[1][2][3][4][5] In college, Carson was a standout defensive back and a quarterback for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels from 1949 to 1951, and then entered the Marines for two years.

When Carson, the Gamecocks defensive coordinator, left in January 1966, he was replaced by Lou Holtz on the coaching staff.

Under Carson, the Yellow Jackets endured three straight 4–6 seasons before going 9–3 and winning the Sun Bowl over Texas Tech 17–9 in 1970, and setting a school record for total offense.

[6][9] In 1971, Tech finished 6–6 after a Peach Bowl loss, and Carson became the object of severe criticism by some, who wanted him fired.

[2] His dismissal as the Yellow Jackets' head coach by James E. Boyd was reported in the Atlanta Constitution under the headline "Bitter Bud Carson Is Ousted at Tech".

[citation needed] In 1970, the GT Band began playing the Budweiser tune after the end of the 3rd quarter.

In Pittsburgh's Super Bowl seasons of 1974 and 1975, this unit, led by team captain Andy Russell, Jack Lambert, Mel Blount, Jack Ham and Mean Joe Greene, gave up fewer points than any other American Football Conference team.

[1] Carson left the Steelers after six years, and became a defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, and New York Jets.

[1] After the 1977 season, Carson was hired as defensive coordinator for the Rams, and in 1979, helped guide them to Super Bowl XIV (losing against his former team, the Steelers[6]).

[16] Carson finally landed a head-coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1989, replacing Marty Schottenheimer, who was fired after a wild card playoff loss to the Houston Oilers in 1988, and had a dispute with owner Art Modell about being offensive coordinator as well as head coach.

[15] Carson was hired on January 27, 1989, by general manager Ernie Accorsi,[17] over the other fellow finalist Fritz Shurmur.

They then suffered through a skid that saw them lose three of their next four games (with a tie to Schottenheimer and his new team in the Kansas City Chiefs in between).

They narrowly beat the Bills 34–30[6] where Clay Matthews Jr. intercepted a last-second pass in the endzone to seal the victory.

[21] In addition to 1989 being the last division title in team history as of 2022, it is the last time the Browns have reached the AFC Championship Game.

Save for a 13–10 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the Browns were outscored 217–87, including being shut out 35–0 by the Pittsburgh Steelers and losing 58–14 to the rival Houston Oilers.

[14][26] The 1991 Eagles defense was led by future hall of famer and NFL 100th Anniversary Team member Reggie White, Jerome Brown (who died in a car accident in June 1992), Clyde Simmons, Eric Allen, and Sports Illustrated NFL Player of the Year Seth Joyner, among others.

[31] He was married to Linda Carson, an anchorwoman at WDAF in Kansas City,[3] and Sarasota television station WWSB.