Motivation Goes Well Beyond What Some Might Expect From Bills' Spencer Brown

The former third-round pick has dealt with a laundry list of ailments thus far during his young NFL career, but he’s also had plenty of triumphs. Heading into Year Six, Brown is chasing more than dollar signs and trophies in Western New York: he’s chasing consistency.

Dec 19, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown (79) spikes the ball following a touchdown by running back Devin Singletary (26) vs. the Carolina Panthers during the first half of an NFL game at Highmark Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports

Spencer Brown has made quite the name for himself so far in the NFL: for good . . . and not so good reasons.

The good?

Well, he’s transformed himself into one of the premier tackles in the league, specifically on the right side, and it’s been quite the glow-up for the former 93rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, who came out of the University of Northern Iowa after forgoing his senior year in the fall of 2020 due to scheduling conflicts with the FCS season during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rise from being a tall, lanky tight end/defensive end who participated in eight-man—not 11-man—football at Lenox High School during his adolescent years in Lenox, Iowa, which is a tiny, little-known town smack dab in the middle of the heartland of America that has a population of around 1,300 people, is almost unheard of.

Former University of Northern Iowa offensive lineman Spencer Brown stands for a portrait at the UNI Dome on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, just weeks prior to the start of the 2021 NFL Draft. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Tigers, which is Lenox’s mascot, had never even produced a Division-1 athlete prior to Brown’s path to Northern Iowa, regardless of what sport it was.

And, the young kid who grew up on a local farm nearby tried all athletics imaginable, presumably in an effort to get out of more grueling, unforgiving work with his father on the farm.

Football, basketball, baseball, golf, track—much like his teammate Josh Allen—Brown seemingly tried it all growing up as a midwestern kid.

But, football is what really stuck.

Sep. 15, 2018; Iowa City, IA, USA; Former University of Northern Iowa Panthers standout offensive lineman Spencer Brown (76) runs onto the field with his teammates before the start of a collegiate football game between the Panthers and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brown’s D-I dreams, nevermind the NFL, weren’t always a forgone conclusion

However, even still, despite earning first-team all-state honors as a senior after posting 24 receptions for 388 total receiving yards and seven touchdowns on offense, while also adding 67 tackles, a state-leading 17 sacks, and four fumble recoveries from his defensive-end spot during his final year, the eight-man game is much different than typical traditional football is. 

Former Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen and former Dallas Cowboys inside linebacker Leighton Vander Esch were famously known for coming up in the same setting before hitting it big in the professional ranks, but surely nobody from Lenox, Iowa, was going to . . . right?

And, coupling that sobering fact with all of Brown’s injury concerns, most people would generally think that the NFL was definitely out of the question for the son of Kurt and Liz.

For Brown, however?

That was hardly the case.

The Bills’ right tackle has been checking off goals on the gridiron one by one ever since the day he left his hometown of Lenox for the campus in Cedar Falls, Iowa, in 2016 . . . and, in rather short order, at that.

Aug. 31, 2019; Ames, IA, USA; Former Northern Iowa Panthers offensive lineman Spencer Brown (76) blocks against the Iowa State Cyclones at Jack Trice Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports

"It's probably one of the best scholarship experiences I've had as a head coach," former longtime Northern Iowa head coach Mark Farley once said in an interview with ESPN. 

"I told him, 'You've got a scholarship to Northern Iowa,' and his first comment was, 'You mean a real scholarship?' I get chills thinking about it because he was a big man sitting there with the tears flowing, asking if it was a real scholarship. 

“I told him, 'Well, that's the only kind I've got!' It was a great experience and, as it turned out, it couldn't have been for a greater person."

Brown’s been grinding to check off gridiron goals one by one

Outside of going D-1 in football, the previously mentioned goals Brown had when he was still just a young player biding his time on the fields in the Midwest included a variety of topics.

And, for the most part, he’s covered them all.

Bench press 440 pounds, squat 600 pounds, and clean lift 380 pounds: check.

