Matt Brown (American football)
 Matt Brown with his dad, Warren Brown, after a win over the Maryland Terps | |
| No. 14 Free agent | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Kick returner |
| Personal information | |
| Date of birth: | July 28, 1989 |
| Place of birth: | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Height: | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Weight: | 169 lb (77 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Peddie School '07 |
| College: | Temple |
| Undrafted: | 2013 |
| Career history | |
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Roster status: | Active |
Matthew Warren Brown (born July 28, 1989) is an American football kick returner who is currently a free agent. He played college football for Temple University.
Background
Brown was born and grew up in Baltimore, Maryland.[1] His father, Warren Brown, is an attorney and his mother, Lynette, a beautician. He played in the Northwood Little League (baseball) and the Northwood Youth football league and, despite his small stature, excelled at both.
Brown spent summers at Cushing Academy, a private boarding school in Massachusetts, with his sister Candice.[2]
High school
Brown initially attended Baltimore City College and the private Cardinal Gibbons in his hometown,[1] but transferred to Peddie School, a private boarding school in New Jersey, the next year. He graduated from Peddie in 2008.
With no prospects for a college scholarship in football, Brown attended the Milford Academy in New Berlin, New York,[3] where NFL starters LeSean McCoy and Shonn Greene had played. There, Brown set a school record with nine kickoff-return touchdowns in 12 games.[4]
College
Brown played college football at Temple University where he was a punt and kick-off return specialist, wide receiver and, for his first three years, back-up running back to Bernard Pierce.[1][5]
Because of his size, 5 foot, 5 inches tall,[4][6] no division I or II schools showed any interest in Brown; even at Temple he was a walk-on and played his first year without a scholarship.[4]
Brown returned 83 kick-offs for Temple for 2,068 yards and two touchdowns at 24.9 average yards per kick return. He also had 45 punt returns for 403 yards over the past two seasons.
Brown's best game at Temple came during his sophomore year against Army, when he carried the ball 28 times for 226 yards and 4 touchdowns.[6]
In his senior year, Brown was named the Big East Conference's special team player of the year[7] and was a 2012 All-Big East First Team player as a coaches' selection.[1] Brown was also named to the 2012 ESPN.com All-Big East Team at return specialist, the 2012 CBSSports.com Big East All-Conference Team and the 2012 first-team All-Big East at kickoff returner by College Sports Madness.[8]
Professional career
Brown had attended both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs free agent camps in the spring of 2013[7] but did not hear back from either. Two weeks later he was preparing to sign a contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League but was denied entry to Canada due to an expired passport. He received a call from Buccaneers shortly thereafter, and on May 28, 2013 he signed a three-year deal with the Buccaneers.[9][10] Brown was released on July 23, 2013, after Peyton Hillis signed a one year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Soon after, Brown signed with the Roughriders on August 5, 2013.[11]
On November 24, 2013 the Roughriders defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 45-23, to win the 101st Grey Cup. Brown would only last on the Roughriders roster until June 7, 2014, as he was released without an appearance in a game.
Personal life
Legal issues
On Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 2015, Brown was arrested on human trafficking and prostitution charges. His alleged victims are aged 14, 16, and 17.[12][13] He was released on bail, according to ABC 2 News.[14]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Cowherd, Kevin (2013-06-06). "Baltimore native Matt Brown focuses on NFL dream in Tampa". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
- ↑ Keith Pompey (October 7, 2012). "Temple's Matt Brown reverses field". Philly.com. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ↑ Keith Pompey (October 7, 2012). "Temple's Matt Brown reverses field". Philly.com. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
Without any offers, he played postgraduate football at Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y.
- 1 2 3 Eckard, Chris (2011-09-02). "Running back Matt Brown growing into key role for Temple". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
- ↑ "Matt Brown". ESPN. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
- 1 2 "Temple vs Army". ESPN. 2010-02-10. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
- 1 2 Pompey, Keith (2013-04-28). "Owls Sign NFL Contracts". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
- ↑ "Football-Matt Brown". Temple University Athletics. Retrieved 2013-05-31.
- ↑ Philipse, Sander (2013-05-29). "Buccaneers Sign Runningback Matt Brown Out of Temple". BucsNation. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
- ↑ Pompey, Keith (May 29, 2013). "Brown Signs With Bucs". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2013-05-31.
- ↑ Riders sign returner Matt Brown
- ↑ Alison Knezevich (March 20, 2015). "Documents detail Baltimore Co. prostitution sting at Woodlawn hotel". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
Matthew Warren Brown, 25, of Baltimore — a former Temple University running back and son of defense attorney Warren Brown — and Anthony Leon Eley Jr., 30, of Milford Mill face multiple charges related to prostitution and human trafficking. Authorities allege they brought three girls — ages, 14, 16 and 17 — to a Woodlawn hotel for prostitution.
- ↑ Jerry Hinnen (March 20, 2015). "Former Temple star Matt Brown charged with human trafficking". CBS Sports. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ↑ Cheryl Conner (March 20, 2015). "Warren Brown talks about his son's arrest on human trafficking charges". ABC 2 News. Retrieved March 29, 2015.