Jan 12, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) in the tunnel before game against the Green Bay Packers in an NFC wild card game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline
Whether the Eagles win or lose Sunday evening against the Detroit Lions, A.J. Brown won't have a subliminal social media post that ignites sports talk radio for the week.
Building on a report from John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia, ESPN's Sal Paolantonio detailed a meeting between Brown and owner Jeffrey Lurie at practice Thursday, facilitated by chief security officer Dom DiSandro:
Sal Paolantonio says A.J. Brown and Eagles owner had a meeting at practice on Thursday 🎥 pic.twitter.com/BChbMZ1xZV
What's interesting is that in Paolantonio report above, he says Brown "pledged to the owner to cut down on the number of social media references he has to the team's offense. Basically, tone it down."
Contrast that to what was written on ESPN's site, in a post that doesn't have a byline, but includes reporting from Sal Pal and Tim McManus:
"During the 10-minute meeting, Brown promised Lurie that he would stop complaining on social media, according to the team official."
Perhaps it's splitting hairs, but there is a difference between toning it down and altogether ending the complaining on social media.
Brown's most recent conversation-starting moment on social media came when he was asked about his season during a Twitch stream:
AJ Brown was asked “Everything good?” on JankyRondo’s stream tonight: “No. Where have you been?.. Family’s good. Everything else? No.. It’s a shit-show.. *Laughs* You on some ‘How you been?,’ Struggling brother.”
( via @JankyRondo ) pic.twitter.com/KIu5KLGL0O
No one is necessarily arguing that Brown doesn't have a right to be upset with his usage. He's one of the most gifted wide receivers in the NFL, and whether it's because of quarterback Jalen Hurts, offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo or some combination, the Eagles obviously haven't gotten the most out of him. For the three-time Pro Bowler to only have 31 catches for 408 yards through eight games played — when there's no evidence that the 28-year-old has slipped physically —is astonishing. Eagles fans don't like to hear it, but this all does make you wonder, even when considering cap implications, whether Brown's relationship with the Eagles will continue beyond this season.
But, it will continue at least for the remainder of the season. And even if Brown has a right to be upset, continuing to air grievances on social media and elsewhere does create a distraction for the team. There are definitely flaws with this Eagles group, but they are the defending Super Bowl Champions and are 7-2. They don't need to be creating external noise right now, and if Brown sticks to his word, he won't for the rest of the season.
