A Controversial Take on Athletic Success

Statements made by the father of NFL players are resurfacing nearly a year later, provoking fresh discussions.

John Brown, a former bodybuilder, is the father of three soccer-playing sons: Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions, Iquanas St. Brown of the New Orleans Saints, and Osiris Brown, who played for Stanford. With such a strong athletic lineage, he’s offered an interesting perspective on their success: he attributes it to “breeding.”

This viewpoint has sparked concern due to its echoes of eugenics, raising eyebrows once more.

Approximately 11 months ago, Brown shared his thoughts on the St. Brown Podcast, and the comments have recently gained traction again, as reported by various sources.

Amon-Ra St. Brown posed a question to his father, one that perhaps he wasn’t fully prepared for: “What do people ask you the most about how three kids went Division 1 and two made it to the NFL?”

Not only was Brown pleased with the question, but his answer spiraled into elaborate detail.

“Look at you—good athlete, good athlete,” he remarked. “I’m Black, and his mom is white. I’ve stepped in it before; you can’t keep doing that. You’ll weaken it.”

He added, “With you and Brooklyn (Amon-Ra’s fiancée), you have a chance… You have to think about these things.”

Brown seemed to imply that families of athletic children have a sort of freedom in their choices about partnering.

“If you don’t want an athlete, spread the seeds around… I knew I could make it work once… I have Black gold, and Mom has those impressive genes,” he explained. “You need to consider this.”

The boys’ mother, Miriam Brown, who hails from Germany, seems to have contributed to their unique athletic blend.

While the meticulous approach to their “breeding” appears to have yielded some talent, Amon-Ra St. Brown has achieved significant success, securing 115 catches for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns, establishing himself as an all-pro wide receiver for the second year in a row.

Iquanas St. Brown may not be hitting the same milestones as his brother but still holds a place in the NFL, albeit after only two games last season. Osiris, on the other hand, played for Stanford and certainly has talent to show as well.

So, it seems there might be more than meets the eye when it comes to this discussion of athletic heritage.