Trent Brown will have a large cheering section Thursday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The New England Patriots offensive tackle attended high school three hours south of Atlanta in Albany, Ga. This week, he bought Patriots-Falcons tickets for every member of the football team at his alma mater, Westover High.
Brown also hooked the team up with buses to the game and food, according to a report from WBZ-TV’s Steve Burton.
“If I can just inspire a couple of those guys, whether they go do whatever, just to be successful outside of the city and feel comfortable with blazing their own trails, that’s the most important thing to me,” Brown told Burton. “I just hope that’s what they take away from it.”
The Westover team — also called the Patriots — shared pregame photos from outside the Falcons’ stadium.
A lingering calf injury sidelined Brown from Week 2 to Week 9, but he returned to lineup last Sunday and dominated, bullying the Cleveland Browns’ talented defensive front in a 45-7 Patriots victory.
New England managed Brown’s workload in that game, subbing in Mike Onwenu at right tackle for one series late in the first half.
“I’m definitely not satisfied,” Brown said Tuesday. “It was a decent first outing, but I can do better. I can be better.”
The 6-4 Patriots are seeking their fifth consecutive win.
