Former Raiders great Willie Brown dies

ALAMEDA, Calif. _ Willie Brown, one of the legendary figures in Raiders history and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has died, the club announced Tuesday.

The cause of death has not been released. Brown was 78 years old.

The Raiders issued the following statement:

"Willie Brown will forever be cherished as a true Raider. He exemplified the Raider spirit, originally entering the AFL as an undrafted free agent out of Grambling State before joining the Silver and Black in 1967. He remained an integral part of the organization through six decades. His legendary performance on the field changed the way the cornerback position was played and his valued guidance as a coach, mentor and administrator permeated the organization and touched countless individuals both on and off the field. Willie's loss will leave a tremendous void, but his leadership and presence will always be a major part of the fabric of the Raiders Family."

Brown was acquired by Raiders owner Al Davis after four seasons with the Denver Broncos in 1967. He played for the Raiders through 1978 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1984.

After retirement, Brown was an assistant coach for the Raiders from 1979 through 1988. He coached one season at Long Beach State in 1991 and was a high school coach at Jordan High in Los Angeles in 1994.

Brown returned to the Raiders in an administrative role in 1995 and was a team "ambassador" until his death, often representing the organization for functions such as the NFL Draft.

On the field, Brown helped revolutionize the way cornerback was played through "bump and run" man-to-man coverage favored by Davis. He had 39 career interceptions with the Raiders and 54 in his career. He played in four AFL All-Star games, five Pro Bowls.

During a memorabilia appearance last year in Petaluma, Brown told the local Argus-Courier, "Nobody had seen the bump and run until I played it."

When the Raiders won their first Super Bowl following the 1976 season, Brown intercepted a Fran Tarkenton pass and ran it 75 yards for a touchdown, with NFL Films footage of Brown's return and announcer Bill King's call of "Old Man Willie" leaving an indelible image among the fan base.