Become a draft pick within the first three rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft: double check.

Make sure his parents never have to worry about anything financially anymore: triple check.

Jan. 26, 2021; Mobile, Alabama, USA; National team offensive lineman Spencer Brown (far left), of Northern Iowa, and fellow offensive lineman Brenden Jaimes (67), of Nebraska, walk up to the line at a practice during the 2021 Senior Bowl week | USA TODAY Sports

Connect with all teammates, and be the guy that did—and continues to do—it the right way?

Well . . . let’s just say that the 28-year-old is still working on hitting that target.

But, he’s getting there.

In a recent interview on BKL Nightly with WROC News 8 reporter and sports director Thad Brown, the lineman said he’s working harder than ever before to become the best version of himself in Buffalo every day, especially after the rollercoaster of a season that he had in 2025.

“I learned a lot this offseason about, like, kind of what my body needs for after the season—during the offseason time—and it’s just a lot of hypergraphy and, you know, wearing your body out: just getting the gas tank stronger again and stabilizing everything. 

Buffalo Bills starting right tackle Spencer Brown (79) watches the action on the big screen during the first half of an NFL preseason game between the Bills and Carolina Panthers at the old Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on August 24, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“And, then once you get in the back-half of the summer where we’re at right now, it’s just a lot of conditioning and loading, and just prepping your body for three days on, one day off, then two days on, one day off. So, whatever that training schedule (looks like to do that),” Brown said on BKL Nightly.

“Mitch Morse said it best to me about two years ago: he said, ‘The offseason—February to April—is to prep you for OTAs. You get through OTAs, and then the break before camp: that prepares you for camp. 

“You go through camp, you tear yourself down, and you get into football shape, and then hopefully you’ve built yourself up enough to survive a whole season.’ . . . I think those skilled guys—I don’t think they’re loading up the bar as (much as lineman)—I mean, some freak shows are, but they’re (all) more about speed and conditioning. 

“And, you know, they’re not living with their hand on the ground for eight months out of the year and running into people. So, it’s definitely different training.”

Nov. 26, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown (79), guard O'Cyrus Torrence (64), former center Mitch Morse (60), and guard Connor McGovern (66) walk up to the line of scrimmage during an NFL game | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Brown has gone from glowing up to growing up

Widely known for being a bad boy, tone-setter type on the Bills’ offensive line through the first couple years of his young career, particularly one who liked to belittle smaller opponents in between TV timeouts on the field and grab beers from fans in the stands to chug after a touchdown by his teammates—which his parents apparently weren’t too fond of—Brown has done some growing up during recent seasons, as well.

It’s been a slow process of going from glowing up as a football player on the grass, to now also growing up as a man away from the gridiron.

He’s not there yet, but the big man with the bravado to match has come a long way since that first start against the Houston Texans in Orchard Park, New York, during Week 4 of his rookie season on October 3, 2021.

“I think it was a mixture of (a lot of) things that was going on there. One, (you’re) just losing your mind that you’re playing in the NFL as a rookie and protecting Josh Allen, like, ‘Holy sh– these guys these guys went to the AFC championship game the year before I got here.’ There’s a lot to take care of. So, that was going on (in my mind),” Brown continued.

Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Spencer Brown shares words with former Houston Texans veteran defensive back Desmond King ll in an effort to seemingly remind King of their size difference during an NFL game between the Bills and Texans at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on October 3, 2021. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“I was making up (for being less experienced). I was compensating. But, yeah, now I’m rolling. And, I’ll just see where the year takes me. I mean, I just laid into (improving my) technique and playing better football, and worrying less about, ‘What am I going to say to this guy?’ . . . Just let my play speak for itself. 

“And, obviously, there’s times, though, that (extracurriculars are) needed . . . if things need to be sorted, then—yeah—go ahead and be that guy.” 

And, with that in mind, although he may not protect franchise quarterback Josh Allen’s blindside—that’s left tackle Dion “The Shnowman” Dawkins’s job—the Northern Iowa product is still a key cog along Buffalo’s offensive line, especially in the running game while clearing holes for 2025 NFL rushing champion James Cook III.

