The Dallas Cowboys pulled off the biggest upset of the weekend, and the continued emergence of sixth-year wide receiver Noah Brown was a major reason why. Brown, a career backup, is making the most of an unexpected opportunity. Through two weeks, he leads the Cowboys in catches (10), yards (159), and has their only receiving touchdown.
Brown had a career day in Sunday’s 20-17 Cowboys win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and in the process won an arguably even more prestigious honor: PFN’s Breakthrough Player of the Week.
Noah Brown is PFN’s Breakthrough Player of Week 2
When the Cowboys planned their 2022 season, they never envisioned Brown catching balls from Cooper Rush in anything but practice and preseason. But Rush is Dallas’ QB1 while Dak Prescott recovers from a thumb injury, and Brown is having a moment of his own thanks to injuries and offseason roster decisions.
A special-teams contributor for most of his first five NFL seasons, Brown just keeps hanging around in Dallas. And when the team decided to move on from Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson Jr. in the offseason — even with an uncertain timetable for Michael Gallup following offseason ACL surgery — the possibility was real that Brown would have to play meaningful snaps on offense.
But few, if any, outside of Brown’s immediate family could have envisioned the impact he’s had.
Entering 2022, Brown had been targeted just 65 times for 39 catches and 425 yards. But on Sunday alone, Brown caught five balls for a game-high 91 yards, including a nine-yard touchdown from Rush on the Cowboys’ first possession. The touchdown catch was the first of his career.
“Noah’s a stud, he’s so competitive,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said after the game. “Did a great job. A lot of players get lighter the longer they play. Just the offseason he had, the anticipation of the opportunity that he was going to have this year. You’re just seeing the payoff of it.
“Tough tough football player, both on offense and special teams,” McCarthy continued. “I love the way he plays. I mean how many receivers are your personal protector on punt team? One tough dude.”
Who is Noah Brown?
Brown, 26, is an overnight star six years in the making. But it’s fitting. His entire football career has been unconventional.
A native of North Jersey, Brown seemed destined for great things, at least in college, after amassing more than 3,000 all-purpose yards at Pope John XXIII Regional High School.
Brown was a four-star recruit who committed to Ohio State in September of his senior year. Rivals listed Brown as the No. 3 prospect in New Jersey that year, behind only Jabrill Peppers and Quenton Nelson.
But if you blinked, you missed his college career.
After a quiet freshman season, Brown lost his entire sophomore campaign due to a significant leg injury that required two surgeries. He recovered in time for his redshirt sophomore year and finally made an impact, leading the Buckeyes with seven touchdown catches.
But that would be it for his time on campus.
Brown decided to forego his final two years of eligibility and make the jump to the NFL — after appearing in just 14 games at Ohio State and catching only 33 passes in his short career.
Was it a mistake? Probably. Brown’s meager body of work resulted in him becoming the 239th player — and 31st wide receiver — selected in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Cowboys drafted Brown on the recommendation of Ezekiel Elliott, his college teammate.
Brown made little impact on the NFL early in his career. He missed the entire 2019 season with a knee injury. And when he was available, the Cowboys used Brown almost exclusively on special teams and as a blocker on offense.
That all changed in 2022, however.
“It’s great, but I was out there doing the dirty work today too,” Brown said. “I always take pride in that, take pride in getting open, take pride in blocking, whatever I have to do.”
Brown’s outlook for rest of the 2022 season
As long as Brown can hold off rookie Jalen Tolbert — the third-round pick who has been a healthy scratch the first two weeks of the season — he will get opportunities on offense. The Cowboys simply don’t have any other options.
Gallup practiced on a limited basis last week, and the Cowboys haven’t ruled out having him back for next Monday’s game against the Giants. But even if Gallup does play in Week 3, Brown would be no worse than the team’s No. 3 option at wide receiver.
“As consistent as he is and ability to go up and make plays, it didn’t surprise me one bit,” Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb said after Sunday’s game. “It’s an ability for him to showcase himself. I’m happy for him. I can’t stop smiling, I can’t stop congratulating him. I see him walking around here with a smile on his face, it’s great.”