Who is Pharaoh Brown? The Patriots TE who played a major part in win over Jets
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Pharaoh Brown showed up to play on Sunday. The New England Patriots tight end took advantage of each and every opportunity he was given, and that included providing the team with their first touchdown. "It felt great to give the offense a spark. Definitely, we needed it," Brown said. "Anything you […]
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Pharaoh Brown showed up to play on Sunday.
The New England Patriots tight end took advantage of each and every opportunity he was given, and that included providing the team with their first touchdown.
"It felt great to give the offense a spark. Definitely, we needed it," Brown said. "Anything you get to score and just the emotions and like I said the spark that it gives, it was amazing."
In the second quarter, Mac Jones located Brown for a 58-yard touchdown. Brown caught the pass from Jones and was well behind the Jets defense, deciding to take it to the house.
And when asked if he's ever done anything like that before, he gave the perfect answer.
"In college, but Hunter (Henry) said that doesn't count," Brown said. "So that was the longest in the NFL."
So what was his mindset when he got the ball?
"Get to the goal," Brown said. "That's all I thought when I caught it. Get to the goal by any means."
And he was excited, spiking the ball after scoring.
"Got me a little Gronk spike in," Brown said. "It was amazing."
Jones spoke to the media after the game, admitting that he knew it was going to work.
"It was a little play-action play," Jones said. "We kind of knew it was going to work. We worked on that in practice."
Brown followed it up with an impressive play for 13-yards, including a stiff arm.
The tight end currently sits third on the depth chart behind Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki. And he started Sunday's game playing primarily at full back.
Yet, the Patriots saw an opportunity and began using him in different spots. And it certainly worked for them.
"Not a lot of experience, but I'm a football player," Brown said when asked if he had experience playing as a fullback. "I just want to play football. So whatever they ask, the opportunity to get on the field, I'm all for it."
Brown began his NFL career in 2017, signing with the Las Vegas Raiders (formerly Oakland) as an undrafted free agent. He started the season on the practice squad, but was promoted to the active roster in December of his rookie season. Prior to the 2018 season he was waived.
The Cleveland Browns opted to sign him to their practice squad afterwards, and he was elevated to their active roster a month later. However, he was placed on injured reserve in December with a shoulder injury and proceeded to start the following preseason on the PUP list. Brown was activated, but waived just before the 2020 season.
Brown spent the 2020 season with the Houston Texans, recording his first professional touchdown in Week 10 against his former team, the Browns. And he worked with current Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien who was serving as head coach in Houston during his time there.
"There's a lot more than what we were doing in Houston. Totally different kind of system and players there, but it gave me some familiarity," Brown said about working with O'Brien again. "I'm still learning as I go."
He re-signed for the following two seasons, but was waived by the Texans in October 2022. Brown had a second stint with the Browns in 2022, finishing the season with them on the active roster.
The Indianapolis Colts brought Brown on during the offseason, but he was waived as part of the final roster cuts and the Patriots wasted no time signing the tight end to the practice squad. He was promoted just five days later.
"Pharaoh's done a good job. Came in here in the first week. Played in the opener, played every week. It's good to have a guy that can do what he does," Belichick said. "He's a good compliment to Mike and Hunter."
Featured Image via Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
