Calling himself a scapegoat for lapses in the NY Giants secondary, former Big Blue safety C.C. Brown protested to the Detroit News the nickname “Can’t Cover” was some sort of evil press creation, claiming “the biggest thing with New York is the media controls the team. So whatever the media says, that’s what’s gonna happen.” Brown (shown above, in a familar pose) was an easy target last season, concedes the NY Post’s Paul Schwartz, especially for “opposing quarterbacks, who with the greatest of ease fired passes beyond Brown’s reach for massive yardage.”
For the record, Brown was signed by the Giants to be an in-the-box safety, used in a reserve role and on special teams. When Kenny Phillips was lost for the season after only two games Brown was pressed into starting duty. He was overmatched, even though he previously started for four years in Houston with the Texans. Brown lasted seven games as a starter before being yanked from the field for the immortal Aaron Rouse. Brown was asked to do what he could not and the Giants paid dearly for his failings, as their pass defense was paper-thin.
The Giants had no intention of bringing Brown back for a second season but they did tender him an offer as a restricted free agent, mainly as insurance in case they couldn’t find anyone better. They found safeties Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant and quickly withdrew the offer to Brown, who didn’t exactly have teams lining up for his services and signed a one-year deal May 10 with the Lions.
After an imperfect fit with the Giants, Brown might actually stick on the final Lions roster, just as long as they don’t ask him to drop deep in coverage as the last line of pass defense.