Orlando Brown returns to the NFL from eye injury

Jet, April 7, 2003

Offensive tackle Orlando Brown rejoined the Baltimore Ravens after sitting out three years with an eye injury caused by a referee's weighted penalty flag. Brown signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Ravens.

Brown has not played since he was struck in the right eye Dec. 19, 1999, while playing for Cleveland. He later sued the NFL (JET, April 16, 2001), and then was cut by the Browns in September of 2000. At the time, he had a six-year, $27 million contract that included a $7.5 million signing bonus. The deal temporarily made him the league's highest paid offensive lineman.

The 32-year-old Brown, at 6-foot-7 and 360 pounds, said he turned down a four-year offer from the Minnesota Vikings to return to Baltimore, where he played before joining Cleveland.

He originally was drafted by the old Cleveland Browns, who moved to Baltimore after the 1995 season and became the Ravens.