Brown is beastly . . . there’s no denying that.

He’s built like a bulldozer, and has the feet of a ballerina to match.

Buffalo Bills franchise quarterback Josh Allen (17) stands in the pocket looking for an open receiver while Bills right tackle Spencer Brown (79) looks to block former Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard (94) during first-half action in an AFC divisional round playoff game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, on January 22, 2023. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It’s no secret.

Brown possesses quite the pretty package in the eyes of scouts, coaches, and executives, and that impressive mixture of attributes is one of the main reasons why the Bills inked the Iowa native to a four-year extension worth up to $72 million in September 2024.

Mistakes made on Sundays are sometimes manifested from wrong mentality

The right tackle’s combination of size and athleticism is lethal, and his mentality between the lines is even better.

Sometimes, that psyche gets him into trouble.

Oct 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown (79) and holds off Atlanta Falcons defensive end Zach Harrison (96) during the first half of an NFL game between the Bills and Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium last season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Other times, though, it gets the tackle—or more specifically quarterback Josh Allen—out of trouble, as well.

“(Adjusting to the NFL) just takes time. I don’t think anybody expected me to show up Week Four my rookie year and be an absolute standout. . . . Obviously, there’s going to be flashes here and there of good play. 

“And, there’s going to be flashes of, ‘What the hell is this guy doing? I can’t believe we drafted this guy in the third round,’” Brown said.

Jan 2, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown (79) reacts to the injury of safety Damar Hamlin (not pictured) during the first quarter of an NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Bills at Paycor Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports

“It’s all give and take . . . I was (always) going to get better. It’s just going to take a lot of time: (it) took me probably two years to really settle into being a good player, and we’re just growing from there.”

However, with that said, despite earning—mostly—rave reviews from outside pundits while on the field for Buffalo during his first five seasons with the franchise, which included being named the team’s most improved player in 2024 by Pro Football Focus (PFF), Brown does carry some additional baggage with him outside of his childish antics of the past—particularly concerning his injury history—and it’s unfortunately accompanied him at every level of the sport he’s played.

Injuries have somewhat interfered with Brown’s development

In 2015 as a junior in high school, Brown suffered from an osteochondral defect under his left patella, and also sustained a fracture of his left femur: both of which required surgery.

The following year?

The small-town senior at Lenox High School had another setback. This time it was a meniscus tear that also required surgery. He also tore his right MCL and suffered further patellar tendon damage while playing at Northern Iowa in 2017, as well.

And, since entering the league back in 2021, the one-time University of Northern Iowa standout has still had trouble maintaining his massive presence on the field as he’s appeared in a total of just 73 out of a possible 85 regular-season games for the Bills.

Oct. 16, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown (79) is checked on by medical staff after suffering an injury during the first half of an NFL game between the Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports

And, while he has appeared in all 11 of Buffalo’s postseason matchups over the past five seasons, that’s beside the point.

Whether it be from back issues stemming from microdiscectomy surgery he had in 2022, shoulder or soft-tissue injuries suffered last season, or any of the other minor ailments he’s dealt with in Western New York over the past several years, it’s undoubtedly been a journey filled with many bumps and bruises for the 6-foot-8, 311-pound lineman.

Last July, Brown also began training camp on the PUP list for what former longtime head coach Sean McDermott described at the time as “a little bit of a flare up.”

Nov. 26, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown (79) is pictured during an NFL game between the Bills and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

“I mean, that (back) surgery—needed it—it was awesome. (I) got away with it for a while. There’s been flare-ups here or there,” Brown added in his recent interview.

“That was me, I don’t want to say scrambling, but I’m like, ‘I just need to get stronger. I need to get stronger.’ So, I was doing things (wrong). I was loading my back the way I shouldn’t have been—just wasn’t smart training on my behalf.”

