The Washington Redskins announced Wednesday that the team had acquired veteran offensive lineman and former Redskin, Ray Brown. Terms of the deal are undisclosed at this time, although the assumption is that this would be a one year deal at the veteran minimum. He is known as a powerful run blocker and an excellent pass protector with good leverage and strength.
Leonard Ray Brown, Jr. was born on December 12, 1962 in Marion, Arkansas. He is married to wife Ashley, and has 5 children, Lentisha, Tyler, Andrea, Mariam and Leonard. He played his High School football at Marion High School, where he was All-State on both offense and defense, and he is credited with making 25 tackles in a single game.
Brown started his college career at Memphis State as a 237-pound Tight End, before transferring to Arkansas State, where he became the first player in All-Southland Conference history, to be named All-Conference for two different positions (Tight End and Offensive Lineman).
Ray Brown is listed at 6-5 and weighs in at 318 pounds. Ray is an 18-year NFL veteran, five of which were spent with the Washington Redskins from 1989-1995. During his Redskins tenure, he spent one year under Coach Bugel and 4 years under Coach Gibbs. While Brown will most likely fill a reserve role with the team, he brings the team a sense of leadership and dependability, two feelings that were lost when Tackle Jon Jansen ruptured his Achilles’ tendon, effectively ending his season.
Brown’s career spans 231 games (189 starts), 4 different teams, and is spread out over 18 seasons. He was drafted back in 1986 in the 8th round (201st overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals. In his first 3 seasons, he played in 33 games, starting 8.
In 1989, he signed with the Washington Redskins. That season, he did not play until week 10 versus Philadelphia. Joe Jacoby was injured in the first quarter and Brown filled in admirably, earning the game ball for not allowing Reggie White a single sack en route to a 10-3 win.
In 1990, Ray spent the entire regular season on injured reserve. Coach Gibbs activated him for the playoffs and he logged time in the Divisional playoffs against San Francisco.
Brown missed the entire 1991 season to an elbow injury.
In 1992, Brown started the season as the team’s reserve at left guard. In week 13, Joe Jacoby suffered a season ending injury and Brown was moved to the starting Right Tackle spot.
Ray saw action all over the line in 1993, starting at Left Guard and Right Tackle, until a broken thumb forced him out of the starting line-up.
In 1994, Ray started all 16 games for the Redskins, the first 14 at Left Guard, and the final two at Left Tackle. He was also used as a Tight End that season in short-yardage situations.
In 1995, Brown’s final season with the Redskins, he played all but four offensive plays, mostly at Left Guard. All-in-all, Ray played in 74 games for the Redskins, including three playoff games, starting 56 of them.
Brown spent the next 6 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers including 7 post-season appearances as a starter. During that span, Brown only missed one game.
Ray spent the last two seasons in Detroit, starting all 32 games.
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— JansenFan
Edit: This blog was archived in May of 2016 from our original articles database.It was originally posted by Scott Hurrey