Joey Browner

Joey Matthew Browner (born May 15, 1960 in Warren, Ohio) is a former American football strong safety for the Minnesota Vikings from 1983 until 1991.

Professional career
An outstanding Defensive Player and tackler, Browner was selected to six Pro Bowls, in 1985-1990 while playing with the Minnesota Vikings (1983–1991). He finished his career playing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1992. Joey Browner is also a 4-time member of the John Madden "All-Madden Team". Joey also is a nine-time NFL Hall of Fame Nominee. Joey was the first round draft pick and 19th overall pick as safety of the Minnesota Vikings in 1983.

Joey is a veteran traveler having gone to China with the NFL players association in 1988 to Germany with the 1989 USO Tour and to Paris to kick off the French Federation of American Football Annual Championship game in 1991.

Joey Browner amassed over 1,100 total tackles, caused 18 fumbles and recovered 16 of them; he also led the team in 9 defensive categories over his NFL career.

Browner holds the NFL Pro Bowl record with 3 fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns. He had 40 interceptions in his career for 505 total yards including the playoffs.

Browner has been involved in the Minnesota/St Paul communities in public relations.

Joey is a member of the State of Georgia Hall of Fame, the African American hall of fame for broadcasting and has appeared on the NFL hall of fame ballot as safety nine years straight.

Fan base has recently rallied to garner support for Joey Browner's #47 Minnesota Vikings retirement of that number for upcoming 2013 season.

College career
He was a first-round NFL Draft choice out of the University of Southern California. He was a four-time All-American football player. Joey was the 1982 Most Valuable Player for USC and ended being drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings. The other members of the Trojan defensive backfield were Dennis Smith (Denver Broncos), NFL HOF Ronnie Lott (SF 49ers), and Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher. Joey also played with HOFer Anthony Munoz, RBs Marcus Allen and Charles White, QB Paul McDonald and other numerous USC stars. Browner also was named MVP of the 1983 Japan Bowl. He attended the University of Southern California on a football scholarship where he also became a perennial 4-time 4 year All-American Football Player, was selected to the first team All-Pac-10, first team All-Coast. Also a four year letterman notching 243 total tackles, 9 interceptions, 40m passes defended, 7 fumble recoveries and 3 touchdowns.

His USC teams compiled a 36-8-1 mark. He played in one Rose Bowl Game and once in the Fiesta Bowl.

High school career
Browner attended Western Reserve High in Warren, Ohio for two years but moved for his junior and senior seasons to Atlanta, Georgia where he attended Southwest High. He was an All State defensive lineman as a junior, played Basketball and ran Track and Field, qualifying twice for the Ohio State meet.

As a senior, Joey Browner had 120 unassisted tackles and three interceptions earning Parade All-American Honors as well as the Georgia class 3-A lineman of the year and Atlanta area player of the year accolades.

Personal
The Browner family, along with the Matthews family, has produced six NFL players. Joey's brothers Ross Browner (Cincinnati Bengals & Green Bay Packers), Jimmy Browner (Cincinnati Bengals), and Keith Browner all played in the NFL, as do Ross's son Max Starks (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Keith's son, Keith Browner, Jr. (Houston Texans). Joey's next eldest Brother Willard was drafted by the Chicago White Sox as a pitcher and also served as the starting tailback for Notre Dame with brother Ross's teams. Youngest and late brother Gerald had a stellar career at the University of Georgia.

He is a member of the NFL Gridiron Legends team along with former Viking teammate Cris Carter on the EA Sports game, NFL Street 2. Joey Browner was enshrined into the African-American hall of fame in 2004 for his work in broadcasting.

Joey Browner and Joann Neilson began the Joey Browner Foundation in 2009.