BOULDER — Tommy Brown’s business in the front is his party in the back.
The Buffs offensive lineman is 6-foot-7 with a 6-10 mullet — a blonde mane that flows from Asgard to Panama City Beach. If he wasn’t blocking for CU, Brown would be the baddest dude in a biker gang, Joe Dirt’s bodyguard, or a roadie for Lynyrd Skynyrd.
“My biggest concern in leaving a team and coming to a new one was that the guys weren’t great,” offered Brown, a grad student who transferred to Boulder from Nick Saban’s football factory at Alabama this past winter. “And it’s almost an improvement here. I don’t want to throw any shade at anyone in Alabama, but I really love the team here.”
He loves the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) perks, too. Brown’s Instagram account these days is practically sponsored by the Sawaya Law Firm. He’s offered his services to YETI coolers and AriZona Beverage Company. (No bites.)
“The underwear modeling stuff that I did,” the Crimson Tide escapee told me Saturday as CU football media day wrapped, “that was probably the most fun.”
After all, how many 330-pound dudes can list “underwear model” as a side hustle? Thanks to a Hail Mary last spring from the irreverent, Denver-based clothing company Shinesty, your new favorite Buff made his money in the buff.
“They DM-ed me on Instagram,” Brown explained. “They said, ‘Hey, would you like to do this? We’re expanding to 3XL to 5XL (sizes).’ I’m like, I’m a 2XL, but I’ll still do it.”
Dude didn’t just do it. He went to town. Once you see the stuff on Brown’s Twitter feed, you can’t unsee it.
In one shot, the CU lineman is shirtless in red skivvies, rocking a jackhammer next to a baby’s crib. In another, he’s gallivanting next to a ballet barre in some black boxers with a, shall we say, strategically-placed tuxedo front.
“It was a great time,” Brown laughed. “I would have done that for free. But don’t tell (the company), because I want to do it again. And I would. But I did enjoy getting paid.”
Hey, Brown’s more than just a pretty face. He’s here to chew gum and kick tail. And he’s all out of bubble gum. A four-star recruit coming out of Mater Dei (Calif.) High School, Brown’s detour to Bama was a legacy deal — his father tossed the shot put for the Tide back in the day. The big guy appeared in 28 games for Saban, starting one.
The first day he hit the portal, CU offensive coordinator Mike Sanford sent over a direct message via Twitter. The Buffs weren’t at the top of his list, initially, but when you’ve spent four years in the Deep South, Boulder might as well be Mars.
“Most of my friends from Alabama either haven’t left Alabama and/or the only reason they left Alabama is to go watch the Alabama football team somewhere else,” Brown said with a grin. “I love my friends from Alabama, but they are very from Alabama.”
It’s a different world, all right. The Tide lost a total of three games, combined, over Brown’s first three seasons (2018-20). Last fall, the Buffs had racked up three Ls by the final week in September.
“Wins and losses (last year) do not matter,” Brown countered. “I think the pieces that came in (here will help) … And I think if a few games went differently last season, it’d be 8-4 instead of 4-8. But that’s college football. I’m excited to go out there and prove people wrong.”
When it comes to winning, the Browns don’t mess around. Older brother Dillon played baseball at Cal State Fullerton. Baby bro Zach just committed to do the same at Ohio State.
“All I know is there are a lot of low expectations from outside sources. That’s not the case inside,” Brown said. “We have very high expectations for ourselves. And from what I’ve seen, this is a really good team.”
After spending most of spring ball at left guard, Brown is recovering from a “minor procedure,” coach Karl Dorrell said Saturday. Although he’s expected to be cleared in time for the prime-time season opener against TCU.
“(Brown) really has done a great job of adapting to our system here,” Dorrell said. “And he’s also been a very positive leader, you know, such a short period of time … He’s a veteran player that has had some experience, and I think he’s going to help us with our depth offensively.”
Brown’s sinuous mullet — grown to Mighty Thor lengths on a dare from friend and former Tide teammate Jackson Roby — looks more like something off the cover of an Allman Brothers LP than what you’d find at a Grateful Dead show.
Although another of No. 75’s side hustles saw him helping with facilities at Folsom Field during Dead & Company’s annual summer trip to BoCo, and a California-turned-Dixie boy found out that he kinda dug it. He does miss one southern staple, though, truth be told.
“Sweet tea is something that I probably will drink for the rest of my life,” he laughed. “When it comes to offensive linemen, (after you retire), you either become really skinny or really fatter. I hope to go the skinny way. But I might give myself a year to do what I want.”
A cheat year?
“A cheat year!” Brown replied. “Yeah, exactly.”
After all, when you’re a professional underwear model, a man’s gotta think about his figure. Or not, in this case.
