Former Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Orlando Brown was found dead in a downtown Baltimore apartment Friday. He was 40.

The cause of Brown’s death is still unknown.

"He was a beast on the field and a great friend off it," Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "It's a shame he had to leave us so young."

Brown, a 6-foot-7, 360-pound offensive tackle, nicknamed Zeus, played for both the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens during a nine-year career that spanned from 1994 to 2006. He known most for suffering a near career-ending eye injury when he was hit in the face with a weighted penalty flag thrown by referee Jeff Triplette in 1999. Brown temporarily retired because he couldn’t see out of the eye.

He later filed a $200 million lawsuit against the NFL, claiming the incident ended his career. But he made a comeback in 2003 with the Ravens, starting 35 games over the next three years.

He played 10 seasons in the NFL—four with the Cleveland Browns and six with the Ravens. In all Brown, played for 10 seasons—four with the Cleveland Browns and six with the Ravens. 

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(Photo: AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)