Despite some other published reports today WEEI’s Mike Felger said on the air that New England Patriots great Troy Brown will shortly announce his official retirement from football. Felger said he recently spoke to Brown and he told him he was done. He said he had a chance to play this season with the New York Jets and turned down their invitation.
Brown is a lifetime Patriot. One of the reasons he possibly wouldn’t sign with New York was out of his loyalty to Bill Belichick and to not cross sides in the Belichick-Eric Mangini fued. Brown has been in Foxboro longer than anyone currently in place. He was drafted before Bill Parcells took over, he was drafted before the Patriots adopted the flying Elvi logo. When you think of the Patriots one of the players you think of is Brown.
Drafted out of Marshall in the 1993 NFL Draft, Brown went on to earn the loyalty and trust of not only Parcells, but Pete Carrol and Belichick in finding his way through 15 NFL seasons.
Brown holds the team record for most career catches with 557, he is second in yardage with 6,366. He also has more post season catches and yardage than any other Patriot and played in 20 post season games. Until last season he owned the single season record most catches with 101 he set in 2001. He is now second to Wes Welker who caught 112 passes last season. He also has the third highest single season catch total with 97 catches in 2002 and Brown’s 13 100 yard games rank second on the franchise list second to Stanley Morgan who had 39.
Now it’s being rumored that he will go to work for Comcast Sports Net New England. With Brown being so outgoing it’s a natural fit and I’m sure like in football he will follow a path that leads him to success in his new endeavor.
In my mind Troy Brown will be remembered for three things:
- Stripping the ball in the 2006 playoff game in San Diego after an interception.
- Running back a punt against Pittsburgh in the 2001 AFC Championship game.
- His play on the final drive in Super Bowl XXXVI that led to the Adam Vinatieri field goal.
Brown is a three time Super Bowl champion and an all around team player. The sad fact of the matter is there was once a day when professional athletics were loaded with guys like Troy Brown. Now players like him are few and far between.
Troy Brown will forever be a Patriot.
