Trent Brown Explains Why He Left Patriots for Raiders Last Offseason

Getty Las Vegas Raiders RT Trent Brown.

Perhaps no player benefited more from the New England Patriots‘ 2018 Super Bowl run more than Trent Brown. He went from seventh-round pick who was traded prior to the season to starting left tackle for the Super Bowl champs. That following offseason, the Raiders gave Brown the biggest contract for an offensive lineman in NFL history.

However, Brown would’ve liked to stay in New England and he recently explained to Tashan Reed of The Athletic why he decided to change teams.

“It really was heartbreaking for both sides, honestly,” Brown said. “But they couldn’t afford me and the Raiders came with an irrefutable offer. And I felt like it just fit the whole story of the greatest underdog. … Plus, I had to go get mine. When I got drafted, my signing bonus was $50,000. California taxes took half of that. I got two kids and my son was just born that Tuesday of Super Bowl week. I had to go get mine.”

When the Raiders gave Brown all that money, it wasn’t a sure thing he was going to play up to that level. The team moved him back to right tackle and didn’t have the most consistent career to that point. However, he was a stud in 2019 and earned a Pro Bowl nod. He should be an anchor on the right side for years to come.

Brown Talks Concerns With NFL Return

With the COVID-19 pandemic still not under control, it remains to be seen if when exactly football might start getting played again. Training camp is supposed to start soon but it’s possible that gets delayed. Brown just wants to make sure that the NFL doesn’t exploit players.

“I just really hope that everybody makes smart decisions from top to bottom and not just use us as guinea pigs for a dollar,” Brown said. “(They need to) really consider us as human beings and family men. Because the risk is not just us; we got to go home and see our families, if we can. We don’t even know. It’s just a lot of questions out there, man. I just really want them to make sure everything is safe and they’re not just doing this to line their pockets.”

There will likely be many protocols in place this NFL season and it seems like there probably won’t be fans at games. The league still has time to iron out all the details but they need to figure out things soon so players can get back to practicing.

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Brown Reveals How He Got Injured Last Season

Brown was one of the best players for the Raiders last season but had to miss some games at the end of the season due to injury. The offensive line held up okay without him but they definitely missed his presence. Brown revealed how he got the injury.

“It was really a freak play,” Brown said. “It was something I do all the time. This one particular time, I just felt that pop. And I finished the rest of the game playing with one arm; literally, I didn’t use that arm for the rest of the game. It didn’t look like we had a shot at going to the playoffs, which if we did, I would’ve kept playing for sure, but it just felt like the smart thing to do.”

Brown proved his toughness last season but the Raiders will need him to stay healthy if they are going to make a playoff run. The massive right tackle has been working hard this offseason and the added time off should be good for his recovery.

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