As a senior, Browner had 120 unassisted tackles and three interceptions earning Parade All-American Honors as well as the Georgia class 3-A lineman of the year.

After high school it was generally believed that Browner would follow his three brothers to Notre Dame, but he instead decided on the University of Southern California.

Other members of the Trojan defensive backfield included Dennis Smith, Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, and future Los Angeles Rams head coach Jeff Fisher.

While with the Vikings, Browner travelled to China with the NFL players association in 1988, to Germany with the 1989 USO Tour, and to Paris to kick off the French Federation of American Football Annual Championship game in 1991.

Browner amassed over 1,100 total tackles, caused 18 fumbles and recovered 16 of them; he also led the Vikings in nine defensive categories over his NFL career.

Joey Browner was enshrined into the African-American Hall of Fame in 2004 for his work in radio sports broadcasting with his longtime friend Rich Perez in Las Vegas and Hawaii.