When it comes to the greatest wide receivers in the history of the NFL, Tim Brown is a name that’s always mentioned at the very top. He was a college standout at Notre Dame, where he became the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy. In a sixteen-year career in which he played with the Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown earned All-Pro honors twice; he was a Pro Bowl selection 9 times; he was named to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team; and in 2015, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Currently, Brown is featured in The Perfect 10, a documentary that highlights the 10 players who won a Heisman and were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In celebration of the film's release, the distinguished group—which includes Brown, Marcus Allen, Earl Campbell, Tony Dorsett, Barry Sanders, Roger Staubach and Charles Woodson—launched the Heisman to Hall (H2H) of Fame Foundation, in partnership with Prudential, with a mission to impact public education on matters of financial literacy, health and leadership in underserved communities throughout the United States .

EBONY caught up with Brown spoke to him about The Perfect 10,  the importance of financial education, plus asked his thoughts on who he thinks will win the Super Bowl.

EBONY: How did you become involved with the launch of the H2H Foundation?

Tim Brown: When I was going into the Hall of Fame, I had a buddy come up to me and asked me if I knew that I was only the ninth guy to win the Heisman and get inducted into the Hall of Fame. On the bus ride after my speech, I googled it and I was really amazed by that. After the ceremony, we talked about the incredible legacy we all left on the football field and we talked about if we could leave a legacy off the field. We were lucky enough to run into Mark Bluestein, CEO of Aquarius Sports and Entertainment, and he gave us a vision of how we could do this incredible stuff in the community by partnering with big companies that could make things happen. Prudential has signed up as the premier presenting partner for The Perfect 10 documentary and we're just getting started. We’re looking forward to raising some money and doing some great things in the community.

What were conversations like in this exclusive club? Is this the first time all of you were together at one time?

That was the first and only time we'd all been in the same room together. Unfortunately, I don't know how many more times we're gonna get together because we're not getting any younger. But it was an invigorating time just to be around each other. It was like a bunch of friends being in a locker room at the same time.

How long did it take to shoot the documentary?

It took about two or three hours. We were having such a good time. It could have been eight hours or more because we were having such a good time. 

Financial education is one of the big items of H2H. In your opinion, what's the greatest misconception about professional athletes and dealing with money?

I think many not be aware of how much we really have [Laughs] Once you make it to the NFL, you don't take into consideration that if you play in the state of California, you're paying 50 -55% taxes. Maybe 45  if you're lucky. Some people think, “ Oh, he made a million dollars.” No, he didn’t. He made $500,000. And then, he paid rent, car notes, and other expenses. When I played, there were no guaranteed contracts. So if you had a four-year deal, but got hurt, you could get cut, and that was how it was. Things are totally different now because if you make the team and play your first game, you're good for the rest of the year. But you still don't have a lot of guaranteed contracts in the NFL.

When it comes to finances, what do you know now that you wish you knew when you first got into the league?

There are so many incredible opportunities out there. I was taught to put my money in a bank and let it sit there. There are so many vehicles that you can safely put your money in and have fun watching it grow. Back in the day, you had to have a big firm to do that. Also, I wish I would have had more conversations about how money works with other players. In the locker room, we talk about everything except our money. That subject never comes up. The league doesn't outwardly recommend financial awareness and professionals to players because if something goes wrong, they're afraid they would be sued. But obviously, it's something that needs to be talked about more.

In the Super Bowl, we have two Black quarterbacks facing off for the first time. How does that make you feel?

You know, it's really amazing that it's 2023 now and it's finally happened. They're totally different quarterbacks, no doubt about it. But that just shows you the range that these Black quarterbacks have today. This matchup could go on for a while because they're young. Both of them can be back in the Super Bowl next year in Las Vegas. I'm so proud of both of them.

Lastly, who do you think will win the game?

Do I have to answer? [Laughs]. If the game is close, Kansas City has a chance to pull it out. But I have a feeling that Philadelphia can find a way to get a lead and do what they do. I don't think they're flashy but at the same time, they are just incredible at doing exactly what they need to do to win football games. I do think Philly's gonna win, but if Mahomes has the ball in his hands at the end of the game, he's gonna find a way to get that done.

The Perfect 10 premieres on Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 8:00 PM ET on FS1.