Sergio Brown Situation is Sad and Scary

Sergio Brown began his NFL career as a member of the New England Patriots. He played in New England for two seasons, helping the 2011 Patriots reach Super Bowl 46, where they ultimately fell to the New York Giants.  But even a loss on football’s biggest stage was nothing compared to the current difficulties surrounding Sergio Brown.

Undrafted out of Notre Dame in 2010, Brown hooked on with New England’s practice squad. He worked his way onto the main roster several weeks into the season, contributing on special teams and adding depth in the defensive backfield. The following season he dressed for all but one game in helping the Patriots become AFC Champions. He finished the season having played in all but one regular season game and all three postseason games.

Sergio Brown had become a feel good story. From an NFL Draft afterthought, to a contributing player on a contending team in less than two years.

But Brown was waived on the final roster cutdown of 2012. The Super Bowl loss would be his final meaningful game as a member of the Patriots. But even though he was through in New England, he would last even longer at his next stop, playing three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. His last game with the Colts was against his former Patriots teammates in the AFC Championship Game. Brown was a starting safety for Indianapolis in a game that would be known for the “Deflategate” controversy. It would be far from the biggest controversy involving Sergio Brown however.

Brown finished his career playing one season each with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills. Despite having not been selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, he enjoyed a seven-year career in the league. He played a total of 104 games, including 10 in the postseason.

For many football fans, the end of Sergio Brown’s NFL career would be the last they’d hear about him for quite some time. But this past weekend, Brown was once again in the news. The Maywood Police Department in Maywood, Ill. announced that Sergio Brown was a missing person.

According to a press release, Brown had last been seen with his mother Myrtle Brown in Maywood on August 25, 2023. The two were leaving his residence to attend a family reunion in Mississippi, but they never arrived. It states the body of Myrtle Brown was found deceased on September 16, 2023. Ms. Brown’s body was found in Addison Creek, near her home in Maywood.

The release stated only that Sergio Brown was still missing, and they were trying to find him.

It was not known if Brown was considered to be a suspect in his mother’s death, or another victim himself. There was no information provided about what had occurred in the 22 days between when the mother and son were last seen, and when Myrtle Brown’s body was found. This was both a sad and scary situation.

In the past two days, multiple videos have been posted to an Instagram account, appearing to be both of and by Sergio Brown. The clips are bizarre. Brown sings Drake lyrics (“Legend“) in one, and lyrics from Disney’s Finding Nemo (“Just Keep Swimming“) in another. He also claims that “it” had to be the FBI or the Maywood PD, who he accuses of kidnapping him multiple times. He does not clarify what “it” refers to.

Based on the videos, Sergio Brown appears to be alive but not well. Watching a man struggle immensely with mental health is disturbing. Regardless of how things proceed from here for Sergio Brown and this story, this has now become a tragedy on multiple levels.