Gilbert Brown
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Farmington, Michigan, U.S.
 Brown in 2005. | |||||||||
| No. 71, 93 | |||||||||
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| Position | Nose tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | February 22, 1971 Farmington, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 340 lb (154 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Mackenzie (Detroit, Michigan) | ||||||||
| College | Kansas | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1993: 3rd round, 79th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
Playing | |||||||||
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* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
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Gilbert Jesse Brown (born February 22, 1971) is an American former professional football player who was a nose tackle for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1993 to 2003. Brown played in 125 Packers games (103 starts), recording 292 tackles (186 solo) and seven sacks. Nicknamed "The Gravedigger" in honor of his celebratory dance following a thunderous tackle, Brown played in 15 Packers playoff games. He was a major contributor on strong defenses during the mid-1990s. His most successful season was in 1996, when he started all 16 games and Green Bay won Super Bowl XXXI. He played college football for the Kansas Jayhawks, who won the 1992 Aloha Bowl. He was selected for the All-Academic Big Eight team in 1991.
Brown grew up in Detroit, Michigan with parents Leroy and Ann Brown, older brother Leroy, and younger siblings, Carla, Carlos and JoAnn (all of whom went to college and became athletes).[1]
During his career at Mackenzie High School, Brown recorded 189 tackles and 19 sacks. His senior year culminated in all-state honors. He also lettered in track, competing in the shot put. He graduated from high school in 1989.[2]
College career
Brown chose to attend the University of Kansas, and majored in human development.[2] With the Jayhawks, Brown helped build a winning program, along with Dana Stubblefield. He started all but 2 games in four seasons at the University of Kansas (1989–92), and was tied for sixth in school history in tackles by a defensive lineman with 168, fifth in career tackles for loss with 30, and had 7+1⁄2 career sacks. He finished second on the team in sacks, tackles for loss and fumbles recovered in 1991 while helping the Jayhawks hold opponents to an average of 150.9 yards per game on the ground, which was the best run defense at Kansas since 1968 at the time. A year earlier, as a sophomore, was named as the Jayhawks' 'Co-Defensive Most Valuable Player' and earned second-team All-Big Eight Conference recognition. Brown started nine games at nose guard as a freshman...An All-Academic Big Eight selection in 1991.[2]
He came up with the "Gravedigger" move at Kansas—after a big defensive hit, he would dig an imaginary grave, which became his trademark and nickname.[1]