Tag: Ross Browner

Notre Dame players named to preseason award watch lists

Will anyone win this year?

It’s the time of year when we start seeing award watch lists come out in anticipation of the college football season. With Notre Dame expected to be highly ranked once again, there are plenty of players who are ripe for watching. Whether or not any of them actually take home any of this hardware is anyone’s guess right now, but they’re at least on the radar of those who know college football best.

In some cases, more than one Notre Dame player is on the watch list for the same award. Also, as different award watch lists come on different days, it can be difficult to keep track of them all. Rest assured, we will be doing just that as these lists continue to come out.

At season’s end, we’ll find out if any of them or maybe somebody different becomes the first national award winner for the Irish since [autotag]Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah[/autotag] won the Butkus Award in 2020:

Notre Dame has two names on Outland Trophy watch list

Do you have a preference for who would win this?

If Notre Dame’s offense is to have any success this season, much of it will come from the offensive line. While that’s true every year, the Irish especially can call that a strong area this season. That’s because both [autotag]Jarrett Patterson[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Lugg[/autotag] have been named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy. This award recognizes the best interior lineman in college football and can go to a player on either offense or defense.

The honor definitely adds to Patterson’s reputation as he also is on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, given to college football’s best center. He has not allowed a sack in his career yet, and both he and Lugg started every game for the Irish in 2021. Irish quarterbacks would be wise to take advantage of having these two weapons.

The Irish’s history with the Outland Trophy goes back to its beginning in 1946. [autotag]George Connor[/autotag] and [autotag]Bill Fischer[/autotag] won in two of the first three years it was presented. Their only other winner was [autotag]Ross Browner[/autotag] in 1976.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Ex-Notre Dame, Bengals star Ross Browner succumbs to COVID at 67

Former Notre Dame and Cincinnati Bengals star has died at 67 due to COVID complications

Ross Browner, one of the top defensive linemen in college football and a star for the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL, died of complications of COVID-19 at the age of 67. He had the illness for about a month.

“The world has lost a Titan,” Browner’s son and former NFL lineman Max Starks said. “Our hearts are heavy but he is at peace now.”

Browner starred at Notre Dame before becoming the eighth pick in the 1978 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

A two-time All-American, Browner was named the winner of the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best lineman for the Fighting Irish and the Maxwell Trophy as the nation’s best player, the only lineman to win it in the 1970s.

Browner holds school records for career tackles by a defensive lineman with 340 and career tackles for loss with 77.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Browner started 121 games in his nine seasons with the Bengals and retired after playing 11 games with the 1987 Packers.

He had 62.5 sacks, all but one with the Bengals.

Joe Montana remembers Ross Browner

An all-time great remembers another all-time great.

Ross Browner, who is on the very short list of best defensive players to ever play football at Notre Dame, died Tuesday night from complications of COVID.

Browner won a pair of national championships at Notre Dame (1973, 1977) with the second coming on a team that was quarterbacked by Joe Montana.  Browner would go on to help lead the Bengals to a Super Bowl XVI appearance where they fell to Montana and the San Francisco 49ers, 26-21.

Montana issued a statement from his Twitter account on Wednesday remembering his college teammate and Super Bowl opponent.

“I am saddened to hear of (the) loss of my former Notre Dame teammate and friend, Ross Browner.  It was a pleasure playing with him (not so much against him in NFL, ha!), and as great of a player as he was, he was an even better person.  Gone way too soon.  My thoughts and prayers are with Ross’ family and all those who loved him during this difficult time.”

-Joe Montana

Montana won his first of four Super Bowls and three Super Bowl MVP awards in that contest while Browner recorded the only Bengals sack in that game.

Related:

Ross Browner (1954-2022) photo gallery

Notre Dame’s all-time all Super Bowl team

Joe Montana’s Super Bowl appearances

Notre Dame legend passes away

One of the greatest to ever play at Notre Dame

One of the best players Notre Dame has seen has passed away at 67 years old.

Ross Browner, a two-time All-American selection, 1973 and 1977 national champion, and College Football Hall of Fame selection, died Tuesday.

Browner was the recipient of several awards while at Notre Dame including the Outland Trophy, UPI Lineman of the Year, Maxwell Award, and Lombardi Award.

After his time at Notre Dame, Browner was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals where he would go on to help them to an AFC championship and Super Bowl XVI appearance. He set a record for most tackles in a Super Bowl game in the Bengals loss to Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers.

Browner spent the majority of his career with the Bengals but had stops with the USFL’s Houston Gamblers and Green Bay Packers.

Browner is the father of former Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Max Starks and Rylan Browner, who played collegiate football at Arizona. His brothers Jimmie, Keith, and Joey all played in the NFL as well.

Browner was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.