Troy Brown is Back! What's His New Patriots Role with Coach Jerod Mayo?

Franchise legend Troy Brown is sticking around with the New England Patriots, head coach Jerod Mayo revealed this week.

Troy Brown's prescence gave way to one dynasty amidst a lean period in Foxborough football. The New England Patriots are apparently hoping lightning will strike twice.

Per Mike Reiss of ESPN, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo announced that the franchise icon Brown will remain with the organization, albeit in a new role in "skill development."

"Similar to Joe Kim on the defensive side (specializing with pass rushers), Brown will work with skill-position players across the board," Reiss noted in a Monday post on X.

Troy Brown, Chris Claiborne

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Thus continues Brown's association with the Patriots' franchise, a relationship that began when the Patriots invited the Marshall alum to Foxborough as the 198th pick in the 1993 draft. Brown went on to play all 15 years of his ensuing NFL career with the Patriots, sticking around for five Super Bowl runs that yielded three rings.

His finest hours came during the 2001 season, when he became one of Tom Brady's first favorite targets upon his rise to glory and he also reached the Pro Bowl for the first and only time in his career. Brown also opened scoring in the season's AFC title game in Pittsburgh with a punt return and later provided a lateral to Antwan Harris on a blocked field goal, partaking in a touchdown that proved to be the winner in a 24-17 victory.

Inducted into the team Hall of Fame in 2012, Brown continues to stand among the franchise's finest receivers, as he currently ranked third in receptions (557, retiring as the all-time lead before he was passed by Wes Welker and Julian Edelman) and fifth in receptions (6.366). Brown continues to stand as a New England cult hero, also making impacts on special teams and defense. He was later the Patriots' leading receiver in the Super Bowl XXXVI triumph over the St. Louis Rams, putting up 89 yards on six grabs.

Brown returned to Gillette Stadium's sidelines in 2016, originally partaking in the Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship. He was officially added to the staff in 2020 as the team's running back and kick returners coach, keeping the latter spot when he transitioned to the team's receivers overseer the following year.

With his return, Brown is one of the few coach left over from Bill Belichick's final staff: Tyler Hughes and Brown's fellow former Patriot Tiquan Underwood have since taken over the receiving coaches' duties on Mayo's staff, which also features new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.