Family, friends share Brown brothers’ special moment in Cincinnati

Chase and Sydney Brown stood together outside the players entrance at Paycor Stadium Sunday afternoon following the Philadelphia Eagles’ 37-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, surrounded by family and friends who had made the trek from their hometown of London, Ont. and beyond.

The identical twins, who grew up sharing the dream of playing on the same NFL field someday, had done just that, with plenty of friends and family there to share the moment with them.  

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni came off the team bus parked nearby, and approached the Browns and their contingent, looking straight at their mother. 

“Good job,” Sirianni said to Raechel Brown. “You raised them right.”

Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman came off the bus a minute later, making his way over to congratulate Raechel on the sons she raised mostly by herself after giving birth at age 18.

For a woman who once moved into a homeless shelter so she could pay her sons’ high school tuition in Florida, these were fulfilling moments.

“It means everything to me,” said Raechel. “I am most proud of the people that they are … they are living their dreams, they are successful … what else do you want for your kids?”

Halfway through their second NFL seasons, both of the Brown brothers are on pace to have solid NFL careers. Chase has taken over the No.1 role in the Bengals backfield, while Sydney is back at safety for the Eagles after recovering from an ACL injury he suffered in the final regular-season game last January.

“It was cool,” Chase said of facing his brother on a football field for the first time at any level. “Obviously, I wanted a different result, but it was cool to see him out there doing his thing.”

A glorious day in Cincinnati felt like the perfect occasion to celebrate where Chase and Sydney are in life – separated now, but as close as they’ve ever been. 

Also in attendance was their grandmother, Nancy, who, like Raechel, was decked out in a hoodie that celebrated both boys in their respective team colours.

Also nearby were Phil and Karen Yates, the couple who agreed to let the twins move in with them when Chase and Sydney went to finish high school in Florida and who have remained like family to this day. Dave Martin and Mike Stenning, who coached the brothers in high school at London South Collegiate Institute, were also on hand.

Amid the positive vibes that filled the warm air, Chase and Sydney posed for pictures, gave hugs and handshakes, and signed autographs. 

“Definitely as special moment – not only for us but for our family and having everybody here in one stadium,” said Chase, who had 32 yards rushing and a touchdown. “Being able to catch up is great.”

A few feet away, Raechel stood back, taking in one of the rare moments she gets to be together with her boys now that their lives have moved in different directions.

“I just want to stand and look at them together,” she said. “I haven’t seen them together since the draft.”

That was 18 months ago, when fate sent the Browns on different paths. Sydney was selected in the third round, while Chase went in the fifth to the Bengals.

Outside of daily check-ins, their lives have mostly been separated since that time. Chase spent his off-season working with a private coach in Atlanta, while Sydney completed his rehab shuttling between Philadelphia and Florida. Chase and his girlfriend are expecting their first child in a few months. 

The nature of the brothers facing each other in a football game for the first time meant an emotional roller coaster for those who came to support them. It wasn’t easy for the brothers either, on a day the Bengals fell to 3-6 while the Eagles improved to 6-3.

Sydney’s team got the win, but the single best moment belonged to Chase on his third-quarter touchdown run that tied the game at 17-17. 

“Definitely mixed emotions,” said Sydney. “I want him to be successful, but seeing him go into the end zone, I didn’t really know how to react. But a super exciting moment for him.”

There were no real head-to-head moments during Sunday’s game, as Sydney was restricted to mostly special teams while he gets himself up to speed after returning from injury. 

It was a special moment for Canada and for the NFL, which highlighted the Browns and their story during the broadcast.

“It was just a cool moment,” Sydney said. “Many more to come in the future … keep stacking them … it won’t be the last time we ever do this.”