Tom Brown, who had clinching
interception for Packers in 1966 NFL title game, dies at age 84
[April 29, 2025]
By JOSH DUBOW
Tom Brown, the two-sport star whose interception sealed the 1966 NFL
title game for Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers, has died. He was
84.
Both the Packers and Brown's alma mater the University of Maryland
announced his death on Monday. The Packers said he died last
Wednesday.
Brown played six seasons in the NFL after being drafted in the
second round by the Packers in 1963. He joined Green Bay the
following year after playing one season of Major League Baseball
with the Washington Senators.
Brown was part of Green Bay's three straight NFL title-winning teams
from 1965-67 under Lombardi, starting in the secondary and playing a
key role on one of the most important plays during that dynasty.
With the Packers protecting a 34-27 lead in the final minute of the
1966 NFL title game, Dallas drove down to the 2-yard line with a
chance to tie the game. But on fourth down, Don Meredith's
desperation pass was intercepted by Brown in the back of the end
zone to seal the win. The Packers went on to win the first Super
Bowl two weeks later against Kansas City.
Brown also had an interception in the 1967 playoffs against the Los
Angeles Rams. The Packers then won the NFL title the following week
in the Ice Bowl against Dallas and another Super Bowl against the
Oakland Raiders.
Green Bay also won the NFL title with Brown starting in the
secondary in 1965 — the year before the first Super Bowl.
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Brown was traded to Washington from Green Bay in
1969 after Lombardi had been hired there and played just one game
that season in his final year in the NFL.
Brown finished his NFL career with 13 interceptions and six fumble
recoveries in 71 regular-season games, along with the two
interceptions in the playoffs.
Brown batted .147 in 61 games for the Senators in his only year in
the majors with one home run and four RBIs. Brown became the first
person ever to homer in a major league game and play on a Super Bowl
champion — a feat only matched since then by Deion Sanders.
Brown spent the start of the 1964 season in the minors before
quitting baseball in July and signing with the Packers.
“I think I could probably have played major league ball, but not as
a starter; probably as a utility player," he said in a 2009
interview, according to the Packers website. "But I had the
opportunity to play with the Packers and I took that opportunity.”
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