Trent Brown has always felt at home in New England.
That was the main theme of the open letter Brown shared Thursday via Uninterrupted, expressing his gratitude to Patriots fans after re-signing with the team on a two-year contract worth up to $22 million.
“Dear Patriot Nation,” said Brown, who spent the 2018 and 2021 seasons with New England. “It seems like for as long as I can remember, I’ve been a Patriot. My high school team and colors were the same red, white and blue, and in a unique way, being here has always felt like home. Through my first seven years in the league, there’s no doubt where I’ve enjoyed my time the most and had the most success. I couldn’t have done that without you. You’re more than fans to us. You’re family.
“From Foxboro to Boston and all over Massachusetts, you provide us all with an energy that I don’t think any of us could ever put into words. Coming out of that tunnel at Gillette, seeing you all out in the community, even seeing how you support us on the O-line on social media.
“We all know free agency is part of the business, and we all hope to attain the most we can to support our families in a career that goes by all too fast. But what was most important to me was to be somewhere that felt like home, which is why I was grateful that the team and I could agree to terms that would solidify my return and get to the mission of winning more championships.
“I plan to make my next seven my best seven, and just like before, I need you to help me do it. That’s the Patriot Way. See you soon. Sincerely yours, TB77.”
Retaining Brown, who took a free agent visit with the Seattle Seahawks before deciding to stay put, was a major boost to a Patriots offensive line that already had lost starting guards Ted Karras and Shaq Mason. The key now for the 6-foot-8, 380-pound right tackle will be staying healthy, as he missed eight games with a calf injury in 2021 and sat out a total of 16 over his two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Good to have Trent Brown back,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters earlier this week. “I’m glad we were able to work it out. I’m glad we were able to work it out with all of the players we re-signed. … He played well when he played, but he missed half the year. So hopefully we’ll be able to get more play time from him this year, but he’s a quality player.”
A large portion of Brown’s new contract is tied to playing-time incentives, with a base value of $13 million over two years and just $4 million guaranteed.
