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Syracuse Football Makes Historic Fran Brown Announcement on Monday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated May 5, 2025 2:26 PM ET

In a landmark move on Monday, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown became the first NCAA coach ever to sign with the NIL agency Network.

Brown, who delivered a 10-3 record in his debut 2024 season, has already stamped his “DART” (Detailed, Accountable, Relentless, Tough) philosophy on the program.

Last season, he helped quarterback Kyle McCord set the ACC single‑season passing mark at 4,779 yards.

The Orange finished ranked No. 20 in the final AP poll and notched signature wins over three AP‑ranked foes in No. 23 Georgia Tech, No. 19 Pittsburgh and No. 6 Miami.

Brown’s partnership with Network was first revealed by Front Office Sports' Amanda Christovich via X.

EXCLUSIVE: Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown has become the first NCAA coach to sign with NIL agency Network, FOS has learned.

“I figure there’s no better time to do it than right now,” Brown says.

More from @achristovichh ⬇️
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 5, 2025

Brown began coaching in 2010 at Paul VI HS in New Jersey before joining Temple’s staff in 2011 as the Assistant Director of Internal Operations.

He quickly moved into the role of DB coach (2013-16) and then associate head coach/DB (2016), earning a reputation as one of the top recruiters in the American Athletic Conference.

Following successful stints at Baylor (2017-18) and Rutgers (2020-21), Brown served as Georgia’s defensive backs coach in 2022-23, helping the Bulldogs to an undefeated 15-0 mark and the 2022 national championship.

Under Brown, the Orange finished 10-3 overall and 5-3 in ACC play, tying for fourth in the conference, and earned a Holiday Bowl berth, capping the year with a 52-35 victory over Washington State.

As Syracuse readies for what many project to be one of the nation’s toughest 2025 schedules, Brown's Network deal signals a new frontier in collegiate coaching commerce.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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