EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –The Giants, who had been steadily losing safeties for the last two weeks, today added one when they welcomed back Stevie Brown, who played for them from 2012-14.
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Brown was released Saturday by the Houston Texans. The Giants quickly moved to bring him back to the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
To create room on the roster, the Giants terminated the contract of linebacker Victor Butler.
The Giants' safety corps has been depleted by season-ending injuries to Bennett Jackson, Mykkele Thompson and Justin Currie. Nat Berhe underwent surgery Saturday to repair a calf injury. Two other safeties, rookie Landon Collins and Cooper Taylor, have also missed time with injuries, though they played in the preseason game vs. the Jets on Saturday.
Brown originally joined the Giants as a free agent on April 3, 2012. That season, he played in 16 games with 11 starts and led the team and was tied for second in the NFL with eight interceptions. He set a franchise record with 307 interception return yards.
Brown was twice selected NFC Defensive Player of the Week. He was honored after his Week 8 performance at Dallas, where he intercepted two passes, recovered a fumble and had six solo tackles in a victory over the Cowboys. Brown was cited a second time after the Giants' Week 17 rout of Philadelphia, when he had six tackles and, on the fifth play of the game, intercepted a Michael Vick pass and returned it 48 yards to the Eagles' 26-yard line. Four plays later, Eli Manning threw a touchdown pass to Rueben Randle, and the Giants were on their way to a 42-7 triumph.
Brown was the first Giants safety to receive two Player of the Week awards in one season and the team's first defensive back to be honored twice in one year since cornerback Jason Sehorn in 1997.
Brown's eight interceptions were the most by a Giants player since Willie Williams had 10 in 1968. His 307 interception return yards broke the Giants' former single-season record of 251, set by Hall of Famer Emlen Tunnell in 1949 and matched by Dick Lynch in 1963.
He was also fifth on the Giants with 71 tackles (62 solo).
In 2013, Brown missed the entire season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament in a preseason game vs. the Jets on Aug. 24. He was placed on injured reserve the following day and underwent surgery on Sept. 5.
Last year, Brown returned to the field to play all 16 games with eight starts. He contributed 36 tackles (28 solo), a pass defensed, a sack and two special teams tackles.
Brown signed with the Texans on May 1.
Butler, a seven-year veteran, was signed to a reserve/future contact on Jan. 5. He played in each of the Giants' first three preseason games and had two tackles.
