Career
Brenner played defensive back for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Ottawa Rough Riders from 1971-1977. Brenner started his career with the New York Giants of the NFL, for whom he played two seasons. He played college football at Michigan State University where he was an All-American in 1968.
Al Brenner was also the Head Coach of the Burlington Braves Junior Football Team in 1981. While playing in the CFL for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats he intercepted Joe Theismann 4 times in one game. Brenner also was part of "The Game of the Century", where both Michigan State and Notre Dame were ranked number 1 in the country and went to a 10-10 tie in 1966.
Brenner was reported missing in April 1983. Brenner is featured in a Fifth Estate program on Dec 3, 2010 which discusses his disappearance and subsequent resurfacing eight years after abandoning his family. He is interviewed living in an unnamed small town in North Carolina and says he cannot explain why he left.
Brenner died Feb. 13, 2012 at age 64 in Clinton, North Carolina after a long illness.