NFL Player Hit By Referee Flag Dies

Former NFL player Orlando Brown was found dead in his home today.

Brown, who was an offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns, was struck in the eye by a referee's flag in 1999.  The Browns were playing the Jacksonville Jaguars when the referee directed his weighted penalty flag directly at Orlando Brown.  The flag entered his helmet missing all of its protective gear and struck Brown directly in the eye.




Startled and injured by the incident, Brown walked slowly to the sidelines then turned and charged the referee like a bear.  Brown was 360 pounds at the time.

The injury caused his eye to bleed and Brown later sued the NFL for $200 million and later settled the suit for $25 million.  Triplette, the referee who tossed the penalty flag, insisted that it was purely an accident.  Brown sat out three seasons then returned to the NFL and played six seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.

After retiring from the NFL, Brown entered the restaurant business.  He opened the first Fatburger restaurant in Maryland.

Orlando Brown Opens Burger Restaurant

No cause of death has been determined.  An autopsy is scheduled to be performed.