Duane Brown

Duane Brown's Biography

Duane Anthony Brown is an American-born professional football juggernaut. Born on August 30, 1985, in Richmond, Virginia, Brown has been a force to be reckoned with on the football field from high school through his professional NFL career.

Brown’s athletic prowess was recognized early during his time at Hermitage High School. He was a multi-sport athlete, earning letters in football, basketball, and track. He shared the grid with fellow teammate Fontel Mines. On the hardwood, he averaged impressive double-doubles of 15 points and 12 rebounds. His track and field pursuits saw him throwing in shot put and discus events, reaching top-throws of 17.32m and 44.68m respectively. Despite weighing just 250 pounds after high school, Brown was seen as a promising three-star tight end prospect by Rivals.com.

Upon graduation, he found a platform to further his football pursuits at Virginia Tech. He redshirted his true freshman year in 2003 before getting playing time in all thirteen games the next year. He even caught his first collegiate pass for a touchdown in his debut season. The 2005 season marked a pivotal position change for Brown when he transitioned from tight end to offensive tackle. His junior and senior seasons at Virginia Tech earned him second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors and consecutively named Offensive Lineman/End of the Year by the Richmond Touchdown Club.

After his impressive run in college, Brown was drafted 26th overall by the Houston Texans in the 2008 NFL Draft. He was the second offensive lineman from Virginia Tech to be picked in the first round of the draft. He started all sixteen games of his rookie season, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished by a rookie lineman for the Texans since 2002. In 2009, Brown protected the blindside for the Texan QB Matt Schaub, who led the NFL with 4,770 passing yards.

Through subsequent seasons, Brown continued to solidify his reputation as an excellent offensive tackle who had minimal sacks and zero holding penalties. Brown’s growing value was recognized by the Texans, and in 2012 he was rewarded with a six-year, $53.4 million extension. This led to an All-Pro Team first-team selection and a spot in the 2013 Pro Bowl.

In 2016, Brown’s stellar career was briefly marred by an unfortunate quadriceps tendon injury during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The injury required surgery and rehab but Brown was back in the subsequent season. He went on to face another knee injury during the 2016 offseason, temporarily sidelining him again.

In 2017, Brown’s hopes for a new contract led to a holdout situation. While absent from mandatory minicamp and training camp, the Texans opted to place him on the reserve/did not report list. He eventually returned mid-season, but was traded to the Seattle Seahawks later in the same year where he secured a three-year, $36.5 million contract extension.

Brown’s time with the Seahawks was marked with success as he was named to the 2018 Pro Bowl as a replacement and later to the 2021 Pro Bowl in his final season with the team. Afterwards in 2022, Brown signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the New York Jets as a replacement for an injured player.

However, Brown himself also faced several injuries during his time with the Jets. His shoulder got injured in practice, leading to his brief placement on injured reserve in September 2022. He returned in October, only to be placed back on injured reserve again in January 2023 due to another injury.

Despite his professional setbacks, Brown has had personal developments to mark his career. He proposed to Sirius XM host, Devi Brown, in 2011 but the pair have since divorced. Furthermore, a worrisome incident occurred in 2022 when Brown was arrested for alleged possession of a concealed weapon at Los Angeles International Airport. He was subsequently released on a bond of $10,000.

Brown remains a free agent, demonstrating his continuing pursuit of playing professional football. His resilience and determination have been tested both on and off the football field, making his story a narrative of determination and sheer will. His journey has emphasized his commitment to the game and his pursuit of achieving professional excellence in the sport.