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Former NFL coach Kippy Brown has died aged 71, the University of Memphis announced.
Brown was a standout quarterback at the school before going on to have an illustrious coaching career in the professional ranks.
He got his first break in the NFL when he joined the New York Jets as running backs coach in 1990.
His career ended as a Super Bowl winner after being wide receivers coach for the Seattle Seahawks from 2010 to 2014, winning Super Bowl XLVIII with the franchise.
His head coach in Seattle, Pete Carroll, paid a heartfelt tribute to Brown on the team's website.
'He was a great friend to everybody, because he had such a positive, good, fun-loving spirit,' Carroll said.
Former Memphis QB and NFL coach Kippy Brown has died at 71, his alma mater announced
Brown won the Super Bowl as wide receivers coach for the Seattle Seahawks
Brown coached for seven NFL teams, including time with the Houston Texans
'Everybody loved being around Kip. And he had a light about him, he wanted to have a good time and have fun and make things pleasant for everyone around him.
That's why so many people have rallied around him in this last month or so and reached out to (his wife) Deon, being supportive and loving.
He was a wonderful person, and my heart goes out to Deon and the family. It's a beautiful family.'
Brown coached some of the NFL's best players, including a stint with Dan Marino as the Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator and being Calvin Johnson's wide receivers coach at the Detroit Lions.
His Seattle wide receiver room included Doug Baldwin, who hailed the role Brown played in his career.
'For me as a young person to have him as my rookie coach, I know I would not have been the player I was if it wasn't for Kippy,' Baldwin said.
'I owe a great deal to him as a coach who helped me develop as a player, but also the man that he was, the way that he held us accountable as young men, doing it in a way that was considerate, and we knew he was only doing it because he loved and cared about us, I wouldn't be the man that I am today without Kippy Brown.'
Brown made history as a college player at Memphis, then called Memphis State, when he became the school's first black quarterback. He played 33 games and famously led an upset over No.7 Auburn in 1975.
He was inducted into the M Club Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
