"It's Such a Blessing': Sammy Brown Talks Brother's Commitment to Clemson Tigers

The standout Clemson linebacker will bring his younger brother to campus in 2027.

Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown was one of three players whom the Tigers brought to Charlotte to speak at the ACC Kickoff. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s not often that you see a pair of brothers playing with each other on a football field, let alone at a place like Clemson. 

However, junior linebacker Sammy Brown has the opportunity to do so when his brother, Max, arrives on campus next season. The Commerce, Ga., native spoke more about it at the Hilton in Uptown Charlotte during the ACC Kickoff on Thursday. 

And he put it simply, being thankful to be reunited with his brother on campus. 

“Playing with my brother in college would be such an incredible opportunity,” Brown said. 

He wants his younger brother to be his own person, despite going to the same program that the junior linebacker is joining and making waves in since setting foot on the practice field in January 2025. However, he knows what Max can bring to a program after seeing him perform at Jefferson High School over the last three seasons. 

“I told him, you know, run your own race, and I want you to get recruited the same way that I did, with a blank slate,” Sammy said. “If Clemson’s a place, then Clemson’s the place, and so ultimately he ended up at Clemson.”

Max chose the Tigers over the likes of Georgia, Ohio State and Tennessee, among others, early in the 2027 cycle. He was the first Tiger to commit to the program in the class, joining all the way back in the beginning of June 2025.

Sammy is simply “blessed” that he’s able to play with his brother at multiple levels, despite being three grades apart.

“It’s such a blessing that I’ve been blessed with the things that I’ve been blessed with, like being able to come to Clemson,” he said. “Then, such a blessing that me and him were able to play in high school together, but we got a season together, and we’ll be able to play in college together.”

During that season at Jefferson, Sammy shared a moment on Thursday in which both brothers made a tackle against Harris County. This happened during the 2023 season, when he was a senior and Max was a freshman. 

“I think it was the third or fourth quarter, and we both tracked down the running back together, and we both got up and we just went crazy,” he recalled. “I mean, it was really cool.”

Being a junior entering 2026, there’s a chance that he could leave for the NFL Draft if he has a strong season. On the flip side, the pull of having his brother a part of the 2027 roster could have him tied down to the Tigers. 

Despite both of these factors, he reassured the media that the decision will be made based on all factors, but he wants to play out Clemson’s 2026 season first. After all, it is quite early to make decisions on foregoing senior seasons. 

“I think just, honestly, focused on this season at the end of the year,” Sammy said. ”If that’s what happens, then that’s what happens.”

But he wants everybody to know this: Max Brown is a different player who will impact the game in the same way Sammy has over the last two seasons. It will be in a powerful way.

“He’s not Sammy Brown’s little brother. He’s Max Brown.”