Brother Bowl: London’s Brown twins set for first NFL matchup

It will be another memorable chapter in NFL and London sports history during Sunday’s Bengals-Eagles game in Cincinnati, when twin brothers Chase and Sydney Brown square off for the first time in their two-year professional careers ( start at 1 p.m.).

The 24-year-old former University of Illinois standouts will literally be on the field together, as Chase is a Cincinnati running back and Sydney is a defensive end for the Eagles. Sydney described it as a “week-long rift” between the siblings and best friends.

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“We’ll see him at the end of the week and after the game and stuff,” he told NBC Sports Philadelphia. “But that’s my guy. Someone I talk to every day, almost like my therapist in a lot of ways. We’re both going to go our own way, study our game plan, play our game and then, come back like never before we left.”

THE ROOTS OF LONDON

It’s an incredible story.

Single mother Raechel Brown was 18 when she gave birth to Chase and Sydney two minutes apart on March 21, 2000.

Some difficult family circumstances and limited financial means meant that they were always on the move, including a couple of stops at shelters. At one point, the young brothers lived in an apartment overlooking Saunders High School and remember watching high school football games below. He attended Westmount Public School, signed up for flag football at the age of 10 and began playing the game of kick-off in the London Minor Football Association.

His high school career began with South Collegiate before heading to the United States for his next step.

ROAD TO NFL

brown — Sydney Brown, left, and Chase Brown during an NCAA football media event. Photo by Patrick Pierson /Illinois football

Chase and Sydney enrolled at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School in Bradenton, Florida as high school students and were fostered by Phil and Karen Yates.

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The brothers earned NCAA notice and went their separate ways: Chase at Western Michigan and Sydney at Illinois. Chase found that his scholarship did not cover the cost of pilot school and left WMU after one year.

He joined his brother with the Fighting Illini and soon became one of the best running backs in American college football.

In the 2023 NFL draft, the Browns became the sixth set of twins selected in the same year. Sydney went with the 66th pick to the Eagles while the Bengals took Chase 163rd overall.

NFL CAREER TO DATE

The Eagles meet will be Chase’s 20th NFL game. He has 110 catches for 506 yards (4.6 yards per catch) and 28 catches for 215 yards (7.7 yards per catch) in that time. Chase has scored all three of his career touchdowns this season and has two touchdown receptions (one this year). His 54-yard score last year in Week 14 against Indianapolis with his South Collegiate coaches and fans in the stands showcased his incredible speed and agility.

Sydney finished his rookie season with 30 solo tackles in 13 games (five) starts and a dazzling 99-yard interception touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals. He tore his ACL against the New York Giants on Jan. 7 and missed his first shot in the playoffs.

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He was finally waived two weeks ago and made his postseason debut last weekend in a win against the Giants on the same field at MetLife Stadium where he was injured.

Now he will face his brother’s team.

HIS STATIONS SO FAR

The Bengals are trying to get back to the winning ways that propelled them to the Super Bowl two years ago. They are 3-4 in the AFC North and have to take on the Steelers and Ravens, both 5-2. Cincinnati is 0-3 at home so far, so they need a win this weekend.

The Eagles are 4-2 and trying to keep pace with the first-place Washington Commanders in the NFC East. Philly played in the Super Bowl in 2023, but lost to Kansas City.

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