Brothers was a two-time All-State quarterback at Roseburg High School, where he led the team to a football state championship in 1961.
[3] Brothers accepted a football scholarship from Oregon State University to play under head coach Tommy Prothro.
[4] In his senior season in 1966, under second-year head coach Dee Andros, injuries forced him to split time with sophomore Steve Preece.
On March 15, 1967, he was signed by the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, who already had veteran quarterback Joe Kapp, but did not know if he would re-sign.
[3] He joined the Willamette High School girls basketball program before the 1993-94 season, where he had a coaching record of 437-122, 17 consecutive postseason appearances, and won four Class 5A state championships (2007, 2009, 2013 and 2014).