Donald Brown (running back) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Donald Brown

Brown with the San Diego Chargers in 2015
No. 31, 34
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1987-04-11) April 11, 1987 (age 38) Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, U.S.
Height:	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:	207 lb (94 kg)
Career information
High school:	Red Bank Catholic (Red Bank, New Jersey)
College:	UConn (2005–2008)
NFL Draft:	2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 27
Career history
Indianapolis Colts (2009–2013) San Diego Chargers (2014–2015) New England Patriots (2016)*
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-American (2008) Big East Offensive Player of the Year (2008) First-team All-Big East (2008) Second-team All-Big East (2006) 2009 International Bowl MVP
Career NFL statistics
Rushing attempts: 695 Rushing yards: 2,829 Rushing touchdowns: 18 Receptions: 120 Receiving yards: 1,066 Receiving touchdowns: 2
Player stats at PFR

Donald Eugene Brown II (born April 11, 1987) is a former professional football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. Donald Brown mostly played for the Indianapolis Colts.

He played college football for the UConn Huskies. There, he became the school's all-time leading rusher. In 2008, he was named a first-team All-American. The Indianapolis Colts chose him in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. After five seasons with the Colts, Brown played his last two seasons with the San Diego Chargers.

Early Life and High School Football

Donald Brown grew up in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. He went to Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New Jersey. At high school, he was a star in both football and track.

High School Football Success

During his final year of high school, Brown was amazing on the football field. He ran for over 2,000 yards. He also scored 27 touchdowns. This means he ran the ball into the end zone 27 times!

Track and Field Skills

Brown was also very fast in track. He could run 100 meters in just 11.3 seconds. He ran 200 meters in 23.2 seconds. These speeds showed how athletic he was.

Choosing a College Team

Experts thought Brown was one of the best running back players in the country. In 2004, he decided to play college football for the UConn Huskies. He chose UConn over other big schools like Wisconsin.

College Football Career

Donald Brown officially joined UConn in 2005. He became the best runner in UConn's history. He gained a total of 3,800 rushing yards during his college career. After a fantastic junior year, he decided to enter the NFL Draft early.

2006 Season: A Strong Start

In 2006, Brown started as a kickoff returner. He was also the second-string running back. In his first game, he rushed for 118 yards. He even scored a 53-yard touchdown run.

Later that season, the main running back got hurt. Brown got his chance to start. He ran for 199 yards and two touchdowns in his first start. He kept the starting job for the rest of the year. He finished the season with 896 yards and 9 touchdowns. He was named to the second-team All-Big East.

2007 Season: Facing Challenges

Brown had high hopes for his second year. But he dealt with some injuries. Another talented running back, Andre Dixon, also played well. Brown still ran for 821 yards and 8 touchdowns. He was second on the team in rushing.

2008 Season: Breaking Records

Before his junior season, Andre Dixon got injured. This made Brown the main starting running back. He started the year with eight straight games where he ran for over 100 yards. Twice, he ran for over 200 yards in a single game.

In one game, he rushed for 214 yards in a heavy rainstorm. He even gained all 25 yards for UConn in overtime. This helped his team win.

Setting New Records

Brown broke the UConn single-season rushing record in his eighth game. He had 1,324 yards, beating the old record from 1995. Later, he became UConn's all-time leading rusher. He finished the regular season with 1,822 yards. This was the most rushing yards in the entire NCAA Division I FBS.

Awards and Bowl Game

Because of his amazing performance, Brown was named the Big East Offensive Player of the Year. In January 2009, he was named Player of the Game in the 2009 International Bowl. He rushed for 261 yards and a touchdown in that game. He ended the season with 2,083 rushing yards. He was only the 14th player in college football history to run for over 2,000 yards in one season. After this great season, Brown decided to enter the NFL Draft.

College Statistics Overview

Donald Brown's college career was very successful. Here are his main statistics:

Professional NFL Career

Donald Brown was considered one of the best running backs in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Indianapolis Colts (2009–2013)

Brown with the Colts in 2010

The Indianapolis Colts picked Donald Brown as the 27th player in the 2009 NFL draft. He was the first player from UConn ever chosen in the first round of an NFL Draft. He signed a five-year contract with the Colts in August 2009.

First Seasons with the Colts

In his first game with the Colts, Brown ran for 58 yards. He scored his first NFL touchdown in September 2009. In December 2010, he had his first game with over 100 rushing yards.

Increased Playing Time

Brown played more often during the 2011 season. He had his best game in Week 15 against the Tennessee Titans. He rushed for 161 yards and scored an 80-yard touchdown run. This long run helped the Colts win their first game of the season.

In 2012, injuries and another good rookie running back limited his playing time. He didn't have any 100-yard games that season. In 2013, Brown became the starting running back again late in the season. He ran for 54 yards and a touchdown in his first game back as a starter.

San Diego Chargers (2014–2015)

In March 2014, Brown signed a three-year contract with the San Diego Chargers. He played two seasons with the Chargers. He was released by the team in March 2016.

New England Patriots (2016)

In March 2016, Brown signed a one-year contract with the New England Patriots. However, he was released by the Patriots in August 2016 before the season started.

NFL Career Statistics

Donald Brown played for seven seasons in the NFL. Here are his regular season statistics:

Here are his postseason (playoff) statistics: