If you ask just about any young fanatic of football, over half will say it is their dream to play in the NFL. As for Brian Bratton, that dream was undeniably fervent.

Bratton played for Furman as a wide receiver. He had a stand-out career for the Dins, which warranted some deserved attention by NFL scouts, and he bounced between teams for two years.

The CFL’s Montreal Alouettes then picked him up in 2007, and this could not have been a better choice. After spending time on special teams and lighting up the field, the team decided it was time for him to play receiver. He scored seven touchdowns in 2008 and many more during his five-year tenure in Canada.

After this portion of his professional career, Bratton once again found himself at Furman, but this time as a coach. He began coaching the wide receivers in 2015 and has held this position until March of this year, when his NFL dream came back on the radar.

The Indianapolis Colts, who had a rather mediocre 2021 season, decided they needed some new faces in the office in hopes to propel them further. The Colts reached out to Bratton in March to work alongside wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne as his assistant, as well as fulfill the role of quality control coach, where he will help the team analyze film and prepare them for games.

Needless to say, Bratton will have the honor of coaching some serious NFL talents, such as breakout star Michael Pittman Jr., and his help will be paramount as there is a serious amount of developing talent on the roster.

Bratton’s departure comes smack-dab in the middle of spring football as the Paladin looks toward a better 2022 season.

There is now no wide receivers coach on Furman's staff; however, offensive coordinator Justin Roper could take over the role. WR Joshua Harris will have to adjust to not having Bratton alongside after an outstanding 2021 season.

Hopefully, Bratton's departure is not going to affect the Paladins' performance this fall, as they hope to rebound after a mediocre season last year. More importantly, though, congratulations are due to Coach Bratton, and best wishes for a successful tenure with the Colts this fall. Go Dins!