Brittain Brown Bio
Brittain Brown, born October 10, 1997, is an American professional football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 205 pounds, Brown plays the running back position and currently wears jersey number 38. A native of Canton, Georgia, he has built his career through steady work at both the college and professional levels, including a notable college stop at UCLA where he shared carries with future NFL running back Zach Charbonnet.
Brown entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick and has navigated three franchises since 2022, demonstrating persistence through practice squad stints and special teams contributions. He is the nephew of legendary Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker, a family connection that ties his football story to one of college football’s most iconic names.
Early Life and Background
Brittain Brown was born on October 10, 1997, in Canton, Georgia, where he grew up immersed in a football household. His older brother, Blace Brown, played college football for the Troy Trojans and went on to play defensive back in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2019 to 2022. Brittain also has two younger sisters, Kammann and Chatham, making football a regular part of family conversations during his formative years.
He attended Cherokee High School in Canton, Georgia, where he developed into a college-caliber running back prospect. Beyond athletics, Brown showed strong academic interests, later majoring in computer science and education studies during his college career. He is the nephew of Herschel Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and one of the most celebrated running backs in college football history. That family lineage helped shape Brown’s early understanding of the position and the work required to succeed at higher levels.
Path to American Football
Brown’s path to professional football began at Cherokee High School, where his combination of size, speed, and vision drew attention from college programs. He committed to Duke University, where he spent his first four collegiate seasons learning the physical demands of the running back position. After redshirting his first year, Brown earned a larger role and began showing the rushing ability that would later define his college career.
After four seasons at Duke, Brown transferred to UCLA, joining a Bruins program that featured a two-back system in 2021. He shared rushing duties with Zach Charbonnet, allowing both backs to accumulate significant production and showcase their skills on a national stage. That arrangement prepared Brown for the next level by giving him experience in a committee approach, a common setup for NFL running back rooms.
Brittain Brown Career
Early Career (2016–2021)
Brown began his collegiate career at Duke, redshirting the 2016 season before making his Blue Devils debut in the 2017 season opener against North Carolina Central. In that game, he ran for a season-high 120 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, signaling his potential as a feature back. He continued to develop through subsequent seasons, though a left shoulder injury ended his 2019 campaign after only three games.
After transferring to UCLA, Brown quickly became a key piece of the Bruins’ backfield. In the 2020 season finale against Stanford, he rushed for a career-high 219 yards on 29 carries in a double-overtime loss, one of the most productive individual performances of his college career. In 2021, he scored a career-high two touchdowns against Oregon, and he finished his college career with 2,284 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns across both programs.
NFL Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Brittain Brown was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the seventh round, 250th overall, of the 2022 NFL draft, beginning his professional career in a depth role. During his rookie season, he appeared in six games primarily on special teams, contributing on coverage and return units while continuing to develop his offensive skills. That rookie year gave him a foundation in NFL-level preparation and scheme familiarity.
His 2023 season was disrupted when he was placed on injured reserve on August 27, 2023, limiting his ability to build on his rookie experience. He was later waived by the Raiders on August 27, 2024, as part of final roster cuts, ending his initial stint with the team that had drafted him. The two years in Las Vegas offered limited offensive production but valuable exposure to the pace and demands of a professional training camp.
Chicago Bears Era (2025–Present)
On August 11, 2025, Brown signed with the Chicago Bears, then was waived on August 26 as part of final roster cuts before re-signing to the practice squad the following day. He spent the early portion of the season on the practice squad, continuing to refine his role within the organization. His perseverance paid off when injuries elevated him to the active roster on November 1, ahead of the Bears’ Week 9 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In his first regular-season game since the end of 2022, Brown served as the backup halfback and rushed five times for 37 yards, including his first career touchdown on a 22-yard run that helped the Bears secure the win. He returned to the practice squad the following week, was signed to the active roster on November 22, waived on November 27, and re-signed to the practice squad. On January 20, 2026, he signed a reserve and futures contract, securing his place with the organization moving forward.
