Jerome Brown
(February 4, 1965 - June 25, 1992)
A 1983 graduate of Hernando High, where he was a three-sport letterman, Brown became an All-American at the University of Miami and an All-Pro with the Philadelphia Eagles. The 6-foot-3, 295-pounder played from 1987-91 on a defensive line with Reggie White that was considered among the best. Brown never forgot his Brooksville roots. With his first pro paycheck, he bought his parents a house. He also started the Jerome Brown Football Clinic, bringing NFL players and coaches to town for a weekend with youth players. On several other occasions, he organized charity fundraisers to help friends in need. His legacy lives on in Brooksville with the Jerome Brown Community Center, a facility that opened in 2000 and is a popular recreational outlet for area youth. Brown's 1991 No. 99 Eagles jersey is one of the more popular among "throwback" jersey fans nationally. Brown died June 25, 1992, in Brooksville when his 1991 Corvette ZR-1 hit a pothole and careened off the road into a tree. He was traveling above the posted 30 mph speed limit; Brown's 12-year-old nephew also died in the one-car crash. "You never can tell when you might need help. People say "Jerome, you've got money,' but money ain't everything. You might need support behind you or just someone to say a prayer for you." - Brown in 1989 at a benefit softball game he organized for a friend with cancer.
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