Gary Brown Way, former Penn State running back, immortalized in Central PA

Williamsport Pennsylvania, the birthplace of Little League and once known as the logging town of the world, but for former NFL and Penn State running back Gary Brown, it was simply known as home. Now that Williamsport has been officially renamed Lycoming Street, Gary Brown Way, he will forever be connected to his city.

Brown and his brother Kevin grew up on Lycoming Street and after losing Gary to a battle with cancer in 2022, Kevin was around to see his brother immortalized in their hometown. Mayor Derek Slaughter, who introduced the idea of ​​renaming one of the city’s streets after the late star, said, “He really cared about Williamsport, about the community, about the kids.”

From 1987 to 1990, Brown played running back at Penn State, with the exception of his junior year, where the running back room was crowded. Head coach Joe Paterno realized that Brown’s abilities could not go unused and switched him to defensive back. Brown accepted the change and put the team first. “Basically, you have to be a team player first. You have to understand that it’s not about the individual, it’s about the team and what you can do to help the team achieve its goals,” Brown said years ago about the position change. .

His words indeed rang true. During that year’s Holiday Bowl against BYU in 1989, Brown took the ball out of Ty Detmer’s hands and returned it for a touchdown, clinching the game for the Nittany Lions.

Brown would return to running back the following season and play eight years in the NFL, with two seasons of over 1,000 rushing yards. After retiring, Brown began his coaching career, starting with his high school alma mater, Williamsport.

In 2021, as running backs coach for the Wisconsin Badgers, Brown said, “I fell in love with the idea of ​​teaching young running backs. I had all this knowledge that I had gathered over the years and it was my opportunity to put it to to share with someone else.”

Councilman Eric Beiter noted the sentiments of Brown’s willingness to give back to the community: “The amount of kindness that came directly from him to those around him was incredible.”

Brown would continue coaching, through the college ranks to the pros, including a stint as Dallas Cowboys running backs coach from 2013 through 2019. He ended his career at the University of Wisconsin in 2021 and was forced to resign due to his cancer diagnosis.

Even after his passing, Brown continues to leave a mark on his community. His family is touched by the honor that Gary has received. Brown’s brother Kevin said, “Thank you.” Kevin elaborated on his gratitude, saying, “We really appreciate it. We moved to Lycoming Street in ’79, I believe. It really touched me and I appreciate everyone making this happen.”