.Max Brown’s junior season didn’t go anything like he expected.
The 2027 Clemson linebacker commit suffered a torn MPFL in his knee during the fourth game, sidelining him for the rest of the season. While he certainly enjoyed watching his Jefferson teammates make a run to the state title game, watching on from a distance was difficult.
“It was really tough, not being able to do anything, sitting on the sidelines, watching your teammates play,” Brown told The Clemson Insider. “It was a bittersweet feeling seeing them do all of the things they did. Because one part of me is like, ‘Dang, I should be out there.’ But another part is I like seeing my brothers win. I like seeing them have fun while doing it.”
The good news is Brown is well on his way to being fully recovered. He is expecting to be cleared in January, meaning he should be a full go for spring workouts.
“It is going pretty good, I am pretty ahead of schedule,” he said. “I am starting to run, sprint, squat and stuff. I am about to be able to get back into things.”
Brown is the younger brother of current Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown. With his older brother also having dealt with a knee injury back in high school, Max was able to lean on Sammy some during the recovery process.
“He has been a good mentor,” Brown added. “He missed half of his sophomore season due to a knee injury. I have just been leaning on him for advice. Him and my dad. Because they are to give it to me straight. They are going to tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear.”
Brown has been a frequent visitor to Clemson over the past few years. He committed back in June, going public just days after picking up an offer, and was on hand for most every home game this season.
He plans to return the weekend of March 7 for the Elite Retreat, and he is hoping the Tigers can exit the weekend with a lot of recruiting momentum. One this is certain, he plans to do his part. Clemson currently has five players committed in the 2027 class, including Brown.
“I am really looking forward to helping grow the recruiting class,” Brown said. “We have some great commits right now, but I am always looking to have some new brothers join in this class. We are building something really special. It is going to be a really good class.”
In fact, Brown has already been doing work behind the scenes.
“I always try and connect to them on a deeper level other than just football,” said Brown. “Get to know them personally and try and build a good bond. Hint at them that Clemson is the place to be. Our class can be the one to help turn this thing around. Get us back on track.”
Having a brother on the team has also given Brown an up-close look at some of the struggles the Clemson program endured this season. After losing to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl, the Tigers finished the season 7-6, its second-worst record of the Dabo Swinney era.
However, those struggles have not made Brown waver on his decision. He is still as locked in as ever, and he fully believes Swinney will make any necessary changes to get things turned back around.
“I just know what kind of man he is,” Brown said. “Being able to sit down and talk with him about stuff, not even about football. The kind of guy he is, he is really persistent. He is going to get the job done no matter how hard or how long it takes. He is never going to give up.”
Photo by Bart Boatwright