Former Dallas Cowboys running backs coach Gary Brown, who sat out last season battling cancer, has been hired by the University of Wisconsin, according to a source.
Brown will coach running backs at Wisconsin, a school known for putting out great backs such as current NFL veterans Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts and Melvin Gordon of the Denver Broncos.
Likewise, Brown’s tenure with the Cowboys from 2013-19 featured three NFL rushing titles, one from DeMarco Murray in 2014 and two from Ezekiel Elliott in 2016 and 2018.
Each season he was with the Cowboys, the club averaged at least 4.5 yards per carry. It was the longest streak in team history that was snapped in 2020 when they averaged 4.2 in his absence.
But his biggest achievement is overcoming cancer for the second time.
Shortly after Brown found out he would not be retained, along with most of the Cowboys’ coaching staff, following the 2019 season, doctors a malignant tumor near the bile duct and head of his pancreas.
Brown, who overcame colon and liver cancer roughly 10 years ago, underwent chemotherapy and surgery.
He is currently receiving immunotherapy treatment and has been cleared to return to coaching.
This story was originally published March 25, 2021 5:00 AM.
