Andre Brown gingerly walked into the interview, his left hand rubbing his sore lower back. Against substantial odds, the New York Giants’ running back made his return from a broken left fibula this past Sunday to carry the ball a career-high 30 times for 115 yards to lead his team to a 24-20 victory over the Oakland Raiders at MetLife Stadium.
In many ways, Brown’s improbable journey is representative of the Giants’ implausible rise from the abyss this season, winning three games in a row following a 0-6 start. After being drafted by the Giants in the fourth round in 2009, the North Carolina State alum has been a living definition of fortitude. Cut by five teams since first donning a Giants uniform, Brown has overcome a ruptured Achilles and two breaks to the fibula in his left leg—the initial injury sustained on Nov. 25, 2012, the last time he appeared in an NFL game. The 26-year-old broke it again last August in the closing preseason game.
Few if any of his peers and coaches would have viewed Brown as lacking heart or will if he had decided to take a cautious approach to recovery. Not only did Brown seemingly have to rehabilitate his body, but also his psyche. Yet the 6-foot, 225-pounder from Baltimore was unwavering in his faith.
“You can’t think about and dwell on the past,” he said in calm tone. “You’ve just got to continue to move forward and remain positive and don’t look back. If I looked back at all the injuries that I’ve had, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
“I don’t think there’s any doubt this is very rewarding and satisfying,” exuded Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, preceding Brown at the podium. “Perseverance does pay off.”
It was a theme reflective of Brown and the Giants. At 3-6, the Giants are astonishingly back in the race for the NFC East title and face the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at home minus superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Do you believe in miracles?!
