Bryce Brown
refer to caption
Brown with the Buffalo Bills
No. 34, 35, 36
Position:Running back
Personal information
Born: (1991-05-14) May 14, 1991
Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school:Wichita East
College:Tennessee (2009)
Kansas State (2011)
NFL Draft:2012 / Round: 7 / Pick: 229
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts:251
Rushing yards:1,076
Rushing touchdowns:7
Receptions:37
Receiving yards:316
Receiving touchdowns:0
Player stats at NFL.com

Bryce Lee Brown (born May 14, 1991) is a former American football running back who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and Seattle Seahawks. He attended the University of Tennessee his freshman year of college, but decided to transfer to Kansas State after head coach Lane Kiffin left the program for USC.[1] Later that year, Volunteers coach Derek Dooley declined to release Brown from his scholarship, resulting in Brown sitting out the 2010 season at Kansas State due to NCAA transfer rules.[2] Brown left the Kansas State football team early in the 2011 season to enter the 2012 NFL Draft. In April 2012, Brown was drafted in the 7th round by the Philadelphia Eagles.[3]

While playing at Wichita High School East, he won the 2008 Hall Trophy for the best high school player in the United States and was ranked atop of the Rivals.com ranking of his class, the first running back to do so since Adrian Peterson in 2004.[4] In 2008, he was also dubbed the best high school running back prospect of the last five years.[5] In 2008, Rivals.com analyst Barry Every compared Brown to NFL running back Ronnie Brown.[4]

High school career

A First-team All-City league selection as a freshman, he rushed for 1,472 yards and 12 touchdowns. He followed that up with an even more impressive sophomore campaign, rushing for 2,039 yards and 26 TDs. Brown was a consensus First-team All-State selection as well as EA Sports National Sophomore of the Year. He amassed more than 50 scholarship offers.

During his junior year, Brown rushed for 1,825 yards on 207 carries (8.8 avg) and 23 touchdowns, earning him All-City and All-State honors. He wore #5 in his Junior year. He was also recognized as a member of the Kansas “Fab 11” and was the lone junior that was named a USA Today Prep All-American.[6] In fact, Tom Lemming of CSTV considered Brown to be better than all of the senior running backs in the 2008 class (which included Darrell Scott, Ryan Williams, and Cyrus Gray).[7] Brown was believed to be the top running back prospect from Kansas since Barry Sanders.[8][9]

Arthur Brown committed to the University of Miami in December 2007, which led to rumors whether Bryce may complete his high school in Coral Gables, Florida, since their mother once told USA Today that Bryce “is wanting to go to high school wherever Arthur chooses to go to college.”[10] Bryce Brown, however, eventually decided to remain in Wichita for his senior season.[11]

In October 2008, Brown was selected to the 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.[12] Brown finished the 2008 season with a Wichita City League regular-season record 1,873 yards rushing, giving him 7,209 rushing yards overall, also a City League record.[13] He was named to the USA Today All-USA First-team for the second consecutive time.[14]

Recruiting

His workouts, recruiting, and news media requests were handled by Brian Butler, who identified himself as Brown's trainer and handler.[15][16] Butler sold updates of Brown's recruitment via website for $9.99 a month or $59 a year and sought contributions that he says were used to take players on a tour of colleges each summer.[15] At one point, Butler announced Brown was considering entering the Canadian Football League (CFL), but Brown backed down from that claim.[16] As a result of Butler's handling, the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s amateurism certification staff launched an investigation to determine whether anything had been done that would jeopardize Brown's amateur status.[17] The NCAA's investigation eventually cleared Brown to play before the start of his freshman season.[18]

On February 22, 2008, Brown chose to follow his brother and verbally committed to the University of Miami.[19] However, Brown did not sign a letter of intent on National Signing Day 2009, but instead planned to announce his decision on March 16, naming five other "finalists" despite his oral commitment to Miami: LSU, Tennessee, Oregon, USC, and Kansas State.[16] Said ESPN.com′s Tom Luginbill: "If I was Randy Shannon and the Miami staff, I would tell the kid and Brian Butler to go jump in a lake. I got to imagine that deep down, Miami's coaches have to be thinking, 'This is getting ridiculous.'"[20] Prior to his announcement, Brown paid official visits to Oregon and Clemson,[21] and finally took an impromptu visit to Tennessee on March 13.[22]

Citing an anonymous source, the Associated Press reported the University of Miami would not reissue a national letter of intent to Brown to replace the one that expired Wednesday, February 18.[23] Brown's advisor Brian Butler told AP he was unaware scholarship offers have an expiration date, but reiterated that Brown would not sign until March 16.[24] According to Palm Beach Post′s Jorge Milian UM coach Shannon called Brown on Tuesday, February 17, and allegedly told him the University of Miami was no longer interested in his services.[25] However, Brown later told Wichita Eagle that Shannon still wanted him to be a Hurricane.[26] Due to NCAA rules, Shannon was not allowed to comment.