Another issue arose this offseason, but Brown believes it’s minor

In addition to last year’s unexpected summer setback before training camp, Brown—who was the 20th-ranked player at the tackle position out of the entire NFL in 2025 with an overall grade of 76.6 according to PFF’s database—also had a knee surgery earlier this offseason to correct some minor issues that had been nagging him.

Apparently, though, those ailments are now of no major concern to the big tackle as training camp is set to open up in Pittsford, New York, at St. John Fisher University in less than three weeks.

After a slew of up-and-down performances from Brown recently, specifically over the past two years in his opinion, Buffalo’s offensive enforcer is ready to finally put his best foot forward on the field this year as he heads into his sixth season with the franchise that made his lofty NFL dreams a reality five years ago.

His journey has been filled with many obstacles: it hasn’t been easy.

Nov. 5, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Spencer Brown (79) reacts after a play during the second half of an NFL game between the Bills and Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

However, in spite of all of it, Brown has never lost sight of where he’s headed or what he’s been chasing.

And, although he did take a recent excursion to New Jersey, the lineman has been mostly staying around the outskirts of Western New York since June minicamp while working tirelessly alongside fellow rehabbing teammates like outside linebacker Michael Hoecht, who is also coming back from an injury.

It’s been a concerted effort from Brown this offseason in order to remain in the best shape possible in hopes of preventing any sort of slip-up like last year.

Seeing players like Hoecht put it all on the line on a daily basis this summer in order to simply get back on the field at all has been inspiring for Brown, to say the least.

And, as he and his teammates eagerly await to report to camp with the entirety of the Bills’ roster on July 28, the vision has never been clearer for Buffalo’s big right tackle.

Buffalo Bills franchise quarterback Josh Allen celebrates with teammates Dawson Knox and Spencer Brown after scoring a rushing touchdown at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Chasing consistency, Brown’s ready to put it all together for Bills in 2026

“Day One: I’ll be out there . . . after last year, I’m going to stay in my own lane and listen to the people that are watching out for me (and my health). . . . I look forward to camp. This is the best I’ve felt in the last probably two (or) three years,” Brown said.

“I think just being super consistent in what I’m doing is what I’m chasing now. I mean . . . a bunch of stuff that I’ve accomplished (are) goals that I had written down on my bedroom wall in college, and now I’m in the NFL. 

“So, there’s definitely still a lot of meat on the bone, a lot of stuff we can accomplish as a team. Me, personally, (it’s just about) being consistent and being the best player I can be.”

Seems simple enough, right?

Oct. 26, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) carries the ball while Bills right tackle Spencer Brown (79) sustains a block against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defender during the first half of an NFL game between the Bills and Buccaneers at Highmark Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Sure. But, the NFL is a grind: both mentally and physically.

For Brown, though, there’s no room for excuses. It’s time to stay on the field for his teammates and see his full potential come to fruition.

He has the ability to be one of the best tackles in the entire sport.

Sometimes being good isn’t good enough.

And, doing anything less would be a disservice to those back in his hometown, as well as to the little kid who was once playing a whopping total of five sports while growing up in little Lenox, Iowa, just to avoid having to do extra work around the family farm.

So, while some people might see getting up at 6 a.m. every day to workout and continue prehabbing his injuries as boring or a little bit like “Groundhog Day,” as Brown put it, that’s not the case for the former lanky kid from Lenox.

He’s living his dream every single day.

“Work harder than everybody else: that is pretty much what my story is. I was super tall, and I was decently athletic. But, I got away with it in high school. And, then luckily Coach Farley gave me a random offer, and I accepted it a day later without (even) seeing the campus,” Brown said. 

“I was like, ‘I know I’m going to go play football. And, hopefully it all works out.’ And, then you show up, and I just worked as hard as I possibly could for the people that believed in me to go to that college.

“And, now we’re sitting here six years later in Buffalo and having the time of our lives. So, hard work goes a long way.”

Dec. 11, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates scoring a touchdown with offensive tackle Spencer Brown (79) during the third quarter of an NFL game at Highmark Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports