“Celebrating Greatness: SWAC Alumni Pay Tribute to Jackson State’s Pro Football Hall of Famer”

Robert Brazile, a legend of Jackson State University and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker, is set to be awarded the Roscoe Nance Lifetime Achievement Award during the SWAC Alumni Association’s Legends Awards and Roast on Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Flowood.

The occasion will transpire at the Sheraton Refuge Hotel and Conference Center, commencing at 7 pm.

The Mobile, Ala. native joined Jackson State University’s football squad in 1971 and ultimately exited the field as a notable figure in the sport. Not heavily sought after from Vigor High School in Pritchard, Ala., Brazile alongside his high school mate, Rickey Young, toured Jackson State. Tigers head coach Robert “Bob” Hill recruited both.

Initially signed as a tight end, Brazile was transitioned during his freshman season to linebacker, a role in which he would thrive throughout his football journey, both in college and professionally. He epitomized the ideal linebacker. He was large (6-4, 241), powerful, swift (4.6, 40), and a relentless, precise tackler. He garnered the Defensive MVP title of the 1971 Alabama High School All-Star Football Game. Throughout his tenure at Jackson State, Brazile was a walking highlight reel, particularly in his final year of 1974.

Brazile earned All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) honors, topped the conference in total tackles (208) and interceptions (9), participated in the Senior Bowl, and was selected for the Sheridan Black College All-America Team. During his four years at JSU, the Tigers achieved a record of 30-10-1 and clinched back-to-back SWAC titles in 1972 and 1973.

Brazile concluded an unforgettable college career by being chosen sixth overall in the first round of the 1975 NFL Draft. His college roommate, Walter Payton (yes, that Walter Payton) was chosen fourth overall by the Chicago Bears in the same draft. They became the only teammates from a Mississippi college or HBCU team to be selected within the top 10 picks in NFL Draft history. Remember Rickey Young, Brazile’s Vigor High teammate? He played fullback for JSU and was taken in the seventh round of the 1975 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers, embarking on a nine-season NFL career.

Three athletes from the 1974 Jackson State squad, including Brazile, have since been inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. The other two are Payton and Jackie Slater. If Brazile’s college career could be described as a living highlight reel, then the main attraction occurred during his NFL tenure, all with the Houston Oilers (1975 to 1984). Throughout his decade with the Oilers, Brazile never missed a game and started 147 consecutive games.

His NFL achievements include being honored as the Defensive Rookie of the Year (1975), a two-time first team All Pro (1978, 1979), four-time second team All Pro (1976, 1977, 1980, 1981), and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection (1976-1982), as well as recognition on the NFL 1970s All Decade Team and the Titans Oilers Ring of Honor.

During his rookie season with the Oilers, Brazile was given the moniker “Dr. Doom” by one of his teammates, a nickname that quickly gained traction in the media, including from Howard Cosell. The Association’s Legends Awards and Roast annually celebrates former student-athletes as well as past or present coaches, athletics administrators, or staff members who have significantly influenced the historical conference.

Proceeds from the Legends Awards and Roast aid the SWAC Alumni Association’s Degree Completion Scholarship Fund, which offers financial assistance to student-athletes within the conference whose eligibility has lapsed and who are within 30 hours of graduation.