Brown was selected to the NFL Pro Bowl game every year for six successive seasons, running from 1962 through 1967.

He played for College Football Hall of Fame coach Vernon "Skip" McCain.

Over his four years, the Hawks had a 24-5-1 record, kept opposing teams to an average 7.3 points per game, and outscored opponents 693 to 213.

[citation needed]The Colts won 29-0, in a game in which collegian Don Brown of the Houston Cougars (who would go on to play for the first Houston Oilers team) was nearly killed when notoriously violent Colts linebacker Bill Pellington[6] hit him so hard that Brown swallowed his tongue and stopped breathing.

[5] In the 1962 "Thanksgiving Day Massacre" game against the Green Bay Packers, Brown sacked future hall of fame quarterback Bart Starr seven times (the team had 11), including once for a safety.

[5][14] On September 30, 1962, Brown had earlier sacked100th Anniversary All-Time Team member Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas for a safety.

[17] The original Rams fearsome foursome of the mid-1960s had included Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier at tackle, whom Brown replaced.

[1] The Professional Football Researchers Association named Brown to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2007.

[1] On Sunday, October 28, 2018, Brown was inducted into the Pride of the Lions at Ford Field during halftime of the game vs. the Seattle Seahawks.

[citation needed]Later, Brown became a regional personnel manager for McDonald's overseeing a staff of 65 people and operations at 289 franchises in 11 states.

[citation needed]He was very involved with Portsmouth's Chamber of Commerce, its Olde Town Merchants Association, and Ronald McDonalds Charities.