thought of as divas, but not Brown. His game was all substance and no flash.

“I was told, and I was shocked when I was told this, but I was told that I was too nice,” Brown said on NFL Films. “That my image was too clean, and there needs to be some dirt on me, and that really shocked me.”

Brown had an incredible day on Oct. 24, 1999, when he caught 11 passes for a career-high 190 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets.

Brown ranks seventh all-time in receiving yards (14,934) and receptions (1,094) and ninth in touchdowns (100).

Tim Brown is one of the best wide receivers in NFL history, and the Raiders are proud to have him as a part of their history.

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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