Keith Browner Sr., one of four brothers to play pro football who had a five-year career in the NFL, died Tuesday. He was 63.
Browner, whose son also played in the NFL, died in San Leandro, California, according to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.
Browner was preparing to go to the hospital on Tuesday after complaining of stomach problems, nausea and fatigue, his son, Keith Browner Jr., told TMZ.
TMZ was the first outlet to report Browner’s death, noting that he collapsed on the floor of an apparent heart attack.
The celebrity news outlet reported that the elder Browner’s death was “sudden and unexpected.”
Keith Browner, former USC linebacker and member of a large NFL family, dies at 63 https://t.co/cnXpG3cnWZ
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) November 5, 2025
Browner Sr. was born Jan. 24, 1962, in Warren, Ohio. He attended Warren G. Harding High School in his hometown and later played at the University of Southern California.
Browner was a star at USC and was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round (30th overall pick) in the 1984 NFL draft. After three years with the Bucs, he had brief stints with the San Francisco 49ers, the Los Angeles Raiders and the San Diego Chargers.
Browner was the fifth of six brothers to play college football; he and three of his siblings reached the pros.
His oldest brother, Ross Browner, played for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1978 to 1986 and the Green Bay Packers in 1987. Jimmie Browner also played for the Bengals (1979-80); he died in 2024.
Browner’s third brother, Willard Browner, played at Notre Dame.
Joey Browner was Minnesota’s first-round pick in 1983. He played nine seasons with the Vikings and one with Tampa Bay.
The youngest brother of the family, Gerald Browner, played college football at the University of Georgia.
Keith Browner Jr. continued the pro tradition set by his father and uncles, playing for the Houston Texans in 2014.
© 2025 Cox Media Group






