Arizona State running back Kyson Brown’s path to college football was paved by a unique family story. Two women, connected by love instead of blood, worked together to help the player nicknamed “Sipp” chase his dreams from Mississippi to Arizona.
How Did Two Mothers Shape Kyson Brown’s Journey?
Fox Sports reporter Blake Niemann highlighted Brown’s return to his home state in a recent post, noting, “ASU RB Kyson Brown makes his return home to Mississippi tomorrow night. Both of his biggest supporters will be in the stands: His two moms.”
The post also included a video detailing their story.
ASU RB Kyson Brown makes his return home to Mississippi tomorrow night.
Both of his biggest supporters will be in the stands: His two moms.
The story of how two women helped shape “Sipp” into the man he is today.@FOX10Phoenix @KysonBrown11 pic.twitter.com/2ILGmyYnGI
— Blake Niemann (@Blakes_Take2) September 5, 2025
Brown’s journey began in Tupelo, Mississippi, where he lived with his biological mother, Laketra Taylor. She described the economic difficulties of their hometown. “Tupelo is kind of a state of poverty,” Taylor explained. “Let me say that Mississippi, a lot of people here, but it’s just kind of a low-income place or whatever.”
Seeking better opportunities, Taylor moved her family to Lancaster, Texas, when Brown was eight years old. It was there that they met Raven Shorter and her family, who were involved in a youth sports organization. Shorter fondly remembered how Brown’s enthusiasm was immediately apparent.
“We had like three sports. We had football, basketball, and track. Well, Kyson wants to do all three sports,” she noted. A genuine connection quickly formed between the two families, one built on a foundation of trust and care.
However, everything changed in 2017. During a family visit back to Mississippi, Taylor became seriously ill. “I fell sick and they diagnosed me with Guillain-Barré syndrome. I was hospitalized and I couldn’t walk,” Taylor said. The diagnosis led to a grueling nine-month recovery.
It was during this challenging time that Brown had a life-altering conversation with his mother about his football aspirations.
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“He came to me and he expressed to me his thoughts and his dreams of, you know, playing football. And he just felt like Texas was a great place for him to explore,” Taylor recalled.
As a mother suddenly facing mobility issues, Taylor wrestled with difficult questions about her son’s motives. “Is it because I can’t walk and I’m not mobile anymore? But he assured me, ‘Mom, it’s just that I had this dream and I know, like God showed me, and I know that my success is there,” she said.
Ultimately, this heartfelt conversation led to the decision for Shorter to become Brown’s legal guardian. “She signed the papers, and she was so sad. And I was like, I promise you, I won’t do anything to your baby. I’m just going to try to help you. I’m going to help him. I said, but I’m going to treat him like he’s mine,” Shorter promised.
Kyson Brown leaves a defender on his back 😮💨 https://t.co/6N6qyvGrv3 pic.twitter.com/8mcpByl5VG
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) August 31, 2025
Today, Brown excels on the field and in the classroom. In 2024, he rushed for 351 yards and two touchdowns, adding 13 receptions for 189 yards. He started the 2025 season strong with an impressive performance against Northern Arizona, recording 73 rushing yards and 72 receiving yards.
Through it all, the two mothers have forged an unbreakable bond. “We share the great opportunity to mother him together. And that’s the amazing thing that we have built a bond as sisters,” Taylor said. Shorter echoed the sentiment, adding that “the love that she gives me is unconditional and vice versa.”
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Brown remains deeply grateful for the guidance he has received from both women. “I’ve learned so much from those two women. And I just thank God that he put me in the position that I was in and the position I am now. I’m blessed,” he reflected.
Ultimately, Taylor’s faith in her son’s vision has been rewarded. “All he wanted me to do was trust him and believe the words that he was saying to me. Like, Mom, I know it. I saw it. I dreamed it. I know. I feel it. You know what I mean? And to see it like manifest is, yeah,” she said, her voice filled with emotion.
As Brown returns to his home state Saturday for the Sun Devils’ matchup with Mississippi State, he brings with him the love and support of two mothers who chose cooperation over competition, creating a powerful family story that transcends traditional boundaries. Arizona State and the Bulldogs kick off on ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday night.