CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Five things you need to know about Carolina Panthers wide receiver Philly Brown, who caught an 86-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter of Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Arizona Cardinals:
Identity crisis: Brown’s real first name is Corey, but because Ohio State already had a Corey Brown on the roster then-coach Jim Tressell started calling Brown by the name "Philly" because Brown is from Philadelphia. Brown went by Philly in 2014 with Carolina, then announced during offseason workouts that he was going back to Corey. After Brown dropped seemingly every pass thrown to him during the preseason, Carolina coach Ron Rivera proclaimed him Philly again because “Philly catches passes."
First of the year: Brown had four touchdown catches during the regular season. His longest catch this year before Sunday was 39 yards.
Began season as the starter: Brown started the first eight games opposite Ted Ginn Jr., also a former Ohio State star. He then went four consecutive games without a start.
No longer a returner, but...: The Panthers gave up on Brown as a punt returner, but on Oct. 5, 2014, he returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown. It was the first punt return for a score for the Panthers since Steve Smith in 2003.
Undrafted: The Panthers signed Brown as an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State last year because of his speed. Brown was one of the top sprinters in Philadelphia in high school.
