William Dorsey Brown (June 29, 1938 – November 4, 2018) was an American professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, including 13 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times with the Vikings.

Brown was born on June 29, 1938 in Mendota, LaSalle County, Illinois. While in high school at Mendota, he was teammates with future Canadian football league Hall of Famer Ray Jauch. After graduation from Mendota High School, Brown played college football at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.^[1] He was an All-Big Ten fullback, and also won the Big Ten shot put title^[2][3] and set an Illinois record with a toss of 54 ft 10.5 in (16.73 m). He was captain of the 1960 football team, and led the Illini in rushing yards in 1959 and 1960, points in 1959, was the team's punter (averaging 40.3 yards per punt over three years), while also playing linebacker in 1959. He scored the winning touchdowns in an upset of number 4 ranked Army in 1959, and on the final play against Wisconsin that same year. He was twice selected second team All-Conference.^[1][4]

Brown was a second round choice (20th overall) of the Chicago Bears in the 1961 NFL draft. He had also been selected in the sixth round of the 1961 AFL draft by the New York Titans.^[5] In 1961, he played in the Vikings inaugural game in Metropolitan Stadium, but as a Bear.^[6] Brown was traded to the Vikings before the 1962 season,^[7] for a fourth-round draft pick in the 1964 NFL draft. Brown played for the Vikings for 13 seasons, including three Super Bowls (IV, VIII, and IX).^[8] He was named to the Pro Bowl after the 1964, 1965, 1967, and 1968 NFL seasons.^[9]

1964 was his best season, gaining 866 yards rushing, 703 yards on 48 receptions, and including a game high 128 receiving yards and 226 total yards from scrimmage against the Chicago Bears on December 13, 1964.^[5][8][10] In 1963, he had a 78-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams.^[2] He was selected to the second team Associated Press All NFL teams in 1964 and 1968.^[5] Brown earned the nickname "Boom-Boom" for his reckless, and often violent, running style.^[11] His coach, Pro Football Hall of Famer Norm Van Brocklin, gave Brown the nickname.^[6]

Brown holds many Vikings team records. Brown holds Vikings records for most regular season games played by a running back (180),^[12][6] most consecutive games played by a running back (101),^[13] and most games started by a running back (111).^[7] He ranks fifth for career rushing yards (5,757),^[8] trailing Adrian Peterson (11,747), Robert Smith (6,818), Dalvin Cook (5,993), and Chuck Foreman (5,887).^[14] Brown is second in team history for career rushing attempts (1,627), behind Peterson (2,418),^[15] and is tied for second in team history with Chuck Foreman in rushing touchdowns (52).^[7] He ranks ninth in career points scored (456 on 76 touchdowns), behind Fred Cox, Fuad Reveiz, Cris Carter, Ryan Longwell, Peterson, Randy Moss, Blair Walsh, and Gary Anderson.^[16] Brown is fifth in Vikings history in combined total yards gained (9,198), after Peterson (14,108), Carter (12, 410), Darrin Nelson (10,377), and Moss (9,670).^[17] He rushed for two touchdowns in a single game ten times.^[5] With the retirement of Don Perkins, Brown led active players in career rushing yards for much of the 1970 season, but had been passed by Leroy Kelly by the season finale.^[18]

In 2004, Brown was inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor.^[8] He is a member of the Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame.^[19]

Brown died on November 4, 2018,^[20] at a memory center in Edina, Minnesota where he had resided for five years. Brown had been diagnosed with dementia.^[21] His brain was donated to Boston University's Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, to determine if Brown had CTE, as he had suffered concussions during his playing days.^[8] He was survived by his children Scott, Shelley, Kimberly, and Mick. Former Vikings and Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon was his son-in-law.^[21][22]

• Career statistics from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference ·