Clemson Mourns Loss of All-Time Leading Tackler Marlon “Bubba” Brown

The Clemson Tigers lost one of their defensive legends, and member of their athletic hall of fame on Monday at the age of 67

Clemson lost a team legend on Monday | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

A Clemson Tigers legend, and one of the top defensive players in program history, has passed away after a long battle with an undisclosed illness.

According to a post from Clemson football’s official X account, Marlon “Bubba” Brown died at the age of 67. 

Clemson is saddened to share the passing of its all-time leading tackler, Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame linebacker Marlon "Bubba" Brown.https://t.co/cwmu6c2ape pic.twitter.com/fmScqzecy5

— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) November 11, 2025

The Tennessee native played for the Tigers from 1976 to 1979, racking up 515 tackles while playing for head coach Danny Ford.

Shortly after Brown’s death, Ford released a statement honoring his former star player. 

“Bubba Brown was a very smart player and had a great approach to the game,” Ford said Tuesday. “He had speed and toughness, everything you want in a linebacker. His tackle record has stood for nearly 50 years, and I don’t know that anyone will break it because of the way the game is played today.

“Bubba was a great player who always had a smile on his face off the field. But on the field, he would knock the stew out of you.”

Brown was a four-year starter, finishing with 100 or more tackles during three out of his four seasons with the Tigers.

In 1978, he set a program single-season tackles record by racking up 170 tackles while earning First-Team All ACC honors and leading the Tigers to an ACC Championship win. After racking up 18 tackles against N.C. State that year, he earned National Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors from Sports Illustrated.

When Clemson faced Ohio State in the Gator Bowl that season, Brown racked up a career-high 22 tackles. At the time, it was the highest single-game tackle total in Tigers history, and it still stands as the second-highest.

The following year, he fell just short of his own record but still finished with 150 tackles, the second-highest single-season total in program history, behind only himself.

By the time his Tigers career was over, Brown had racked up 515 tackles, four interceptions, 17 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles.

After helping lead Clemson to sustained success throughout the late 1970s, he helped lay the foundation for the Tigers’ first national championship in 1981.

In 1999, Brown was inducted into the Clemson Hall of Fame and was also included among the three linebackers selected to be part of Clemson’s Centennial team.

After his playing career, the 6-foot, 215-pound former linebacker moved to Detroit, where he served as a teacher and high school football coach for several years.