On March 16, 2009, Brown announced at a press conference at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in Wichita, Kansas, that he would attend the University of Tennessee. "I feel that's the school that's gonna prepare me the best to go to the next level," Brown said at the press conference.[27]

College career

Entering college with an enormous amount of hype, Brown was expected to see considerable playing time during his true freshman year and spent the 2009 season in the top two running back rotation.[28] His amateur status was under investigation by the NCAA prior to the season,[29] but Brown was cleared only a few days later.[30]

Brown spent the season as a backup to senior Montario Hardesty. Brown finished the season with 460 yards rushing, second on the team behind Hardesty. He also had three rushing touchdowns.

On the first day of Tennessee's 2010 spring practice, after Lane Kiffin left the Volunteers for USC, Brown announced his decision to leave the program. Volunteers' coach Derek Dooley said that Brown would remain enrolled at Tennessee for the rest of the spring semester but did not indicate if he would then transfer.[1] His brother Arthur transferred from the University of Miami to Kansas State University a couple of weeks earlier, and on August 15, 2010, Brown decided to join his brother at Kansas State.[31]

Brown, along with his brother Arthur, were named in a report from Yahoo! Sports alleging that student-athletes, coaches, and administrators were aware and received impermissible benefits from an ex-booster of the University of Miami Nevin Shapiro.[32] "Kansas State University has been in communication with the NCAA," the university said in a release. "Regarding Arthur Brown and Bryce Brown, the NCAA staff has informed the institution that it has no concerns about their eligibility to compete at K-State."[33]

In Brown's only action for the Wildcats, he carried the ball three times for 16 yards as a fourth-option back in a 10-7 win over Eastern Kentucky On September 3. On September 29, 2011 it was reported that Brown left the Kansas State football team "at least temporarily."[34] He entered the 2012 NFL Draft as an early entry in January 2012.[3]

Professional career

Pre-draft

Brown was not invited to the 2012 NFL Combine. Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune ranked him as the No. 17 running back prospect of the 2012 NFL Draft.[35]

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeight40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jumpBench press
5 ft 11+1⁄2 in
(1.82 m)		 223 lb
(101 kg)		 4.48 s1.56 s2.58 s4.20 s7.04 s34.0 in
(0.86 m)		9 ft 9 in
(2.97 m)		22 reps
All values from Kansas State Pro Day[36]

Philadelphia Eagles

Bryce Brown takes a handoff from Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles.

Brown was drafted in the seventh round (229th overall) of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.[37][38] He signed a four-year contract with the team on May 11, 2012.

After starting running back LeSean McCoy was ruled out due to post-concussion symptoms, Brown started against the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football on November 26, 2012—his first start since high school.[39] Brown had over 100 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone, including a sixty-five yard touchdown run. He finished the game with 178 yards rushing on 19 carries, 2 touchdowns and 4 receptions for 11 yards, and 2 fumbles. Brown's 178 yards set an Eagles rookie record.[40] The next week on December 2, 2012 against the Dallas Cowboys, Brown rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Brown fumbled late in the fourth quarter, however, and Dallas player Morris Claiborne returned the fumble 50 yards for the deciding score in the game.[41]

In the 2013 season, Brown continued to play backup. In a 54-11 blowout of the Chicago Bears, he reached 115 yards on only nine carries, including a 65-yard touchdown.[42] The 9.6 yards per snap (only on the field for 12 snaps) average was the NFL record since the stat became available in 2012 (later broken by Miami's Lamar Miller in 2015).

Buffalo Bills

On May 10, 2014, Brown was traded to the Buffalo Bills.[43] The trade sent Brown and the Eagles 2014 7th round pick for the Bills 2015 4th round pick and 2014 7th round pick. On September 15, 2015, the Bills released Brown.[44]

Seattle Seahawks

On October 27, 2015, Brown signed with the Seattle Seahawks. He spent the remainder of the 2015 season with the team.[45]

Personal life

Bryce met his wife, Morgan Elyse Brown, at The University of Tennessee. The two married on March 8, 2013 in Fiji. The couple has two sons together, Beckham and Leighton Brown. His brother Arthur Brown, Jr, also played in the NFL and his uncle Lawrence Pete is a former Detroit Lions player.[46]

