Terrible news for the man, had such potential in the game and could have made a name for himself in the NFL. I am sure someone with his determination and drive will find another path for success and I wish him the best. It just sucks when something like this is out of your control, nothing he did just bad luck.
Hopefully it does not cause him issues in normal everyday life.
That is terrible news for Journey. Looks like its a heart condition and my hope is that he will be able to resume a safe and healthy life without football. Thankfully he had a great year last year, something to remember. More importantly, he chose Penn State and will earn a degree that will provide him the skills to achieve his post football dreams.
Thanks for the thrills Journey, you could really light it up.
Best of luck in your future endeavors young man. Continue to make Meadville proud.
I feel really bad for Journey. The little known kid from Meadville through hard work and of course talent (under the radar) became a household name in college football. It has to be absolutely heartbreaking for him but yes a healthy life is most important. I know friends of Journey and they say when he was offered by Penn State, his late grandmother which he absolutely adored, was far more proud and happy that he was going college for a degree...and he is getting one from a renowned institution. Good Luck Journey!!
I feel really bad for Journey. The little known kid from Meadville through hard work and of course talent (under the radar) became a household name in college football. It has to be absolutely heartbreaking for him but yes a healthy life is most important. I know friends of Journey and they say when he was offered by Penn State, his late grandmother which he absolutely adored, was far more proud and happy that he was going college for a degree...and he is getting one from a renowned institution. Good Luck Journey!!
A message from Journey Brown:
I can still remember the first time I truly fell in love with the game I’ve been playing since 4th grade. Back then it was a game I played for fun, but when I was a sophomore in high school, my life changed, and I fell in love with football. All I could think of was when can I play, how can I get better, what can I do to be a better teammate, and at that moment, football became less of a game for me and more of a lifestyle. That lifestyle put me in position to be blessed to have a chance to play football at Penn State.
My first year here was rough at times, but when you love the game of football as much as I do, you put your head down and work through scout team, Lion’s Den and the waiting and watching. I finally had the opportunity to showcase what I was born to do and, hopefully, set myself up to achieve my life-long dream of playing in the NFL.
Unfortunately, the dream will never be realized as I have been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which will force me to medically retire from the game of football. The pain of not being able to play the game I love anymore hurts and I can’t explain how I am feeling right now. However, I can walk away from the game knowing I truly gave my all at every practice, on every down and in the locker room every day.
You never know when you will play your last snap, but I know I left it all out there and have no regrets, other than wishing I could step on the field one final time. I won’t miss the game of football because it will always be a part of me. Thank you to my family for always supporting me, especially during these difficult past few months. Thank you to my teammates, my brothers. Thank you to my coaches. Thank you, Meadville.
Thank you, Penn State. Thank you to everyone who believed in me. Most importantly, thank you football!
–Journey Brown
