A.J. Brown is among the NFL’s most dependable receivers and is the Eagles’ go-to big-play guy. But did his reduced role against the Packers in their Wild Card win left the two-time All-Pro dispirited? That’s what many viewers thought when they saw him reading a book on the sideline.
What Book Was A.J. Brown Reading on the Sideline?
Brown was spotted reading Jim Murphy’s book Inner Excellence on the Eagles’ sideline. Even Tom Brady, with his 24 years of NFL experience, remarked that he’d never seen a player reading a book during a game — though the GOAT reminded viewers of Mark Sanchez’s hot dog incident on the sideline in one of his funnier moments from today.
— 🤙🤙🤙 (@burnacity2025) January 13, 2025
Speculation ran rampant on social media that Brown’s behavior was probably best explained by his dissatisfaction with his number of targets.
WR1s of his caliber want the ball directed to them as much as possible, so it was a logical thought.
However, Brown provided an explanation to the media in the locker room following the game.
AJ Brown describing reading on the sideline, a book he brings to every single game… pic.twitter.com/LH2iIcW3L5
— StaceyDales (@StaceyDales) January 13, 2025
With the Eagles essentially leading the game wire-to-wire, they stuck to their strengths — using their dominant offensive line to create lanes for Saquon Barkley while eating up the game clock with the scoreboard in their favor.
On Monday morning, NFL Reporter James Palmer shared the passage that Brown says he often reads between drives
#eagles WR A.J. Brown handed me a beaten up paperback copy of Inner Excellence. Full of handwritten notes and highlighted sections. He has it with him every game and you can tell it’s been knocked off benches on sidelines week after week. Brown then showed me the passage he reads… pic.twitter.com/y2p8vODaps
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) January 13, 2025
Palmer said, “Eagles WR A.J. Brown handed me a beaten up paperback copy of Inner Excellence. Full of handwritten notes and highlighted sections.
“He has it with him every game and you can tell it’s been knocked off benches on sidelines week after week. Brown then showed me the passage he reads between drives. It calms his mind. He was kind enough to share, so here you go.”
How Did Brown Perform vs. the Green Bay Packers?
Brown finished the game with only three targets thrown his direction. The 6’1″, 230-pound receiver tallied just one reception for 10 yards. One of the missed targets was off a faked “Tush Push” play, in which Jalen Hurts overthrew Brown by a considerable distance.
However, it is important to note that no Eagles receiver received many targets on the day. Dallas Goedert led the team with only six targets to his name. Fellow star receiver DeVonta Smith caught all four of his targets to lead all receivers with a measly 55 yards to his name.
It is clear that Nick Sirianni and his coaching staff were scheming more runs based on the game situation. However, even NFL fans took to social media to express their dismay at the relatively bland nature of their offensive play-calling.
Wide receivers have typically been viewed as “divas” by most football fans — often in jest. But sometimes, they can live up to those stereotypes in the most unwitting of ways.
Most NFL fans wouldn’t have bargained on watching a player turning book pages on the sideline during a playoff game. But they’ve been treated to one such incident, and Brown will likely be memed for the rest of his career.