Driving Style and Strengths
Brown’s running style combines patience at the line of scrimmage with decisive acceleration through creases, traits that fit well in a two-back committee approach. His experience sharing carries at UCLA with Zach Charbonnet sharpened his ability to read blocks, set up plays, and produce efficient gains in short-yardage situations. Listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 205 pounds, he brings a compact build suited for between-the-tackles running and special teams work.
Notable Events and Milestones
Brown’s first career NFL touchdown came on a 22-yard run during the Bears’ Week 9 game against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2025, a milestone that came in his first regular-season action since the end of 2022. His college career-high 219-yard rushing performance against Stanford in 2020 stands as his most dramatic single-game output, while his 2,284 career rushing yards and 21 touchdowns at Duke and UCLA highlight his overall production.
Brittain Brown Career Wins
Across his college and professional career, Brittain Brown has accumulated meaningful production as both a runner and a special teams contributor. While detailed win totals by series are not all itemized in verified sources, his record-setting college games and his NFL regular-season debut touchdown with the Bears mark the highlights of his victories to date. The 2025 regular season stands as his most productive professional stretch in terms of scoring output.
NFL Highlights
Brown’s most significant NFL moment to date came in Week 9 of the 2025 season against the Cincinnati Bengals, when he scored his first career touchdown on a 22-yard run and helped the Bears win. Through Week 9 of the 2025 season, he recorded 37 rushing yards on 7.4 yards per carry, along with one rushing touchdown, in limited regular-season action. His professional opportunities have largely come through practice squad elevations and short stints on active rosters.
Other Wins and Performances
At the college level, Brown posted several standout performances, including 120 rushing yards and a touchdown in his Duke debut against North Carolina Central and 219 yards on 29 carries against Stanford during the 2020 season finale. He also scored two touchdowns against Oregon in 2021, capping his UCLA career with 2,284 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns across both the Blue Devils and Bruins.
Brittain Brown Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Brown comes from a football-oriented family with strong ties to the sport at both the college and professional levels. His older brother, Blace Brown, played college football for the Troy Trojans and went on to play defensive back in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2019 to 2022. He also has two younger sisters, Kammann and Chatham, who have been part of his support system throughout his athletic journey.
His most notable family connection is his uncle, Herschel Walker, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner whose legendary career at the University of Georgia remains a touchstone in college football history. That family lineage has helped shape Brown’s perspective on the work required to compete at the highest levels of the sport.
Personal Life
Brown pursued a serious academic path alongside his athletic career, majoring in computer science and education studies during his time at Duke and UCLA. During his 2025 free agency stretch, he underwent cybersecurity training while also searching for sales jobs, reflecting his interest in building a career beyond football. His professional and personal priorities reflect a measured approach to an NFL career that has required patience and adaptability.
2025 Season Performance
Brown’s 2025 season has been defined by perseverance and a late-season opportunity with the Chicago Bears. After signing with the organization in August and moving between the practice squad and active roster through the early weeks, he was elevated to the active roster ahead of the Week 9 game against the Cincinnati Bengals due to injuries in the backfield. In that contest, he ran five times for 37 yards and scored his first career NFL touchdown on a 22-yard run, helping the Bears secure the win.
Following his Week 9 performance, Brown returned to the practice squad, was signed to the active roster on November 22, waived on November 27, and re-signed to the practice squad as the Bears continued to manage their running back rotation. The late-season moves reflect the typical rhythm of a young running back navigating a crowded depth chart, where special teams value and offensive reliability both factor into roster decisions. With a reserve and futures contract signed on January 20, 2026, Brown has secured a place with the Bears heading into the offseason program.
Looking ahead, Brown will compete for a more defined role in the Bears’ backfield during the 2025 offseason and into the 2026 campaign, leveraging his special teams experience and the momentum of his first career touchdown. His combination of size, vision, and committee-back experience at UCLA makes him a candidate to contribute in a complementary rushing role, while his cybersecurity training provides a backup plan should his NFL career reach a conclusion. The foundation built across Duke, UCLA, the Raiders, the Seahawks, and the Bears sets the stage for his next opportunity in the league.