Ted Brown

Lore & Background

Brown was born in High Point, North Carolina. He attended T. Wingate Andrews High School. By the time he graduated from North Carolina State University in 1978, he had set the Atlantic Coast Conference career rushing record with 4,602 yards and the single game rushing record with 251 yards against Penn State in 1977. He was an All-ACC pick for all four years in college and a consensus All-American in 1978. In 2013, Brown was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The Minnesota Vikings chose Brown in the first round (sixteenth pick overall) of the 1979 NFL Draft. In December 1981, Brown accidentally shot himself while handling a loaded revolver. The injury required surgery to remove bullet and wood fragments from his upper thigh. There was a question of whether he would be able to continue his career in football. Brown ended up recovering and retired after the 1986 NFL season. Brown was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. After retiring from football, Brown became a juvenile probation officer in Saint Paul, Minnesota. His son, J. T., played with the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League.

In Their Own Story

The wind howled across the frozen gridiron at Metropolitan Stadium as Ted Brown lined up against a speedy wide receiver. The crowd was silent, holding its breath for the snap. As the quarterback dropped back, Brown mirrored every step of his man with surgical precision. With a sudden burst of acceleration, he broke on the ball, palming it away just inches from the goal line, sealing another victory for the Vikings in a classic winter battle.

Reader's Guide

Ted Brown played as a running back for the Minnesota Vikings from 1979 to 1986. He was a first-round draft pick (16th overall) in 1979. He recovered from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1981 to continue his career. After football, he worked as a juvenile probation officer.

Did You Know?

• Ted Brown set the ACC career rushing record with 4,602 yards.
• He accidentally shot himself in December 1981 while handling a loaded revolver.
• His son J. T. played for the Minnesota Wild of the NHL.