Duane Brown

Duane Anthony Brown (born August 30, 1985) is an American football offensive tackle for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech, and was drafted by the Texans in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Brown attended Hermitage High School in Richmond, Virginia, where he played football, basketball and competed in track. He was teammates with Fontel Mines. In basketball, he averaged 15 points and 12 rebounds per game. In track, he competed in the throwing events. He finished 4th in the 2003 Group AAA outdoor shot put competition. He recorded top-throws of 17.32 meters in the shot put and 44.68 meters in the discus throw.

Only 250 lb (110 kg) coming out of high school, Brown was regarded as a three-star tight end prospect by Rivals.com.

Brown attended Virginia Tech, where he played for Frank Beamer's Virginia Tech Hokies football team from 2004 to 2008. After red shirting his freshman year, he played in all 13 games in 2004, and caught his first collegiate pass against Western Michigan Broncos which went for a touchdown. In 2005, he moved from tight end to offensive tackle, where he started every game and played in 673 offensive snaps during the regular season.

As a junior, Brown earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference recognition and was voted state Offensive Lineman/End of the Year by the Richmond Touchdown Club. During his senior season in 2007, Brown switched to left offensive tackle and earned second-team All-ACC honors and Offensive Lineman/End of the Year by the Richmond Touchdown Club for the second consecutive year.

Brown was drafted by the Houston Texans in the first round (26th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft. He was only the second Virginia Tech offensive lineman ever drafted in the first round of an NFL Draft, after Eugene Chung in 1992. He started all 16 games as a rookie and became the first Texans rookie lineman to start every game since Chester Pitts in 2002. In 2009, Brown protected the blind side of Houston Texans quarterback Matt Schaub who led the NFL with 4,770 passing yards and helped the offense set franchise records with 6,129 total yards and 388 points.

During the 2010 season, he started 12 games, allowing 6.5 sacks and zero holding penalties.

In 2011, Brown was listed on USA Today All-Joe Team and was named second-team All-Pro by the Associated Press, not allowing a single sack or commit a holding penalty.

On August 16, 2012, Brown and the Texans agreed on a six-year, $53.4 million extension, with $22.08 million guaranteed. Brown was in the final year of his rookie contract; the extension will kick in at the conclusion of the 2012 season. Brown was named onto the 2012 All-Pro Team as a first-team selection and was voted to play in the 2013 Pro Bowl at the end of the 2012 season. Bleacher Report named Brown the top left tackle in football and had the highest score of any tackle according to the site.

On January 3, 2016, Brown tore his quadricep tendon during the first quarter of a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This injury required surgery and Brown was able to return for the 2016/2017 NFL season.

* Indicates Pro-Bowl Season

On November 22, 2011 Duane Brown proposed to Devon Anjelica, a morning show host on Sirius XM's Shade 45.

He and his wife appeared on an episode of 'Say Yes to the Dress.'