Minnetonka wide receiver Theo Brown is making a remarkable start to his varsity football career. At an age when most players are still working toward a place on their high school freshman team, the eighth-grader has become a key contributor for Minnetonka High School in Minnesota’s Class 6A State Playoffs.
Brown’s performance against Blaine helped Minnetonka recover from a 21-0 deficit and advance in the postseason. The comeback drew attention beyond the field: Beau Allen, a guest on the *New Heights* podcast hosted by Jason and Travis Kelce, gave Brown a shoutout during the November 11, 2026, episode.
Brown later spoke about the recognition in an interview. He said he was stunned that people he had admired for years knew his name.
“I was shocked,” Brown said. “I’ve been a Kelce fan like my whole life. And seeing the people that I looked up to my whole life knowing my name, I was just shocked and I was at loss for words. It was amazing.”
The shoutout followed an impressive showing against Blaine. Minnetonka entered the third quarter trailing 21-0, but Brown helped spark the rally. He caught a 37-yard touchdown pass to bring the score to 21-14. Later, he added a 60-yard touchdown that moved Minnetonka within one point at 21-20, with 3:41 remaining.
Brown finished the game with eight receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns. His contributions helped Minnetonka complete the comeback and move on to the Class 6A State Quarterfinals.
The season has also made Brown part of Minnetonka football history. He is the first eighth-grader to play varsity football for the school, a milestone that makes his postseason role especially unusual.
Allen praised Brown’s performance during his appearance on *New Heights*, highlighting both the catch and the comeback.
“Look it up. Theo Brown. I want to shout him out,” Allen said. “As an eighth grader, made an unbelievable catch. Unbelievable play. To come back and win the game, it was sick.”
Jason and Travis Kelce listened as Allen described Brown’s performance. Travis was particularly surprised to learn that the player was in eighth grade.
“An eighth grader, you said, playing varsity?” he asked.
Allen confirmed that Brown was an eighth-grader on the varsity team and compared the situation with his own high school experience. Allen said he had played varsity as a freshman at nose guard and had been the youngest player to do so at his school.
“Eighth grader on varsity. I’m b—t hurt because I started as a nose guard, freshman on varsity, youngest player to ever play on varsity. And this dude, Theo Brown, is a stud,” Allen said. “He is an absolute weapon, dude. I had to give him a shoutout.”
The podcast recognition was not the only praise Brown received after his performance. Justin Conzemius, a former Minnesota Golden Gophers player, said Brown had the potential to become the “greatest WR in Minnesota high school history.”
That comparison puts Brown in conversation with accomplished Minnesota receivers, including Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald and former wideouts Eric Decker and Tyler Johnson. It is a significant compliment for a player still in eighth grade, though Brown’s varsity career is only beginning.
For now, his most immediate focus is Minnetonka’s postseason run. His two-touchdown performance against Blaine helped the team overcome a substantial early deficit, while the podcast shoutout gave the young receiver an unexpected moment of recognition. As Minnetonka prepares for the Class 6A State Quarterfinals, Brown’s historic place on the varsity roster and his contribution to the comeback have already made his season memorable.
