Whenever someone mentions Notre Dame Football, the name Tim Brown immediately comes to mind, and resonates with fans of all ages. Tim Brown will always be cemented in history as one of the greatest to ever wear the golden helmet. Not only was he one of the greatest to ever play the wide receiver position at the collegiate level, but he went on to become one of the greatest wide receivers to ever play in the National Football League. During his collegiate career he was a First-team All-American (1986), Heisman Trophy winner (1987), Unanimous All-American (1987), Walter Camp Award Winner (1987), SN Player of the Year (1987) and UPI Player of the Year (1987). In his NFL career, he was on the PFWA All-Rookie Team (1988), NFL kickoff return yards leader (1988), NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, 9x Pro Bowler (1988, 1991, 1993-1997, 1999, 2001). Last but certainly not least, he was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame (2009) and Pro Football Hall of Fame (2015).
Photo via Notre Dame Athletics
I was able to catch up with Tim for an interview, and I just want to say what an honor and a
privilege it was. We talked about a lot - including his recruitment to ND, why he chose ND, what it was like to play for Lou Holtz, and what he’s currently up to today.
Knowing how the legendary story plays out for Tim Brown at the University of Notre Dame, one would think that the coaches at Notre Dame would have been eyeing Brown from the start, but that’s not the case according to Tim.
“I guess the word would be surprising, because when ND came to Dallas to recruit, they didn’t have me on the radar. I had an incredible game, but they came to recruit a kid named Dante Jones who went on to play for Oklahoma and then played ten years at middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears. I had a kick return, punt return, long catch, and a long run. That was on a Thursday night. The coach stayed overnight, and on Friday, he came to my high school to find out why is it that nobody was talking about this kid from Woodrow Wilson High School.”
How could that be you ask? Well, Tim thinks he might know the answer to that question.
“Probably because my high school only won 4 games in three years. So, maybe that’s a good reason. Haha”
Tim would go on to secure an offer from Notre Dame, and even though he had no desire to attend the institution at first, his older brother helped convince his parents that ND was where Tim needed to be.
“My big brother came in and saw the letter on the table and told my parents if ND wanted me a year from now, then that’s where I should go. And I had no clue about ND. The academics, where they were, or any of that. I had to go and look on a microfiche in a library at my high school to find out where it was. When I found out it was so far away, I had no intentions at all of going there. It was all about the education. My brother had convinced my parents that even if I didn’t make it in football, I would have a great academic degree to fall back on to be able to go to work.”
There are so many great games to look back on in Tim’s career, but what was his favorite game he was a part of at Notre Dame? And what moment does he believe started it all for him?
“Without a doubt, the Michigan State game my senior year where I returned the two punts back to back for touchdowns. Literally within ten minutes of each other. I think that game put me on track to win the Heisman, and in position to become a first round pick and Hall of Famer. I always credit that game for putting me on the map.”
With so many career highlights, it would be hard to imagine he could pick a favorite - But he did, and his choice will surprise you.
“This may sound strange, but to me, it’s the very first time I touched the ball my freshman year. The opening kickoff of the game, I fumbled that kickoff and they got the ball. They basically told me they didn’t want me to go in on my own, and they would now tell me when to go in. But they also had a package for me on the offense, and in the third quarter they called that package and I just ran onto the field. I figured somebody was going to have to pull me off that field, but they didn’t and they ended up throwing me the pass and I caught the ball. I felt so bad after the kick return fumble that if I hadn’t caught that pass, I just don’t know what would have happened. I really think that play gave me hope, because I could at least catch passes. Even if I couldn’t return the ball, I could at least catch passes. So, I left that game, and even though we lost, I thought I could be a player.”
What was it like to play for the legendary Coach, Lou Holtz?
“Without Lou Holtz, I am not Heisman trophy winner and NFL hall of famer Tim Brown. I can tell you that. He was great to play for, very encouraging, but at the same time he was tough on you. He would put you into positions to succeed, but you could always fail in those positions too. He always kept it positive in what you could or couldn’t do. He always gave me very high accolades in private, but publicly he would just tell people I was a good football player. Behind closed doors he’d tell me you're going to be a Heisman trophy winner, go to the NFL, and break records. He was great.”
So what is Tim’s favorite Lou Holtz memory?
“My favorite memory would probably be after two days of practice, he pulled me in and asked me a litany of questions. Like why I hadn’t been playing much my freshman and sophomore year. He wasn’t believing my answers, so every time I would answer he would get louder and louder at me. So I kept telling him I don’t know why they didn’t play me. He told me that from now on, the only way I wouldn’t get the ball is if they found a way to intercept the snap from the center. "If they do that, I can’t get you the ball, but if it gets to my quarterback, you’re going to get the ball in your hands."”
What is Tim Brown up to today? He has some exciting news about his new business venture.
“I still do autograph shows, appearances, and things of that nature. Also, I just launched a company called Athletic Enzymes. I started taking these types of products my 15th year in the league. After I retired, it put me into a position where I didn’t have to take the Advil, or pain pills, or anything of that nature. They are 100% all natural and take away stiffness, pain, and swelling. I’ve been working on this for years, trying to get to this position and we’re finally there. The products are ready and the website www.athletic-enzymes.com is up and running. I know my ex teammates and ex players in any sport can utilize these products to help with the wear and tear on their bodies. So I’m looking forward to getting the word out on that.”
So, how does Tim Brown feel about this upcoming Notre Dame Football season?
“A lot riding on the first game of the year, and of course, the last game of the year. Not saying the games in between don’t matter, because they certainly do, and we found that out last season. This A&M game is going to be huge, so hopefully we can get this thing off to the right step. I think with some extra effort, for them to go 12-0 this year is a realistic goal, but one game at a time.”
How does Tim see the season going for The Irish?
“I think 11-1 at the worst, make the playoffs, and go from there.”
I’d like to thank Tim Brown for taking the time out of his busy schedule to do this interview. It
was an honor to listen to him relive his days at Notre Dame. Be sure to check out his
business www.athletic-enzymes.com. and make sure you follow The Irish Tribune for more
content like this!
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