Longtime Dallas Cowboys Coach Gary Brown Dead At 52, Emmitt Smith Mourns

Tragedy has struck the Dallas Cowboys organization again ... longtime assistant coach Gary Brown died on Sunday -- just days after one of the team's legends, Rayfield Wright, passed away.

Brown -- who coached Dallas' running backs from 2013 through 2019 -- had reportedly been in hospice care recently after a lengthy battle with cancer.

He was just 52 years old.

"Everyone who knew him, loved him," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. "He meant so much to the players he coached and the coaches he coached with. His love for family, football and life was evident each day."

"He continued to fight, and he never gave up. My family and the Dallas Cowboys family are heartbroken, and our love and support are with his wife, Kim, his daughters, Malena and Dorianna, and his son, Tre."

Brown had a lengthy career as a player in the NFL before jumping into coaching, rushing for over 1,000 yards in 1993 and 1998.

He ultimately went into coaching after retiring following the 1999 season ... eventually landing with the Cleveland Browns in 2009 and then later the Cowboys in 2013.

Brown helped coach Demarco Murray, Darren McFadden and Ezekiel Elliott, among others, to huge years ... before he left the team after the 2019 season following Jason Garrett's departure.

"This has been a tough week losing Rayfield, Dwayne [Haskins] and Gary B," Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith said early Monday morning. "May the piece of God cover their families and may his grace cover us. Rest in Peace my friends."