Few have lived a career quite like Jason Brown’s.From NFL star to farmer, this is the story of Brown trading in his helmet for a tractor and a life rooted in purpose. Browns played for the Ravens from 2005-2008GettyBrown was a standout offensive lineman for the North Carolina Tar Heels, playing at tackle and guard before eventually settling in at center.He played in every game of his college career and earned First-Team All-ACC honors in 2004, quickly climbing draft boards as one of the top center prospects in the entire draft.The Baltimore Ravens selected the UNC center with the 124th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft, where he spent the first two seasons of his career as a backup.In 2007, Brown finally got his moment to shine and he seized the opportunity, starting all 16 games at guard. In 2008, Brown became the team’s full-time center, starting every game. By the end of the season, he was widely regarded as one of the top interior offensive linemen entering free agency.On the first day of free agency, February 27, 2009, Brown met with the St. Louis Rams. The following day, he reached an agreement on a five-year, $37.5 million contract, including $20 million in guaranteed money, which would make him the highest-paid center in the NFL.However, Brown would only spend three seasons with the Rams before being released in March 2012. Though he drew interest from his former team, the Ravens, as well as the 49ers and Panthers, he ultimately chose to walk away and retire from the NFL.That marked the end of one career and the beginning of an entirely new chapter.Goodbye football player Brown, hello farmer Brown.After walking away from the NFL in 2012, Brown began a new life as a farmer in Louisburg, North Carolina, where he runs a 1,000-acre property known as First Fruits Farm.Brown has been open about his career change, his relationship with his wife Tay, their faith rooted in Christianity, and their mission behind starting the farm.Brown is remembered fondly for his time in BaltimoreGettySt. Louis made Brown the highest-paid center at the timeGettyBrown found his true calling in becoming a farmerGetty“In April 2012, I decided to step out on faith and walk away from my career in the NFL,” Brown said on his website.“God revealed to me that he had something greater in store for me and that my family should move back to my home state of North Carolina and start a farm.“This really caught us by surprise because we knew nothing about farming. Yet, out of obedience, we started looking for available farmland.“This is when Tay and I made a covenant with God and told Him that whatever place He blessed us with, we would name it First Fruits Farm and that his people would receive the firstfruits of whatever is produced from the land.”Brown cultivates and grows crops like sweet potatoes and cucumbers, which he donates to local food pantries, having contributed more than 500,000 pounds of sweet potatoes and 50,000 pounds of cucumbers.As Brown explained, he had no prior knowledge of farming when he felt called to pursue it, and he taught himself the craft by watching instructional videos on YouTube.These days, Brown can be found tending to his 1,000-acre farmGettyNFL's Greatest......Ranking the top 10......Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and moreTight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?More than 13 years later, Brown’s farm has flourished, allowing him to fully embrace and fulfill his calling.What began as a complete career pivot has grown into a thriving operation that not only produces fresh crops but also serves the community through generous donations to local food pantries.His journey from the NFL to farming is a reminder that there’s no single, straight path to success. Brown was an outstanding NFL offensive lineman, yet he chose to give it all up to serve others.That is a full life well lived.Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more