James Jay Brophy (born July 27, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL).

Early life

Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, Brophy played scholastically at John R. Buchtel High School, where he was a letterman in football and basketball. He played collegiately for the Miami Hurricanes, As a senior, he was a member of their consensus national champion squad, and was honored by Football News as a first-team All-American.

Professional career

Brophy was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 1984 NFL draft. He spent three years with the Dolphins, appearing in 31 games, with 11 starts. In 1987 he joined the New York Jets as a replacement player during the NFLPA strike. For his career he collected two sacks, one interception (which he returned 41 yards), and one fumble recovery.

High school coaching

After the NFL, Brophy went on to coach high school football. He was the head coach at St. Vincent–St. Mary in Akron in the early-2000s, where his star player was future NBA Hall-of-Famer LeBron James. As of 2022, he was head coach of the Manchester High School football team in New Franklin, Ohio.