When Anthony Brown first signed up with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent from Oregon, nobody expected him to ever see the field. Unless something wild happened. And then, in 2022, wild things happened. Injuries to both Lamar Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley forced the undrafted rookie into action, and the rest is history.
Brown stepped in and did what he could, making a start in the Ravens’ regular-season finale against Cincinnati. It was about as bad as it could imagine. He completed 19 passes on 44 attempts for 286 yards, two picks, and a fumble lost. His career in the NFL essentially ended before it could ever begin. Three turnovers are brutal—especially for his first career start... his only career start.
The Ravens brought him back the following year to ride with the practice squad, and from there, Brown bounced around. He signed a reserve deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, got waived, and then landed in Arizona before finishing the 2024 season on the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad.
Most recently, he was used as a “Lamar scout team clone” ahead of Buffalo’s playoff win over Baltimore. That pretty much summed up where Brown stood in the NFL hierarchy.
Now he’s in Houston, hoping a new football endeavor can be the launching pad for another shot at redemption.
Anthony Brown has a terrible debut for the Houston Roughnecks
The Houston Roughnecks handed Anthony Brown the starting job heading into their UFL season opener, and it felt like the right call. He had the best resume on the roster, experience in real NFL games, and enough athleticism to keep defenses honest. It was a fresh start and a chance to remind people what made him intriguing in the first place.
Instead, things went sideways in the worst way possible.
Brown finished the night 5-of-11 for just 21 passing yards and two interceptions in a 31-6 blowout loss to the St. Louis Battlehawks. He added one 20-yard run, but that was about it. The offense never found a rhythm, and Brown struggled to find open targets or establish any kind of flow. It was a rough showing for a guy hoping to make a statement out of the gate. It's no shocker he was benched.
Houston Roughnecks have benched Anthony Brown and Nolan Henderson is now in the game.
— United Football Media (@The_UFM) March 29, 2025
Brown went 5/11 with 2 INT's, can Henderson provide a spark to this lethargic offense? 👀 https://t.co/idMpxome17
Not a great sign when your first start in both the NFL and UFL ends with two picks—that's a tough look.
The UFL is a second-chance league, and it’s built for players like Brown. He’s still only 26 and has the tools to be effective. But the window to prove yourself here is small. There are just ten regular-season games, and teams don’t have time to wait around on quarterback development. After a debut like that, the pressure is officially on.
To be clear, one game probably won't close the door on an NFL return. But it does raise the stakes. Brown has to bounce back fast if he wants to turn this opportunity into something more. There’s still time—but it's running out fast. He can't continue to struggle like this. Not in the UFL.
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