The Miami Hurricanes are back in the College Football Playoff spotlight, and all eyes are on one of the most electric young talents in the country: Malachi Toney. The freshman phenom has been turning heads all season long, and if Miami plans to punch its ticket to the national title game, Toney’s going to have to be front and center in that effort.
Let’s be clear-Toney isn’t just a promising freshman. He’s been a difference-maker from the jump, showing a level of poise and explosiveness that belies his age.
Whether it’s breaking off big plays in space or coming through in clutch moments, he’s consistently looked like the most dangerous player on the field. And now, as Miami prepares to face a tough Texas A&M squad, the stakes are higher than ever.
Naturally, with a name like Toney and a breakout season in the state of Florida, fans are asking the question: is Malachi related to Kadarius Toney?
The short answer: no, he’s not.
Kadarius Toney, the former Florida Gator and first-round pick, had a rollercoaster ride in the NFL, making stops with the Giants, Chiefs, and Browns. Despite the shared last name and Florida roots, there’s no family connection between the two. But if you’re looking for a football lineage in Malachi’s background, it’s there-you just have to look in a different direction.
Malachi’s father is Antonio Brown. No, not that Antonio Brown-the one who lit up the league with the Steelers and became one of the NFL’s most polarizing figures. This is the original Antonio Brown, a former standout at West Virginia who carved out a few seasons in the NFL before taking his talents north to the CFL.
At 5-foot-10, Brown wasn’t a star in the league, but he found his niche as a return specialist. He played one season with the Buffalo Bills and two with Washington, logging over 1,500 kick return yards and another 263 on punts. His touches on offense were limited-just one career target and a couple of rushes-but his impact on special teams gave him a place in the league.
And while Antonio Brown’s NFL career may not have made headlines, his football DNA clearly didn’t go to waste. Malachi Toney is already showing signs of being the next big thing at Miami, and he’s doing it with the kind of speed, vision, and playmaking instincts that you just can’t teach.
So as the Hurricanes gear up for their playoff matchup, the storyline is simple: if Malachi Toney plays like he has all season, Miami’s got a real shot. The spotlight’s on him now-and from everything we’ve seen so far, he’s more than ready for it.