Even though he hasn’t played a game since 2007, New England Patriots legend Troy Brown will play a big role for the 2020 Patriots. The three-time Super Bowl champion is officially part of the coaching staff, as head coach Bill Belichick recently announced that Brown will serve as assistant running backs coach. However, Brown’s duties won’t end there.
While talking to the press, Belichick mentioned that Brown will also help coach the kick returners and the slot receivers. Brown, of course, has plenty of experience in this role during his time on the field. This isn’t just a coincidence, as Belichick noted that Brown’s on-field experience made him an easy choice for the role.
Belichick says Patriots RBs/KR coach Troy Brown will also work with slot receivers.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) July 31, 2020
Troy Brown to Coach Running Backs, Slot Receivers, Kick Returners
Brown was a jack of all trades with the Patriots, so handling a wide variety of duties isn’t out of the ordinary for him. During various points of his Patriots tenure, Brown served as the teams top receiver, kick returner, and even spent some time playing cornerback. Amazingly enough, Brown intercepted three passes as a part-time defensive back over the course of his career. In many ways, he was the Julian Edelman of New England’s first dynasty.
Brown initially entered the NFL as an eighth-round draft pick in the 1993 NFL Draft. Even though he’d go on to be a franchise icon, the Marshall product took some time to make a home in the NFL. After spending his early years as a special teamer, Brown became a focal point of the offense in 1997. However, his best season came with Tom Brady in 2001. Serving as the top option in the passing game, Brown recorded 101 receptions for 1,199 yards and five touchdowns while adding another two touchdowns as a returner.
He was one of the most important pieces to New England’s improbable Super Bowl run. Brown returned a punt for a touchdown in the 2001 AFC Championship Game and caught a key pass on the final drive of Super Bowl XXXVI that set up the game-winning field goal. Overall, Brown finished his 15-year career with 557 receptions for 6,366 yards and 31 touchdowns.
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