Right tackle Trent Brown signed with the Las Vegas Raiders back in 2019. Although he became the second highest paid at his position, he hasn’t stopped grinding. On the contrary, the right tackle is work as hard as he has throughout his career.
Brown’s path to the NFL’s top echelon of right tackles hasn’t been easy. If anything, he’s got a compelling story about how he rose to fame while playing through injuries. Moreover, he had to overcome self doubts and injuries. In his latest article, Tashan Reed of the Athletic talked to Brown, his parents and his college coach, Joe Windor, about the Raiders tackle’s youth.
From the Beginning Brown Showed Athletic Prowess
Even as a child playing sports, Brown stood out from the rest of the kids. At an early age, he was so physically gifted that other children’s parents believed Brown was older than the rest. According to Browns’ mother, Tiffany, he was so talented, he first didn’t play with kids his age. Instead, she would have him interact with older ones.
“He could write and shoot a basketball or throw a football with both hands. He was a big child and I never let him play with kids his age, he never knew how good he could be because he always played up two or three years with kids older than him. So, he always thought he was just average, but as he got older and started playing with kids his age, he started to stand out.”
Brown is 6’8″ and he didn’t reach that height suddenly. As a young man, he must’ve been as tall as an average adult male. Also, Tiffany says she started carrying his birth certificate in order to prove his age. Once he hit college, Brown bulked up in order to become a more complete football players. After he started lifting weights, he went from 300 pounds, nothing to scuff at, to 350. Windor was surprised when he saw Brown didn’t lose quickness. In fact, he became a “physical player with athleticism.”
“Him starting to lift weights on a regular basis with it geared toward being strong for football really took him from just being an athletic player to a physical player with athleticism.”
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His College Coaches Didn’t Keep Their End of the Bargain
Even though Brown had the tools to succeed at the tackle position, his college coaches had him play guard. Brown, being the team player he is, complied. He thought that eventually the bunch would have his back when NFL scouts came asking about him. Nevertheless, there was no reciprocation despite the fact Brown did what they had asked him to do.
When they asked me to play guard, I was just like, ‘I’m helping the team so when it comes time for them to talk to the scouts and whatnot, they’ll help me,’ but, obviously, that wasn’t mutual and that’s why I ended up going in the seventh round.
According to Brown, while San Francisco thought they had gotten a guard, they realized they ended with a tackle instead. Unfortunately, that might’ve cost him many draft spots and possibly even rounds after the 49ers picked him in the seventh round.
Brown Had To Face… Himself?
Surprisingly, Brown’s confidence didn’t match his talent. Sometimes, he would doubt himself and permit outside factors bother him.
What Trent always had to do was overcome himself. Sometimes he would lack confidence in what he was trying to do and that would allow external factors to affect him, but if he had confidence in what he was doing, there’s nothing that he couldn’t do.
However, Brown faced those self-imposed doubts and ended up starting 16 games in his sophomore season. Being a starter for a full season was result of his hard work. Later in his conversation with Reed, Brown talked about how he coped with injuries that put an end to his 2017 campaign. He says he felt like the 49ers didn’t have his back, but based on the interview, it seems like he managed it in a mature way.
It All Worked Out for Him and the Raiders
In the end, it all worked out for Brown went he was traded to the New England Patriots, where he would earn a Super Bowl ring in his one and only season with the team. Again, he would change teams after one season. This time, it was the Raiders. When talking about what moved him to sign with the Silver and Black, Brown was upfront. “…the Raiders came with an irrefutable offer. And I felt like it just fit the whole story of the greatest underdog. … Plus, I had to go get mine. When I got drafted, my signing bonus was $50,000. California taxes took half of that. I got two kids and my son was just born that Tuesday of Super Bowl week. I had to go get mine.”
Brown, who had previously been an underdog, has become a fixture of the Riders offensive line. In turn, the right side of their offensive line is taken care of for years to come.
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Top Photo: Peter Joneleit/Associated Press
