Coaches

Gary Brown enters his third season as the Browns’ running backs coach, after being named to the post on February 17, 2009.

In 2010, Brown oversaw a backfield led by Peyton Hillis. Hillis joined Hall of Famers Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly as the only Browns to record 11 or more rushing touchdowns in a single-season. Hillis ranked among the league leaders in points scored (tied for third), total touchdowns (tied for third), receptions by a running back (fourth) first downs (fifth), yards from scrimmage (sixth), rushing touchdowns (tied for sixth) and rushing yards (11th). Hillis became the only player in Browns history to rush for 1,000 yards, record 50 receptions and score 10 total touchdowns in the same season and he eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in five contests.

In Brown’s first season tutoring the team’s running backs, Jerome Harrison led the club with 862 yards rushing, after he had amassed 448 yards in his first three NFL seasons combined.  He rushed for 570 yards and five touchdowns on 113 carries (5.0) over the final four games, the second-highest total in the NFL over the final quarter of the season.  His total included a Browns single-game record 286 yards at Kansas City on December 20, as he snapped Jim Brown’s previous club mark.

As a team, the Browns averaged 4.2-yards per rush attempt in 2009 and 4.0 last season, the first time the club has averaged 4.0 or better in consecutive seasons since 2002-03. 

Brown owned six years of collegiate coaching experience upon joining Cleveland, having coached running backs and served as an offensive coordinator at that level. Brown spent the 2008 season as the running backs coach at Rutgers University, where he helped the Scarlet Knights to an 8-5 mark and a victory in the Papajohns.com Bowl. Under Brown’s tutelage, the trio of Kordell Young, Jourdan Brooks and Joe Martinek combined for 1,474 rushing yards, a 4.9-yard average per attempt and 15 rushing touchdowns in 2008.

Prior to joining the Rutgers staff, Brown spent the previous two seasons (2006-07) as offensive coordinator at Susquehanna University. In 2007, while under the guidance of Brown, Crusaders sophomore running back Dave Paveletz produced the second-highest single-season rushing total in program history and was named first-team All-Liberty League.

Brown got his start in the coaching profession immediately following an eight-year NFL career as a player when he served as the offensive coordinator at Williamsport (Pa.) Area High School from 2000-02.  He then broke into the college ranks as the running backs coach at Lycoming College (2003-05).

In addition to his collegiate positions, Brown also helped coach the running backs at New York Giants training camp in 2005, then worked with the Green Bay Packers in 2006 and Carolina Panthers in 2007 as part of the NFL's Minority Coaching Fellowship program.

Brown enjoyed a solid four-year career at Penn State (1987-90), and as a sophomore in 1988, he led the Nittany Lions in rushing yards with 689 yards and six touchdowns on 136 carries (5.1 avg.)

A native of Williamsport, Pa., Brown played eight seasons in the NFL (1991-95, 1997-99) after being selected in the eighth round of the 1991 Draft by the Houston Oilers.  In his career, he played for the Oilers (1991-95), Chargers (1997) and Giants (1998-99).  During that time he ran for  4,300 yards and 21 touchdowns on 1,023 carries and caught 84 passes for 631 yards and three scores in 99 games.  He rushed for 1,000 yards twice, including 1,002 in 1993 and 1,063 yards in 1998.  His feat in 1993 was accomplished while playing in just eight games.

Brown went on to earn his degree in sports administration from Lock Haven University in 2005.  He and his wife, Kim, have two daughters, Malena and Dorianna, and a son, Tre.

Gary Brown’s Coaching Background:

2003-05           Lycoming College, running backs coach

2006-07           Susquehanna University, offensive coordinator

2008                Rutgers University, running backs coach

2009-               Cleveland Browns, running backs coach