Swamp Foxes' Brown Signed by Orlando Predators
Published on October 20, 2003 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Charleston Swamp Foxes News Release
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC â Arguably the best and most widely known Charleston Swamp Foxes' player through the team's first-four seasons has made the jump to the Arena Football League. The AFL's Orlando Predators signed Charleston' s all-time leading defender, Michael Brown late last week.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Arena Football League teams were able to start signing free agents on Wednesday of last week. Brown becomes the first Swamp Foxes' player to ink a deal with an Arena Football squad for the upcoming 2004 season.
During his three-year career in Charleston, Brown set several team records on defense including his 149 total tackles and 25 interceptions, which also ranks him tied for second all-time in the af2 record books. Brown tallied 78 receptions for 1,426 yards and 28 touchdowns as a two-way player for the majority of his first two seasons with the Foxes, and then mainly as a defensive specialist his final year in the Lowcountry.
Additionally, Brown finished ranked third on the Foxes' all-time leading scorer list, fourth on the receiving list, and fifth on the kickoff return list with an average of 16.7 yards per return.
Last season, Brown accounted for 57 tackles and also solidified his hold on the career interceptions list with nine picks, two shy of his single-season record of 11 set in 2002. He helped lead a defensive squad that sat atop the af2 rankings for nine-consecutive weeks during 2003. The Foxes' defense finished ranked number one versus the rush, fifth versus the pass, and fourth overall. Charleston also led the league in turnover margin, creating 50 total turnovers, 34 of which were interceptions.
Offensively in 2003, Brown caught 13 passes for 270 yards (20.8 yards per catch) and five touchdowns. He also led the team in kickoff returns last year, racking up 392 yards on 22 returns for an average of 17.8 yards per return.
Brown garnered the league's Ironman Award for the final week of the 2003 regular season, a 48-13 win over the rival Richmond Speed. Brown caught a pair of passes for 54 yards and a score on offense, adding an additional score on special teams in the form of a 56-yard missed field goal return. On defense, the two-way standout intercepted a pair of passes and finished with five and a half tackles.
Brown was also named to the all-arenafootball2 second team following the 2003 season.
In 2002, Brown saw action in each one of the Foxes' 16 games becoming one of 13 different Swamp Foxes to participate in each game in a single season. He finished tied for second in scoring with 120 points and was the second leading receiver for the Foxes with 875 yards on 53 receptions, 18 of which were for touchdowns. He added a pair of rushing scores for a season total of 20 TDs.
He set a team individual record for interceptions, picking off 11 passes during the 2002 season and also tied teammate Dwayne Wilmot for the most touchdown receptions in a single-game with four.
In Brown's first season in Charleston, 2001, the receiver/defensive back saw action in nine games, registering 34 total tackles, including 17 solo stops, with five interceptions and one tackle for loss. On offense, Brown hauled in 10 passes for 251 yards and four scores.
Swamp Foxes' head coach Rik Richards was extremely proud of his former player getting the opportunity at the next level.
"I've said for the past two seasons that Mike (Brown) was too good to be at the af2 level," said Richards. "Now, he gets the opportunity to showcase his talent on a much larger scale. The Predators have a top-notch organization so he'll be able to learn more from one of the best.
Brown joins a team in Orlando that has had its share of success, which includes six ArenaBowl appearances and a pair of Championships in 2000 and 1998. Last year, the Predators won seven-consecutive games to finish up the season, but had that streak snapped in the semifinals of the AFL playoffs when they fell to eventual AFL Champion, and in-state rival, the Tampa Bay Storm. The Preds finished with an overall mark of 13-5.
Play for the AFL begins in February of 2004, with the games once again being televised each Sunday afternoon live on NBC.
The Swamp Foxes' will begin their quest for the ArenaCup in April of 2004. You can catch âFox Fever' today by securing your seats inside the North Charleston Coliseum for all eight action-packed games. Season tickets start at just $40.
Call (843) 554-4321 to for more information.
arenafootball2 Stories from October 20, 2003
- Swamp Foxes' Brown Signed by Orlando Predators - Charleston Swamp Foxes
- Greensboro loses af2 Ironman - Greensboro Prowlers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
