Charlie Brandon

{{Short description|American football player (1943–2022)}}

{{Use American English|date=August 2022}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}}

{{Infobox gridiron football person

| name = Charlie Brandon

| image=

| position1 = Defensive end

| position2 = Guard

| number =

| College = Shaw University

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1943|09|13}}

| birth_place = Wake County, North Carolina, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|08|09|1943|09|13}}

| death_place = Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S.

| height_ft =

| height_in =

| weight_lbs =

| playing_years1 = 1967

| playing_team1 = Winnipeg Blue Bombers

| playing_years2 = 1967–69

| playing_team2 = Norfolk Neptunes

| playing_years3 = 1972–78

| playing_team3 = Ottawa Rough Riders

| career_highlights =

• 2× Grey Cup champion (1973, 1976)
• Grey Cup MVP (1973)

| CFLEastAllStar = 1978

| awards=

| honours =

| CFHOF =

| CFHOFYear =

| import = yes

}}

Charles Edward Brandon (September 13, 1943 – August 9, 2022) was an American football player, all-star, and Grey Cup champion lineman in the Canadian Football League (CFL), playing seven seasons with the Ottawa Rough Riders.[http://capitalregionfootball.info/index.php?pr=Rider_Player_DB Capital Region Football: Ottawa Rough Riders all-time roster] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303195929/http://capitalregionfootball.info/index.php?pr=Rider_Player_DB |date=March 3, 2012 }}

A graduate of Shaw University, Brandon started his career playing one game for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1967.[http://www.bomberalumni.com/index.cfm?pageID=77&category=B Winnipeg Blue Bombers Alumni all-time roster] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401072444/http://www.bomberalumni.com/index.cfm?pageID=77&category=B |date=April 1, 2012 }} He then spent three seasons in the Continental Football League playing for the semi-pro Norfolk Neptunes.{{Cite web |url=http://www.boosterclubcfl.com/news_article.php?news_id=556 |title=Booster Club of the Continental Football League |access-date=May 7, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406224522/http://boosterclubcfl.com/news_article.php?news_id=556 |archive-date=April 6, 2016 |url-status=dead }} He returned to Canada and began a seven-year stay in Ottawa, where he was a part of the feared "Capital Punishment" defensive unit.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/article/team-retro-profile-ottawa-rough-riders |title=Team Retro Profile: Ottawa Rough Riders |access-date=August 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218133316/http://www.cfl.ca/article/team-retro-profile-ottawa-rough-riders |archive-date=December 18, 2014 |url-status=dead }} He won two Grey Cups and in his final season switched to offensive guard, and was an all-star.[http://www.cflapedia.com/Players/b/brandon_charlie.htm CFLAPEDIA entry: Charlie Brandon] He was the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player in 1973.

Brandon died on August 9, 2022, at the age of 78, in Virginia Beach, Virginia.{{Cite web |url=https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/norfolk-va/charles-brandon-10882954 |title=Obituary: Charles Edward Brandon |access-date=August 16, 2022 |work=Dignity Memorial}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerb/bran01700.html |title=Charlie Brandon |access-date=August 16, 2022 |work=Pro Football Archives}}