If there’s one thing we should all understand about Philadelphia Eagles superstar wide receiver A.J. Brown at this point of his career, it’s that if things aren’t totally going his way … things are gonna get awkward and, at times, bizarre.
The latest example came during the Eagles’ 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card Round on January 12, when Brown was seen reading a self-help book on the sideline toward the end of a game in which Brown had just 1 reception for 10 yards — the book was “Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life” by Jim Murphy.
“I haven’t seen too many people read books,” FOX Sports color commentator Tom Brady said during the broadcast. “But I’ve seen a quarterback eat a hot dog.”
Former New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez infamously ate a hot dog on the sideline during a game in 2009.
Brown Made Waves During Eagles’ Win Streak
Brown, a 3-time Pro Bowler, expressed his frustration with the passing game after Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts went 14-of-21 passing for 108 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions in a Week 14 win over the Carolina Panthers — the ninth win in a 10-game winning streak for the Eagles.
Brown finished that game with 4 receptions for 43 yards and when asked what was wrong with the offense following the game, he gave a 1-word answer: “Passing.”
Brown signed a 4-year, $96 million contract extension in April 2024 after back-to-back NFL All-Pro and Pro Bowl seasons with over 1,400 receiving yards in 2022 and 2023.
In 2024, Brown had 67 receptions for 1,079 yards and 7 touchdowns and was selected to the NFL All-Pro Team for the third consecutive season.
Brown and Hurts have appeared to butt heads at times over the last 3 seasons while making franchise and NFL history together. In 2022, Brown’s 1,496 receiving yards set a franchise record and the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl.
In 2023, Brown had 6 consecutive games with over 125 receiving yards to set an NFL record.
Social Media Reacts To Brown’s Strange Moment
As could be expected, Brown’s bizarre sideline moment triggered a flood of responses on social media.
“It’s January 12 and so many people have already given up on their New Year’s resolutions to read more,” Sports Illustrated’s Mitch Goldich wrote. “A.J. Brown is an inspiration.”
“A.J. Brown reading a book on the sideline during a playoff game was not on my bingo card,” FOX Sports NFL writer Armando Salguero wrote.
“So excited to hear A.J. Brown talk about the book thing after the game,” Andrew Perloff wrote. “Manufactured but still funny. Man of the year for promoting literacy.”
“A.J. Brown handed me a beaten up paperback copy of Inner Excellence,” Bleacher Report’s James Palmer wrote after the game. “Full of handwritten notes and highlighted sections … Brown then showed me the passage he reads between drives. It calms his mind… ”
After the game, Brown told reporters he regularly reads on the sideline and that it just so happened cameras were on him this time.
“I was not frustrated at all,” Brown said. “I figured that’s what y’all probably thought. Why y’all always think I’m frustrated? I like to read.”
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