His older brother Arthur is a former five-star linebacker recruit who played at Kansas State University and played for the Baltimore Ravens from 2013-2016. According to Jeremy Crabtree of Rivals.com, the Browns were the first brothers ever to be both ranked five-star recruits.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 "RB Bryce Brown leaves Tennessee's football team". USA Today. March 18, 2010..
  2. ↑ Ward, Austin (July 30, 2010). "Brown will not be released from scholarship". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  3. 1 2 K-State’s Bryce Brown to enter NFL draft
  4. 1 2 The Battle for No. 1: Why Bryce Brown?
  5. ↑ Past vs. Present: Look back at the best
  6. ↑ USA Today All-USA team 2007
  7. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times: Class of '08 in spotlight
  8. ↑ Sports Illustrated, Issue from August 23, 2007.
  9. ↑ Buchanan, Olin (December 29, 2008). "Brown is quick to slow down". Rivals.com.
  10. 1 2 Steve Wieberg (September 6, 2007). "Wichita gems hail from same team ... and family". USA Today. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  11. ↑ Yahoo! - Rivals.com: No place like home for Brown?
  12. ↑ East High’s Brown Selected to National All-Star Game Archived October 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ Lutz, Bob (December 7, 2008). "Sometimes being great isn't enough, as East's Brown has learned". Wichita Eagle. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008.
  14. ↑ USA Today 2008 All-USA team
  15. 1 2 Evans, Thayer; Thamel, Pete (February 3, 2009). "In Kansas, a Players' Agent Lines Up the College Recruits". New York Times.
  16. 1 2 3 Mandel, Stewart (February 13, 2009). "From Brown to Kiffin, here are 10 offseason storylines to watch". SI.com. Retrieved February 14, 2009.
  17. ↑ Evans, Thayer; Thamel, Pete (February 26, 2009). "N.C.A.A. Investigates Role of a Recruit's Adviser". New York Times.
  18. ↑ "Tennessee's Bryce Brown cleared after NCAA investigation". The Associated Press. August 27, 2009.
  19. ↑ Wolters, Levi (February 22, 2008). "Bryce Brown selects Miami". Wichita Eagle. Retrieved February 24, 2008.
  20. ↑ Milian, Jorge (February 11, 2009). "Top recruit's path anything but ordinary". Palm Beach Post.
  21. ↑ "Bryce Brown Profile". Scout.com. Retrieved February 11, 2009.
  22. ↑ Hooker, Dave (March 13, 2009). "Nation's top recruit, Bryce Brown, visits UT". Knoxville News-Sentinel.
  23. ↑ Navarro, Manny (February 17, 2009). "Miami Hurricanes might rescind offer to prized recruit Bryce Brown". Miami Herald.
  24. ↑ "AP: Bryce Brown won't sign with Miami by deadline". USA Today. February 17, 2009.
  25. ↑ On Tuesday, UM told Bryce Brown: "No thanks."
  26. ↑ Brown says Miami still interested
  27. ↑ "Bryce Brown signs with Tennessee". VolunteerTV.com. March 16, 2009. Archived from the original on March 26, 2009.
  28. ↑ Staples, Andy (August 7, 2009). "Freshmen most likely to make an immediate impact in 2009". Sports Illustrated.
  29. ↑ "Tennessee Volunteers coach Lane Kiffin says NCAA investigating Bryce Brown's eligibility". ESPN. August 19, 2009.
  30. ↑ "Tennessee's Bryce Brown cleared after NCAA investigation". USA Today. August 27, 2009.
  31. ↑ Former Tennessee running back and top national recruit Bryce Brown to enroll at Kansas State
  32. ↑ Robinson, Charles (August 16, 2011). "Renegade Miami football booster spells out illicit benefits to players". Yahoo! Sports.
  33. ↑ "K-State: NCAA 'has no concerns' about Browns' eligibility". Archived from the original on August 28, 2011. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  34. ↑ "Report: Bryce Brown Leaves KSU Football Team". Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2011.
  35. ↑ Pompei, Dan. "NFL draft preview: Running backs". Chicago Tribune.
  36. ↑ "2012 Draft Scout Bryce Brown, Kansas State NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  37. ↑ Robinett, Kellis (April 28, 2012). "Eagles pick K-State's Bryce Brown in seventh round". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  38. ↑ "2012 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  39. ↑ Patton, Steve. Eagles' Brown ready for first start since high school Archived January 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. The Reading Eagle, November 23, 2012.
  40. ↑ "Bryce Brown Already in Top 10".
  41. ↑ Associated Press, "Tony Romo sets Cowboys' TD mark in win against Eagles", ESPN, December 2, 2012
  42. ↑ "Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles - December 22nd, 2013". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  43. ↑ "Buffalo Bills Acquire Bryce Brown from Philadelphia Eagles". Archived from the original on January 5, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  44. ↑ "Buffalo Bills Release RB Brown". September 15, 2015. Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  45. ↑ Alper, Josh. "Seahawks sign Bryce Brown". NBC Sports.
  46. ↑ Thayer Evans (June 4, 2007). "A Linebacker's Legend Is Growing in Kansas". New York Times. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
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