Reunion of former Georgia football RBs Thomas Brown & Sony Michel moves to Super Bowl stage

Weeks before the start of his fourth NFL season, Sony Michel was on the move in a trade that sent him across the country. It brought him together again with Thomas Brown, the Los Angeles Rams second-year running backs coach who had become the team's assistant head coach.

“Being able to add Sony Michel was huge for our entire football team, not just the running back position,” said Brown, citing a “pro mentality,” Michel brought from New England. “His no nonsense, kind of one-cut type mentality is something I’ve always been a fan of from the days I coached him at Georgia his sophomore year.”

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Brown and Michel spoke from California this week as the Rams prepare to play the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday night in Super Bowl LVI in their own backyard.

Yes, much has changed for coach and player since 2015 when Brown returned to his alma mater where he starred, leading the team in rushing in 2004 and 2005.

He jumped from one college job to another as he worked his way up in the profession, starting as a strength and conditioning assistant in 2011 at Georgia and then running backs coach at Chattanooga in 2012, Marshall in 2013 (after a brief stop at Georgia State) and Wisconsin in 2014.

Waiting at Georgia was a talented group led by Nick Chubb and Michel.

With Brown as his coach, Michel rushed for 1,161 yards and 8 touchdowns on 219 carries — the most in his college career — after Chubb was lost to a season-ending knee injury.

“He’s a coach that cares about his players, that’s going to coach you hard to try and get the best version of you,” Michel said.

The 35-year old Brown interviewed with the Miami Dolphins for their since filled head coaching job during the Rams’ playoff run and is viewed as an up-and-comer in a league now under increased scrutiny for its minority hiring practices.

Brown said he had "an opportunity when Kirby Smart came in,” to remain on staff at Georgia and could have envisioned himself staying and eventually adding the run game coordinator title, but went to Miami to become offensive coordinator for three seasons under former Georgia coach Mark Richt. He then spent a season coaching running backs in 2019 under Will Muschamp at South Carolina before joining the Rams.

“From a coaching style, I’ve definitely changed,” said Brown, who has three children with wife Jessica. “I’m a lot calmer than I used to be in more ways than one. Being able to try to find ways to continue to connect with guys. Continue to always find ways to be demanding without the demeaning aspect. Being able to put my spot as a coach to bring out the best in those guys is what it really all boils down to.”

Brown played at Tucker High outside of Atlanta, not far from where Rams coach Sean McVay played at the Marist School. He's helped nurture Brown's development as a coach.

“Obviously Sean is a super smart dude, could probably do the whole game plan by himself every week, but is also open to the ideas from the rest of the staff and pulling from our experiences,” Brown said.

Brown is 10th in Georgia history with 2,646 career rushing yards. Michel is third with 3,628.

The Rams practiced Thursday at the Rose Bowl, the site of Michel's semifinal walk-off touchdown run in double overtime to beat Oklahoma in the 2017 season. Georgia lost in the national title game that season in overtime to Alabama.

Michel saw the Bulldogs break through this year against the Crimson Tide for the program’s first national championship since 1980.

“I was definitely excited for those guys, especially to know the work that they put in,” Michel said. “Me being an alumni, me being a fan of those guys, it was a great moment to share. … It’s been a while so I was very excited for them.”

Michel leaned on his faith when he had a diminished workload earlier in the season, but the Rams turned to him as their primary ball carrier after a three-game losing streak to end November. He averaged 21.5 carries and 90 yards per game in the final six games of the regular season when the Rams won five of those.

“Sony’s been a true pro since he got here,” said Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, another Georgia product. “He comes from a great organization in New England. He has a bunch of playoff and Super Bowl experience. He’s brought that with him since Day One, that workmanlike attitude.”

The Rams' Georgia contingent also includes linebacker Leonard Floyd and offensive line assistant Nick Jones. The Bengals roster includes former UGA offensive lineman Trey Hill and practice squad players Lamont Gaillard and running back Elijah Holyfield.

Michel has Super Bowl experience. As a rookie in 2018, after being drafted in the first round by New England, Michel rushed for 94 yards and scored the only touchdown in the Patriots 13-3 Super Bowl win over the Rams in last Super Bowl three years ago.

“It was pretty cool,” he said.

Michel, who turns 27 this month, rushed for 2,292 yards and 14 touchdowns in three seasons in New England and leads the Rams with 845 rushing yards on 208 carries with 4 touchdowns and has 21 catches for 128 yards and another score.

“He’s one of those guys that in the huddle, in the moments, he’s a guy that can settle people down,” veteran offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “He can remind you, you know, what’s important and kind of calm the huddle down a little bit when some of those moments, when energy or anxiety or any of that gets up."

Michel will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and could move on to his third NFL team.

“Who knows what the offseason looks like?” he said. “To this day, it’s still up in the air. My focus is really finishing the season strong and trying to get this last W.”

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Former Georgia football RBs Thomas Brown & Sony Michel together again