Father’s Day is a happy day for many people, but it’s also a bittersweet or sad one for those who are without their fathers.
Ravens rookie tackle Orlando Brown Jr. is in the latter camp as his father, who also played tackle for the Ravens, died of diabetic ketoacidosis in 2011. Brown said he’ll reminisce about the man known as “Zeus” during his playing days with his mother and siblings, but he has another way of remembering his father every time he takes the field.
Brown, who was drafted in the third round this year, recalls finding a white bandana in a bag of football gear after his father died and his father telling him that offensive linemen “have to have your own swag” because they otherwise go unnoticed. The younger Brown wears a bandana under his helmet during practices and games as part of an effort to carry his memory with him every time he takes the field.
“My biggest wish right now is I wish he could see it,” Brown said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “At the end of the day, that’s my motivation for getting to this point and continuing to make sure I carry on his legacy.”
Orlando Brown Sr. started 119 games for the Browns and Ravens in a career that stretched from 1993-2005. His son finished minicamp as the first-team right tackle in Baltimore, which is a good stepping off point for the continuation of that family legacy.