Brown’s injuries have taught pivot invaluable patience

OTTAWA — When Dru Brown was a young and eager quarterback with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, he spent three seasons in the quiet shadow of a growing legend. His time as the understudy to Zach Collaros was a masterclass in patience, preparation and waiting for your moment.

Now, a season and a half into his career as the starting quarterback for the Ottawa Redblacks, Brown has learned the brutal price of that opportunity. The lessons he learned in Winnipeg — staying disciplined in your process, a relentless focus on the day-to-day, to name a couple — are being tested in ways he never envisioned when taking over the role in the nation’s capital.

“There has just been a lack of consistency, just kind of across the board, starting with me,” Brown, 28, said in an interview with the Free Press following Thursday’s practice. “It’s always hard when you feel like you’re trending and then you get something like an injury, which is something that’s been frustrating to deal with because I’ve never really gotten hurt until I came here.”

He added: “There were a lot of things along my career, up to this point, that still happened but I was prepared mentally for them, the challenges that it brings. But when you’ve never really been hurt and you’re missing bits and pieces of time, it’s very frustrating because it’s nothing really you can control.”

Acquired in a trade for a fifth-round pick in January 2024 and quickly signed to a two-year contract, Brown was handed the keys to the Redblacks offence in what was his first shot at the No. 1 job. He responded by leading the team to their first playoff appearance since 2018, throwing for 3,959 yards and 18 touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions in 17 games.

Brown’s performance was a testament to his talent and the trust the organization placed in him. Redblacks head coach Bob Dyce and his staff saw a competitor who would live and die with every play, a quality that had made Brown a fan favourite in Winnipeg during his brief appearances.

This season, however, has been a much different story.

The wins have been harder to come by — the Redblacks currently sit with a 4-9 record, last place in the East Division — and a string of injuries has made Brown’s journey a lesson in humility. He’s been sidelined for multiple games with a hip injury, has dealt with concussion-like symptoms and, most recently, a knee issue that he’s just returned from after missing three games.

For someone whose only serious injury before joining the Redblacks included a broken collar bone his freshman year in high school, the physical setbacks have become a mental and spiritual test.

Brown, a devout Christian, is someone who has always been prepared — a meticulous planner who dedicates countless hours to his craft. But you can’t prepare for a freak tackle or a bad landing.

“It’s definitely forced me to kind of look outside, I guess, of the game. I think that’s probably what I’m being taught,” Brown said, his voice half exasperation and half acceptance. “I take care of my body. You spend X amount of dollars in the off-season on doing those things, and then things happen. Everyone goes through ebbs and flows with their faith, and when they’re intentional with it, and I think that it’s teaching me a lot right now.”

Brown’s perspective on the game has been shaped by more than just his recent injury history.

This year, his wife Meghan gave birth to their son, Tayson, in what was a life-altering event for the young couple, while also providing a powerful new source of motivation.

“People talk about how your life can change in a moment. When my dad passed, it took about three months for it to set in, as far as being a life-changing moment,” said Brown, his father Dave passing in 2023, just months before signing with Ottawa. “When you have a kid, something spiritual happens, or some presence is there, and it hits like that. Your life changes immediately.

“It’s been the coolest thing, man, just the perspective it gives you. Just watching him grow, and looking at pictures of when he was born versus now, it’s like holy crap, this is crazy. Just super grateful for the time that I do have, just being there for a lot of things, it’s hard to express or put into words. My wife is a superstar.”

As a father, Brown speaks with a newfound sense of purpose, of playing for something bigger than himself. His competitive nature now has an even deeper meaning.

“I like playing for things outside of myself,” Brown explained. “When you’re just doing it for your own fame or glory or statistics… you got to ask yourself, ‘why do you do it?’ I want my family to be proud, I want my son to look back and be like, ‘Man, my dad used to be somebody.’ I also do it for my mom and dad, and my sisters. Then there’s the people I care about in this building. They all understand how much work goes into this.”

That competitive fire is something his teammates see every day.

“He’s just one of those guys who doesn’t have quit,” said Redblacks receiver Bralon Addison. “No matter what the odds are or what the situation is… you look in his eyes and it feels like we’re up 14 and trying to seal the game. He’s a guy that you can’t get to quit and he’s just always going to battle.”

Dyce echoed the sentiment, confirming that he would never try to temper who Brown is as a quarterback.

“With Dru, one of his superpowers is his competitive nature,” Dyce said. “So, I’m not going to necessarily temper who he is as a quarterback, and what’s made him successful.”

It’s an attitude that Brown carried with him from Winnipeg, a city where he was a beloved figure despite his limited playing time. As for the time spent backing up Collaros, Brown looks back at that time fondly, calling it invaluable for his development.

As for Collaros’s critics — those who believe the Bombers should have kept Brown over the veteran pivot — Brown said he has nothing but respect for the Bombers and their choice to stick with their franchise quarterback.

“Sometimes people — and I don’t know if it’s this league or just in general — but teams want to move on so quickly,” Brown said. “When people asked me if I thought they would choose me over Zach, I was like, ‘they shouldn’t have.’”

He dismissed the idea of a potential QB controversy as “foolish,” a sentiment that speaks to his loyalty and understanding of the game. He saw how the Bombers’ unwavering commitment to Collaros brought them so much success, and he would never wish to be the person who messed with that.

“That becomes toxic,” he said, noting he still remains close friends with Collaros. “You ride that until the wheels fall off, just out of loyalty, because of what he’s given that organization and that locker room.”

In eight games played so far in 2025, Brown has completed 152-of-209 passes for 1,842 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions. The team’s 4-9 record and last-place standing in the East are a tough reality — a far cry from their playoff run last season.

But, as Brown prepares to make his return to the field, the script couldn’t be more fitting. After missing three games with a knee injury, Brown is slated to return to action this week against the Bombers, who have lost three straight and are fighting to keep their playoff spot at 6-7.

“I’m looking forward to getting back out there and competing with the guys again,” Brown said. “We got five games left. Why not win all five, but it starts with one first.”

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca