Dave Brown, 52, star defensive back for NFL's Seahawks

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Dave Brown, a defensive back who played 16 seasons in the NFL and was an assistant coach at Texas Tech, died Tuesday, apparently after suffering a heart attack while playing basketball on campus. He was 52

''Dave lived a great life that anyone could be proud of," Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said. ''He will be missed, but we are honored to have had the opportunity to know him."

Mr. Brown won a Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers and played with the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.

A 1984 All-Pro selection, Mr. Brown finished his career with 62 interceptions, tying Dick LeBeau for seventh on the NFL's career list.

In 1984, Mr. Brown tied an NFL record with two interception returns for touchdowns in a game. He also holds the team record in Seattle for career interceptions with 50.

Mr. Brown was part of the Steelers team that won the Super Bowl in 1976 against the Dallas Cowboys. He was picked up by Seattle in the expansion draft later that year and remained with the Seahawks for 10 seasons before finishing with the Packers in 1990.

Mr. Brown was hoping to be in Seattle tomorrow for a reunion of members of the Seahawks' ''Ring of Honor" members at Qwest Field but an obligation in Lubbock was keeping him from attending. The ceremony will take place at halftime of Seattle's playoff game against the Washington Redskins.

Seattle will observe a moment of silence for Mr. Brown at tomorrow's game, ''to reflect upon not only a great football player, but also a great man," Seahawks chief executive officer Tod Leiweke said.

Mr. Brown was the defensive captain on the last Seahawks team to win a playoff game in 1984. He also had served as the team's union representative.

''I'm totally numb. It really is a shock," said former Seattle quarterback Jim Zorn, who played with Mr. Brown from 1976 to 1984. ''I just talked to him recently, while he was out on the recruiting trail for Texas Tech. Obviously, there were no signs anything was wrong. We just lost a really good friend."

Mr. Brown, who played high school football in Akron, Ohio, was a unanimous All-America selection in 1974 at the University of Michigan and was named to the school's All-Century team.

Mr. Brown had been a defenseive secondary coach at Texas Tech since 2001.

He leaves his wife, Rhonda; and two sons, Aaron and Sterling.