So in the 24-23 week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Ronnie Brown (#34) took a Wildcat snap at the 49ers 1-yard line. On the play (which was a run-pass option), Brown was swarmed by defenders and instead of simply taking the tackle for a loss, he chose to try and throw the ball on his way down to the turf. Needless to say, the errant pass was intercepted, leaving the Eagles without the points needed to seal the win against the 49ers.
Since then, Brown had basically been benched and scarcely used, so it came as no surprise that the Eagles dealt him to the Detroit Lions in exchange for RB Jerome Harrison and a seventh round pick, before the trade deadline. Harrison was previously with the Eagles last year, but was released at the end of the season.
The trade needed only the two players to pass their physicals to become official. Ronnie Brown headed up to Detroit and met his new teammates, and Jerome Harrison did the same in Philadelphia. Brown was cleared to start practice when Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz called him into his office. He informed Brown that the trade that just sent him to Detroit had been null and void because Harrison failed his physical in Philadelphia. (Brown's reaction interview can be found HERE.) Although disappointing to both players involved (because of the chance at a fresh start on a new team), I'd say this is most definitely an example of 'a blessing in disguise' for Harrison. Philadelphia Eagles team doctors found a tumor in Harrison's brain during his physical examination.
What's even crazier is that they only performed an MRI because Harrison was complaining about headaches on the day of the testing. What would have happened to Harrison had he not been traded to the Eagles? What if he took a big hit on the field that ruptured the tumor? So many different scenarios that could have come out negatively from this situation were ultimately turned positive with the discovery. All I know is that Jerome Harrison has someone from above looking out for him!
Further reading on Harrison's tumor, the voided trade, and his successful surgery can be found below:
