Chase Brown

Chase Brown's Biography

Born on March 21, 2000, in London, Ontario, Canada, Chase Brown is a renowned professional football player who has earned a reputation as a phenomenal running back and kickoff returner. His illustrious career currently sees him showcasing his talents for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL).

Raised alongside his identical twin brother, Sydney, Chase started his football journey at the London South Collegiate Institute in Canada. There, the brothers started playing football, carving a path they would both follow later in life. In their junior year of high school, they moved to Florida, where Chase attended Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton. At this school, not only did he solidify his football foundation but also set the school’s career rushing record, albeit he received a modest three-star rating by 247Sports.

Chase’s collegiate football life began in 2017 when he verbally committed to play at Western Michigan University. By 2018, he had become a crucial part of their team, rushing for 352 yards on 71 carries, averaging five yards per carry. This, coupled with his return of 12 kickoffs for 227 yards, made him a formidable force. In 2019, however, Western Michigan lost two of its rising stars, Chase and Jayden Reed, who entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Upon transferring, Chase chose the University of Illinois, joining his brother Sydney who was already playing as a defensive back for the school’s team. Although his immediate eligibility application was declined initially, an appeal in October 2019 saw him join the team, appearing in four games that season.

Despite the hurdles of 2020, with the Covid-19 shutdown, Chase did not relent in his pursuit of excellence. Along with his brother, he returned to Canada, transforming their grandmother’s garage into a personal gym. His efforts bore fruit, and upon his return to the University of Illinois, he quickly became a staple in all eight games for the team. His brilliance was on full display during a game against Rutgers, rushing for 134 yards, and one week later, amassing 115 yards and two touchdowns against Nebraska.

Chase continued to dazzle on the field, breaking records and creating new ones. On October 2, 2021, he rushed for a career-high of 257 yards against Charlotte, recording the fourth-highest single-game rushing total in Illinois history. By the end of the 2021 season, Chase had rushed for 1,005 yards on 170 carries, making him second in the Big Ten Conference. His prowess did not go unrecognized, earning him two Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week titles in 2021 and a fan-voted choice as the Fans Choice Canadian NCAA Player of the Year.

His sterling performance continued into 2022, most notably with a 151-yard and three-touchdown debut against Wyoming. This impressive display awarded him the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week title after only the first week. By mid-October, Chase had rushed for over 1,000 yards, making him the first player to reach that mark in 2022, concluding the season second nationally with 1,643 rushing yards.

His consistent performance earned him recognition as the year’s top Canadian player in NCAA football, awarding him the 2022 Jon Cornish Trophy. This status certainly caught the professionals’ attention, ranking him as the #2 Canadian prospect ahead of the 2023 CFL Draft. However, he chose the NFL, and the Cincinnati Bengals selected him in the fifth round of the 2023 draft.

Adjusting to the professional leagues was not entirely smooth for Chase, suffering a hamstring injury that landed him on the injured reserve list in October 2023. However, he recovered and returned to action later in November. Chase recorded his first NFL touchdown in Week 14 against the Indianapolis Colts, proving that he was getting comfortable in the big leagues.

As the identical twin brother of Philadelphia Eagles’ safety, Sydney, who was also his teammate at Illinois, there’s no doubt that football is a strong bond for the Brown brothers.