Brown, a native of Philadelphia, began his career in 1981 at the Boca Raton News. In 1982, when Brown covered his first NFL match in Florida at the Orange Bowl press box, he noticed that people were staring at his face. There were no other journalists that looked like him.

Brown worked for the Detroit Free Press from 1983 to 1988, The New York Times since 1988, Sporting News 2007 and Comcast SportsNet Baltimore 2013, Indianapolis Star 2017 and the Ravens 2018.

He has covered the Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh era for the Ravens as a staff reporter. He is currently documenting their search for the next head coach.

Ryan Mink, Ravens’ Editorial Director, said: “Cliff is a master storyteller who has a passion for getting to know people. He also wants to learn more about them and their lives.” “He’s also the most classy person I’ve ever met in sports journalism.” Cliff is the kind of sportswriter that every sportswriter should strive to be. We are proud of him for being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Brown created and hosted the podcast “Black in the NFL”, which explored what it meant to be “Black in the NFL”, looking at the experience with different perspectives and voices.

The episodes included an in depth look at the NFL’s diversity problem, both in coaching and in front offices. They also featured interviews with Ozzie newsome – the NFL’s first Black General Manager – as well as Sashi brown – the second Black Team President in NFL History.