John C. Brown (born June 9, 1939) is a former American football tackle who played 10 seasons for two National Football League teams: the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played tackle at Syracuse University alongside Ernie Davis. He experienced a great deal of discrimination. Brown played high school football at Camden High School in his hometown. His son Ernie Davis Brown also played football for Syracuse University as a tackle in the early 1990s. He played briefly for the Pittsburgh Steelers and married his college sweetheart.