Small renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tumors are believed to have a negligible risk of metastasis. We report on a 77-year-old man presenting with extremity weakness who was found to have a 2.5 cm brain metastasis from a subsequently discovered 1.6 cm clear cell RCC primary tumor. We review what is known about synchronous and metachronous metastasis from small renal tumors and prognostic features informing treatment for such lesions.