Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Eddie Brown had his collegiate record broken this weekend when the Miami Hurricanes dismantled Stanford.
Brown played seven seasons with the Bengals from 1985 until 1991. Before that, he played for Miami, where he set a ceiling that stood the highest for over 40 years. Now, Brown's record takes a seat.
Hurricanes wideout Malachi Toney has set his school’s benchmark for receiving yards in a game when he notched 234 yards against the Cardinals, Trees, or whatever they call themselves. Brown previously held that record with 220 yards against Boston College.
From Hurricanes to Bengals star
The Bengals drafted Brown with the 13th overall pick in the 1985 NFL Draft. He earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in his first professional season.
Brown played an integral part in Cincinnati’s success when they went to Super Bowl 23 in 1989 with Boomer Esiason as the signal caller. That season, he recorded 53 catches, 1273 yards, nine touchdowns, and 24 yards per reception.
For perspective, Alec Pierce led the NFL in 2024 and 2025 with 22.3 and 21.3 yards per reception, respectively.
Brown currently ranks seventh all-time in receiving yards, touchdowns, yards per game, and single-game receiving yards in Bengals history. He ranks second in yards per target among receivers with a minimum of 100 catches.
Brown played his entire seven-year career in The Queen City, accumulating 363 receptions, 6,134 yards, and 41 touchdowns. He attempted a comeback in 1993 after suffering a neck injury in training camp that caused him to miss the 1992 season. However, he never played another down.
Before Cincy, Brown was a Miami legend
Before arriving in Cincinnati, Brown was making waves in Miami. In 1983, Brown helped the Hurricanes win a National Championship over Nebraska in one of the biggest upsets in a national title game.
That season, Brown averaged 21.3 yards per reception. More recently, the Bengals drafted receiver Jermaine Burton out of Alabama in the third round of the 2024 draft, largely thanks to his 20.5 yards per catch in Alabama’s 2023 season.
Brown set Miami’s receiving-yards mark against Boston College in 1984. However, people remember that game for only one reason. It is what the kids call "Hail Flutie."
In Brown’s final season with Miami in 1984, he accumulated 59 receptions, 1,14 yards, and nine touchdowns. He also averaged a whopping 92.8 yards per game that year.
One record down, surely more to come for Toney
People have been on the Malachi Toney hype train for years. The dynamic receiver has already hit legendary status in his hometown of Miami, where he became a high school legend.
Brown’s Miami record stood for over 40 years, underscoring the magnitude of his and Toney's accomplishment. And thanks to Toney, we get to reminisce about his Bengals and Miami careers.
As for Toney, he set the college football world on fire as a 17-year-old freshman, grabbing 109 passes for 1,211 yards and ten touchdowns. His 109 receptions led college football last season. He added 23 rushing attempts for 113 yards and one rushing TD.
Furthermore, before Toney’s career ends, we expect him to break a few more school and national records as teams bide their time before they can select him in the 2028 NFL Draft.
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