Quick Hits | Orlando Brown Jr.’s Big Heart; Barrett Carter’s ‘Night And Day’ Change As Bengals Get On Grass

It may be the first and last time you see a Bengal run with a Raven this close to Paycor Stadium.

It happened last weekend at the First Financial Center just up the road when Bengals captain and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. received the Breakthrough T1D Cincinnatian of the Year award recognizing his work in diagnosing and controlling Type I diabetes.

Among the guests was Ravens Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews, Brown’s college chum from their Oklahoma days, who has the disease. Brown’s younger brother Justin was diagnosed when he was eight, about 20 years ago.

Yet when Brown announced his $100,000 donation at the gala, he had his father on his mind. Orlando Brown Sr., who earned the nickname “Zeus,” for his omnipresence at right tackle for the turn-of-the century Browns and Ravens, died at 40 after going into a diabetic coma.

“Acute ketoacidosis,” said Brown after Monday’s first spring practice on the field for rookies and first- and second-year players. “People who die from that don’t know they have (Type 1). If he had then what’s available now, he’d still be alive. Justin would have been able to delay the onset.”

Brown has been a relentless advocate of early detection and treatment since he came into the league in 2018, a stretch that has seen huge strides in research. Four years ago, the medication Tzield became available to delay the onset of Stage 3 type 1 diabetes in adults and children eight and older with Stage 2 diabetes.

Brown doesn’t have Type 1, but he spreads the gospel of free screening for relatives of people with Type 1. He’s done it and so has his six-year-old son.

“The treatment is very expensive,” Brown said. “Insulin therapy and the glucose machines. We’re looking for ways to make it more affordable.”

Brown has brought in plenty of help to the fray. In addition to his donation, family and friends put in about another $100,000 on a night more than $500,000 was raised. Also on hand was Bengals right guard Dalton Risner,

“It’s the right thing to do,” said Brown, multiple winner of the Bengals NFL Man of the Year.