Every Day Is a Triumph For Redskins' Brown

Brown finished with just 31 receptions, crushing any hopes of being selected in the 2002 NFL draft, or earning any kind of significant signing bonus.

Speed and Special Teams

His professional career began in Canada that summer. Brown signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, but returned home after six games, feeling he needed a bigger challenge. The University of Miami invited him to work out for scouts and in March 2003, the Buffalo Bills offered Brown a tryout.

It was there that he met Smith, then the Bills' special teams coach. Three staff members timed Brown's 40-yard dash, and all three showed world-class results in the 4.20-second range. "I said if we're not going to sign this guy, then let's not ever time anyone else who ever comes in here, because if we're timing for speed, it ain't getting no better than this," Smith said. The Bills signed Brown on March 25, he had a strong preseason and played in all 16 games for Buffalo. But head coach Gregg Williams (now Washington's assistant head coach-defense) was fired, and he brought Smith with him to Redskins Park in 2004. Buffalo's new regime cut Brown during 2004 training camp, and when Redskins return specialist Chad Morton suffered a season-ending knee injury, Washington signed Brown in November.

He was inactive much of last season, but played in the final three games, and the staff had high expectations for 2005. Brown made plenty of plays in the offseason practices, and was vying for a spot in the bottom of the wide receiver rotation, then began dropping balls late in the preseason and his return yardage slipped. He fumbled a kickoff in the first game of the season against Chicago, and when the Redskins needed to make room for a kicker on their roster that week, Brown was let go.

The Redskins re-signed Brown around Thanksgiving, needing a returner with James Thrash and Ladell Betts injured.

Brown was solid in his first two games, working back into football shape after a long layoff. Then came his kickoff return Sunday.

Living Day to Day

With no guaranteed salaries in the NFL, Brown prepares each day for life after football. There is no excess in his life; no fancy car, no luxury home, no showy jewelry.

"If you saw him, you would have no idea he plays in the NFL," Wright said. "There's nothing flashy about him. Half the time, to be honest with you, he'll catch the bus to come see me when he's down here."

Brown lived most of his rookie season in 2003 in a one-room apartment with no furniture or television, Smith said. He rented some items only after Smith and team services employees nearly forced him to. "I know he didn't have much money, so we got him a chair and a bed and stuff like that," Smith said. "And that's how I started to learn his story."

Brown just moved to another part of Liberty City last year ("It ain't all that much better, trust me," Wright said), and bought a house. "This is my first time ever having a yard and some grass with a carport and bedroom you can actually have for your own things," Brown said. "It's all coming, it's all coming. The blessings are coming."

He arrived in Washington last month with a backpack and purchased only a few sweatsuits and a pair of shoes. He is staying with defensive lineman Cedric Killings, a high school teammate, at his townhouse near Redskins Park in Ashburn, and rides to and from practice with teammates. Most of his checks are sent directly to Miami, and he told Smith he was still living on his training camp money when he got re-signed. Brown earned about $400,000 during 2003 and 2004, before taxes, and could make another $156,000 this season, but with so many mouths to feed, he is careful with money.

Brown spends the offseason speaking to students at MacArthur, Jan Mann and Central High School, and helping out his old coaches. He hopes to work with disadvantaged youngsters when his playing days are over.

"I know I can inspire all the kids because the people back home that know me, they see that same dude who in 1992 was in high-speed chases with 100 police cars behind me, and that's the same dude now you see playing football on TV. It's like a total change," Brown said.

"Life is what it is and somebody has to go through it, and it only makes you a better person. I think it has made me a better person; a better father to the four kids of my own, and to my sister's kids. There's no time for feeling sorry. You have to move on. I respect my story, but the story isn't over. I think it's just beginning, because I've got light years ahead of me, and I appreciate what I've been through."