Troy Brown's spot in the Patriots Hall of Fame has long been reserved, but on Monday, his induction became official. Brown said that he's "completely honored" by the induction, which puts an exclamation point on a memorable 15-year career with New England.
Brown won three Super Bowls while with the Patriots, and was selected to his lone Pro Bowl in 2001. That season, he caught a career-high 101 passes for 1,199 yards and five touchdowns as New England captured its first Super Bowl in franchise history.
Brown, who retired following the 2007 season, is the franchise leader in receptions (557) — although Wes Welker (554 with New England) will likely surpass the total this season — and second in team history in receiving yards (6,366). Following along with the "Patriot Way," Brown also chipped in on defense and special teams, becoming the team's all-time leading punt returner with 252 returns for 2,625 yards and three touchdowns.
Although Brown was a talented individual during his playing days, his success was more the product of hard work, which caught the eye of everyone associated with the organization.
"When it comes down to it, I always played hard for my teammates and played hard for my coaches no matter who it was and ownership and you really wanted to go out there and make our fans happy," Brown said. "I think that now that I realize how much they appreciated the way I played the game, it does make me feel really good."
Brown's contributions went beyond any scoresheet, though, as he conducted himself with class and became the consummate professional during his lengthy career. A humble Brown admitted that he envisioned someday joining some of his former teammates — including Ben Coates and Bruce Armstrong — in the Patriots Hall of Fame, even if he isn't one that's big on personal accolades.
The three Super Bowl wins — and the role (or more appropriately, roles) that Brown played in each — is what Pats fans will likely remember most. Whether it was a big third-down grab, a game-changing punt return or stepping in to make a defensive stop, Brown had knack for making big plays.
"I was always able to go out and find a way to win games and that just came along with me. It's just a part of who I am; you always find a way to get things done," Brown said. "It does, it makes me feel really good to know that I had to continue to work to make myself better and continue to work to convince other people who were evaluating me that I deserved to be on their football team."
Over the course of 15 years, Brown didn't just prove that he deserved to be a part of the Patriots. He showed that he deserves to be held in the same regard as the franchise's most elite.
Photo via Facebook/Troy Brown
