In high school, he was a three-year starter for head coachBob Gaddis at Columbus East High School in Columbus, Indiana. He gained 1,700 all-purpose yards as a junior in 2004 and scored 17 touchdowns, while recording 30 solo tackles and three interceptions. Despite only playing three games due to injury as a senior he was selected first-team all-state. He participated in the 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Also he was on the cover of Excel High School Sports Goal Post 2005 Football Yearbook. Also all-state by the Indiana Coaches Association and by the Associated Press as a junior. Ranked as the number 7 safety and the second-best player in the state of Indiana according to rivals.com.[2] Ranked as the number 10 cornerback in the nation by scout.com.[3] Qualified for the state finals as a sophomore in the 200 meters and finished seventh in the state in the 100 meters a junior.[1] As a sophomore, he had 10 interceptions.[4]
Brown (3) drops back in coverage while Tim Hiller rolls out
At Michigan, he was elected captain as a senior. Over the course of his career he had 31 special teamstackles, including 11 as a sophomore when he led the 2007 team.[1] As a senior, he led the 2009 Wolverines in tackles with 80.[1] He recorded nine tackles in four different conference games (against Indiana - September 26, Michigan State - October 3, Purdue - November 7, Wisconsin - November 14) during the 2009 Big Ten Conference football season.[5] He was named the 2009 winner of The Roger Zatkoff Award as the team's best linebacker.
Professional career
Oakland Raiders
Brown was selected in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders with the 251st overall selection.[6][7] His signing was announced on July 22.[8] In his first game as a professional, he made an interception to end an exhibition game against the Dallas Cowboys.[9] The Raiders released him on September 4 and signed him to their practice squad on September 5.[10] A few weeks later Stevie Brown was signed to the 2010 Raiders and debuted on September 19, 2010, against the St. Louis Rams and recorded his first career tackle.[11] After playing in his first year as a rookie he recorded 29 tackles including a game against the San Diego Chargers where he recorded 5 total tackles.
The Raiders released Brown on September 3, 2011, as part of their final cutdowns.[12]
The New York Giants signed Stevie Brown on April 2, 2012.[15] While replacing an injured Kenny Phillips for the early part of the 2012 NFL season, Brown led the entire NFL in takeaways at seven, with five interceptions and two fumble recoveries as of October 28, 2012 (through week 8).[16] In the eighth week on October 28 against the Dallas Cowboys, Brown had two interceptions and a fumble recovery.[17] The following day, he was named National Football Conference (NFC) Defensive Player of the Week.[18] Against the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees on December 9, Brown had 2 interceptions and a forced fumble and established a Giants franchise record for single-season interception return yards (259).[19][20] On December 30 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Brown returned a Michael Vickforward pass 48 yards to ignite a 42–7 rout, earning him a second NFC Defensive Player of the Week recognition on January 2.[21][22]
He finished the season with 307 return yards,[23] which ranked as the fourth highest single-season total in NFL history.[24] His 8 interceptions, second in the NFL,[25] were the most by a Giant in a season since the 1968 Giants got 10 interceptions from Willie Williams and 8 from Spider Lockhart.[26] In addition, this led the entire NFL, with nearly twice as many interception-return-yards as second-place Ronde Barber of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[27] Brown signed his $2.023 million one-year restricted free agent tender on March 19, 2013.[28]
During a pre-season game on August 24, 2013, against the New York Jets, Brown tore the ACL in his left knee and missed the entire season.[29] He re-signed with the Giants on a one-year contract on March 11, 2014.[30]
