Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown is undoubtedly at the height of his powers after an incredible 2024 season, ending with the team’s second-ever Super Bowl. Speaking on the “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast, though, Brown revealed how things could have been very different.
A.J. Brown Speaks on Saquon Barkley, Relationship With Jalen Hurts, and Baseball
The Philadelphia Eagles are the best team in the NFL, and you’ll find very few people who would disagree with that right now.
But despite the obvious abundance of talent on their roster, internal tensions and relationship breakdowns regularly became public knowledge and threatened to derail their promising season.
Brown found himself at the center of much of that controversy, with reports of a falling out with his quarterback, Jalen Hurts, later confirmed by veteran teammate Brandon Graham.
Brown even had a fiery sideline exchange with Nick Sirianni in the Super Bowl before eventually showering his head coach with Gatorade as the Eagles closed in on the win.
AJ Brown and Nick Sirianni getting into an argument on the sideline….
CJ Gardner Johnson of all people was the one cooling things down. pic.twitter.com/W1sSCvDd5g
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) February 10, 2025
During the interview, Brown addressed some of the controversy, suggesting that his issues with Hurts are blown out of proportion and that he and his quarterback are just “two alphas.”
AJ BROWN ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH JALEN HURTS 🦅 pic.twitter.com/SoKf9AQZbc
— MILLION $ WORTH OF GAME (@mworthofgame) February 24, 2025
Brown was also asked about the impact of Saquon Barkley and whether or not he regarded Barkley as the best running back that he’d played with. Brown told hosts Gillie and Wallo that he believed Derrick Henry was the best he’d played with until one moment changed that.
“It took until he jumped over a dude, backwards,” said Brown, referring to Barkley’s iconic reverse hurdle against the Jacksonville Jaguars. I was saying ‘Derrick Henry — I still think Derrick Henry’s the best running back I’ve played with. Until he jumped over that dude backward.’”
Saquon Barkley is the best running back AJ Brown has played with 💯 pic.twitter.com/te6jgWJNC3
— MILLION $ WORTH OF GAME (@mworthofgame) February 22, 2025
But things could have been very different for Brown, who recounted his time as a young baseball player in college.
Brown on Being Drafted by the Padres and What Made Him Choose Football
Given Brown’s reputation as one of the most dominant wide receivers in the NFL, the notion that he could have chosen not to play football at all seems unfathomable. But after being drafted by the Padres out of high school, that’s the way it looked for Brown heading into college.
Asked whether he struggled financially as a college student, Brown revealed that it was quite the opposite.
“I got drafted for baseball out of high school, so I had me a nice little check,” Brown revealed with a laugh. In college, I would go out there in the spring and play rookie ball and in the summer, come back and get ready for football.”
But things would take a turn for Brown and, much like with Barkley’s hurdle, the Super Bowl winner can pinpoint the moment things changed.
“I’ll tell you when I made the decision that I [was going to] play football. I remember, All-American game in Chicago, the first pitch was like 97. ‘97 off the rip?’ I’m used to facing, what, 80-85. We still in high school though, so these are all high school players.”
AJ Brown said "Let me go catch that ball" 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/QMVn7yUqb0
— Lefty Loading…. (@4_Ben_Media) February 26, 2025
“These guys are probably going first round. I see him throwing an off-speed pitch and it’s like a 90 mph breaking ball. ‘Let me see if I can hit this.’ I end up hitting it, actually, into the third base, like a little dribbler into third base and I end up beating it out.” Brown’s captivating enthusiasm is pouring out of him as he continues.
“I’m on base and I’m like ‘bro, these boys throwing this ball hard as hell.’ We in high school and it’s like ‘What is it going to be like when I get to the league?’ I said ‘Nah, I’ll go catch that football.’”
Already a phenomenal athlete and one of the best receivers in football, Brown now has a Super Bowl ring to his name. It’s impossible to know what would have become of the three-time Pro Bowler had he decided to pursue baseball, but it’s safe at this point to assume he made the right decision.