Octavis Lawson
Staff Writer
Jackson State University has a long line of great alumni athletes that have made their mark in the record and history books. We speak often of the greatness of NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton and NBA champion Lindsey Hunter, but there are also a long list of unsung athletes who do not garner quite as much attention but definitely deserve their moment in the spotlight.
One of the Greatest athletes in Jackson State history, is Robert Brazile. Brazile, an NFL first round draft pick, defensive Rookie of the Year, perennial Pro Bowl selection and All-Decade Team Selection, helped to revolutionize the defensive sets ran in the National Football League.
In 1974, upon joining the Houston Oilers after leaving Jackson State his junior year, the 6’4” 240 pound Brazile would go on to become that season’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.
His second year in the league would present more dominance as Brazile would perform well in pass coverage and rank in the top five in tackles for the Oilers, earning him the nickname “Dr. Doom” for his tenacious play.
As an Oilers’ player for his entire career, the JSU alumni and five time All-Pro linebacker would enjoy some team success and failures as Houston never made it pass the AFC Championship games.
The defensive dynamo and the Oilers would then go into a steep decline as a coaching change proved to be ineffective, making the team go several seasons with losing records.
Even with the constant losing, Brazile’s excellence would continue for the next three seasons as he would make two more Pro Bowls, one more All-Pro selection, and two more All-AFC selections.
Brazile would then go on to retire in 1984 at the age of 31 upon losing his wife to a car wreck. His career would end without a Super Bowl appearance or championship but with 1,281 career tackles, Dr. Doom ranks second in franchise history. The 2003 Tiger Sports Hall of Fame Inductee and the 2007 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame inductee is truly one of the stars of JSU’s history and a true innovator at his position.
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