Family and friends share Brown Brothers’ special moment in Cincinnati

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

Identical twins who grew up dreaming of one day playing on the same NFL field did just that, with plenty of friends and family on hand to share the moment.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni stepped off the team bus parked nearby and walked up to the Browns and their team, looking straight at their mother.

“Good job,” Sirianni told Rachel Brown. “You raised them right.”

Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman got off the bus a minute later and went to congratulate Rachel on the sons she raised mostly alone after giving birth at age 18.

For the woman who once moved into a homeless shelter to pay for her sons’ high school tuition in Florida, these were moments of satisfaction.

“It means everything to me,” Rachel said. “I’m most proud of these people…they’re living their dreams, they’re successful…what more do you want for your kids?”

Midway through their second NFL season, both Brown brothers are enjoying successful NFL careers. Chase assumed the number one role in the Bengals’ backfield, and Sidney returned to safety for the Eagles after recovering from an ACL injury he suffered in the final game of the regular season last January.

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

A gorgeous day in Cincinnati seemed like the perfect excuse to celebrate where Chase and Sydney are in their lives—separated now, but as close as they’ve ever been.

Also in attendance was their grandmother Nancy, who, like Rachel, wore a hoodie representing both boys in their team colors.

Also nearby were Phil and Karen Yates, the couple who agreed to let the twins move in with them when Chase and Sydney left to finish high school in Florida and who still remain as family. Dave Martin and Mike Stenning, who coached the brothers at London’s Southern Collegiate Institute High School, were also in attendance.

Amid the positive atmosphere that filled the warm air, Chase and Sydney posed for photographs, hugged and shook hands and signed autographs.

“It’s definitely a special moment, not just for us, but for our family to have everyone in one stadium,” said Chase, who had 32 yards rushing and a touchdown. “Being able to catch up is great.”

A few feet away, Rachel stood back, enjoying one of the rare moments she got to be with her boys now that their lives had gone in different directions.

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

It was 18 months ago when fate sent the Browns down different paths. Sydney was a third-round pick, and the Bengals got Chase in the fifth.

Since then, their lives, apart from daily visits, have been largely separate. Chase spent the offseason working with a private trainer in Atlanta, while Sydney completed his rehab by shuttling between Philadelphia and Florida. Chase and his girlfriend are expecting their first child in a few months.

Seeing the brothers meet each other for the first time during a football game meant an emotional rollercoaster for those who came to support them. It wasn’t easy for the brothers either, with the Bengals falling to 3-6 on the same day and the Eagles improving to 6-3.

Sydney went on to win, but the only highlight came from Chase’s third-quarter touchdown that leveled the game 17-17.

“Definitely mixed emotions,” Sidney said. “I want him to succeed, but seeing him go into the end zone, I didn’t know how to react. But this is a very exciting moment for him.”

There were no real head-to-head moments during Sunday’s game as Sidney was limited primarily to special teams while he got up to speed after returning from injury.

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

“It was just a cool moment,” Sidney said. “There will be many more in the future…keep stacking them…this won’t be the last time we do this.”