Brown has grown into role
Tight end improved himself in offseason
As teams across the NFL pared their rosters at the end of training camp this year, one transaction in particular caught the attention of Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien.
The Colts released tight end Pharaoh Brown, a player O’Brien had signed when he was head coach and general manager of the Texans. Although O’Brien only coached Brown for three games in 2020 before getting fired, he had seen enough to share a strong endorsement with Patriots coach Bill Belichick and director of player personnel Matt Groh.
“We felt like he was a guy that was at least worth a workout to take a look at,” O’Brien said. “We all thought he would be a good addition — and he has been a good addition.”
The Patriots signed Brown to their practice squad Aug. 30 and then to the 53-man roster five days later. The 29-year-old Brown has since registered the most productive season of his seven-year career, displaying the toughness and versatility O’Brien first saw in Houston.
“Pharaoh is a smart football player, a tough football player,” said tight ends coach Will Lawing, who also coached Brown in Houston. “He tries to approach the game in a physical manner.”
Brown, listed at 6 feet 6 inches and 258 pounds, is known best as a blocking tight end. But he has stepped up his receiving game, hauling in all 11 of his targets for 203 yards and a touchdown. Eight of his receptions have converted for a first down, with five generating gains of at least 20 yards. With New England’s passing attack struggling this year — the Patriots rank 30th in passing plays of 20-plus yards (31) and 29th in yards per play (4.7) — Brown’s contributions are certainly more than welcomed.
Belichick specifically shouted out Brown’s ball security.
“Pharaoh’s a big target,” Belichick said. “[On a couple of his receptions], as soon as he caught the ball, somebody was right there trying to knock it away from him or knock it out of his hands. He’s done a great job of securing the ball and picking up positive yardage after the catch. So, he’s been consistent doing that and it’s been a big help.”
For the Patriots, the addition of Brown has rounded out their tight end room with captain Hunter Henry and receiver-hybrid Mike Gesicki.
For Brown, the opportunity with the Patriots is the latest chapter in his winding career. Since entering the league as an undrafted rookie out of Oregon in 2017, Brown has signed with five teams, including one twice. He’s bounced between practice squads and active rosters.
The ups and downs have weighed on Brown, who has been released by every team he’s played for prior to the Patriots. The lack of security, in conjunction with the death of his grandmother a few years ago, eventually broke him down.
“I internalized it as a man and just let it all build up, build up, build up,” Brown recalled. “Literally one day I was in the car and just started crying. My wife was, like, looking at me. She’s never seen me cry, so she didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t even explain it. You hold and internalize so much stuff, it kind of just hits you.”
Brown decided to prioritize his mental health. He and his wife took a wellness-focused, electronics-free trip to Tulum, Mexico, where they participated in yoga, sound healing, and other forms of therapy. He dedicated his offseason to discovering ways to express himself.
Through the process, Brown learned that his initial instinct to harbor his emotions was not productive. He now opens up to his support system.
“Just finding ways of, you know, talking through all the things that us men usually don’t talk about,” he said. “It’s hard to find somebody that you can talk to, that doesn’t judge you, that you can just be free with. You really don’t realize you can be in a mental depression. You got to take care of your mentals at the end of the day.”
That trip was so effective for Brown that he and his wife have made it an annual tradition now. Shortly after the season ends this year, the couple will be returning to Tulum.
“The seasons are always stressful, no matter if you’re doing good or bad,” Brown said. “As much as it is for me, it’s stressful for my wife as well. It’s something that we do now every year.”
It remains unclear what the future holds for Brown, who is on a one-year, $1.08 million deal, but he’s better equipped to navigate the uncertainty this time around.
The Patriots offense is in need of a major overhaul, but Brown could be an affordable, versatile option to keep in the tight end room for another season. His chances of returning would likely increase if O’Brien remains in New England — something that does not go unnoticed by Brown. He recognizes the role both O’Brien and Lawing played in getting him here and has used those efforts as additional motivation.
“It’s great just when you can have those kinds of people who will put themselves on the table for you to get you somewhere,” Brown said. “I don’t take that lightly. I know that those two guys stood on the table to get me here. That’s another added chip on my shoulder.
“I got my kids I can’t let down, my coach and Bill, they’ve got families that they can’t let down. I kind of take those kind of things very personally.”