FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) – The New England Patriots activated receiver Troy Brown from the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday, reviving the career of one of the most versatile players from their three Super Bowl victories.

Linebacker Rosevelt Colvin was placed on injured reserve, ending his season. The team also waived defensive lineman Kareem Brown and signed linebacker Chad Brown.

Colvin, 30, left the 31-28 victory over the Eagles and did not return. Although the announcement was that he had a foot injury, it appeared trainers were working on his arm.

“It was announced as a foot? Then we’ll leave it with that announcement,” coach Bill Belichick said Monday, according to the transcript of the news conference released by the team. “Was that what (we) announced? If that’s what (we) announced, then we’ll stand by that announcement.”

Chad Brown, 36, has been signed and released by New England twice this season. He played one game for the Patriots this year and made two tackles on special teams.

Kareem Brown, 23, a fourth-round draft pick from Miami, was inactive for each of New England’s first 11 games this year.

Troy Brown was placed on the PUP list Aug. 28. He resumed practicing with the team on Nov. 12, giving the Patriots until 4 p.m. Tuesday to activate him, release him or put him on injured reserve. He joins a receiving corps that has been led by offseason acquisitions Randy Moss, who has 16 touchdowns, and Wes Welker, who had a career-high 13 catches for 149 yards in Sunday night’s victory over Philadelphia.

Troy Brown is the longest-tenured member of the Patriots, with 557 career receptions that place him first in franchise history and 6,366 yards receiving that are second all-time. He is also the team’s leading punt returner with 246 returns for 2,570 yards, and his three punt runbacks for touchdowns ties Irving Fryar for the team record.

An eighth-round selection in the 1993 draft, Brown has spent his entire career with the Patriots. He became a free agent in 2005 and nearly signed with the New Orleans Saints before his 6-year-old son talked him out of it; his nameplate never came down from his locker.

Brown caught 101 passes for 1,199 yards and five touchdowns in 2001 to earn his only Pro Bowl selection. He had 97 receptions the next year, but since then hasn’t topped 43 catches as he became a lesser option for Tom Brady.

But offense is only part of his resume.

He has returned kicks for most of his career, running three punts back for touchdowns in the 2001 season and playoffs, including a 55-yarder in the AFC title game against Pittsburgh en route to New England’s first NFL title.

Brown caught 18 passes in the playoffs that year, with six catches for 89 yards in the Super Bowl, including a 23-yard reception on the final drive to help set up Adam Vinatieri’s winning field goal.

Brown tied for the team lead with 17 catches in the playoffs on the way to the ’04 championship, with eight receptions in the Super Bowl victory over Carolina – three on the winning drive.

During the 2004 season, Belichick looked at his injury-stricken secondary and plugged in Brown at defensive back. At age 33, he responded with 14 tackles, three interceptions and three fumbles recovered.

He went back in on defense in 2006, and the experience helped: Brown forced a fumble after an interception in New England’s playoff game against San Diego.

“When you go out and play football, it doesn’t matter if you are on offense, defense, special teams or whatever, you just want to be on the field being a part of the game,” he said after re-signing with the team in ’05. “It would be a little tough for me to sit back and watch from the sidelines.”

AP-ES-11-27-07 1850EST

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