For A.J Brown, The Grind Never Stops
PHILADELPHIA – Fresh off a proactive three-year, $96 million extension that made him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL for at least a brief period, Philadelphia Eagles star receiver A.J. Brown offered up a “State of A.J. Address” Tuesday.
The All-Pro discussed wanting to retire as an Eagles player, much like potential future Hall of Famers Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox did this offseason, his attempts at trying to curb ill-informed narratives about his happiness with his situation in Philadelphia, and the family-like relationship he has with teammates DeVonta Smith and Jalen Hurts, the latter of which popped his head into the NovaCare Complex to watch Brown’s give-and-take with reporters.
Perhaps the most important part of the session, at least from an on-field perspective, was a window into Brown’s work ethic and how it highlights that money or anything else is unlikely to stop Brown from trying to gain an advantage after consecutive 1,400-yard receiving seasons.
“Everything,” Brown said when asked what he has been trying to improve this offseason. “I have this list on my phone. I got notes I come with after I watch film where I think about what I need to get better at.”
Considering Brown set the franchise record for receiving yards in 2022 with 1,496 yards and followed that up with a team record for wideouts with 106 receptions last season, the fact he’s still striving to get better is a scary thought for opposing teams.
“What I want to get better at. What I want to add to my game. …Just having that mentality each and every day to get better,” Brown said when discussing his offseason plan.
Scouts call the 6-foot-1, 226-pound Brown rocked up and that doesn’t come by accident.
The grind never stops for Brown.
“I know guys [who] are not working every single day,” he said. “I know they’re not working twice a day (like Brown does) and I’m trying to gain that edge. …Like I know when guys on Friday night, they going out, I’m gonna work out. Saturday night, they gonna party, I’m gonna go work out.”
The goal is to get any kind of leg up in a league where the margin of error is slim.
“I’m trying to get that edge,” Brown said. “I got that mentality of trying to gain an inch every single day because not everybody’s doing that.”
John McMullen:
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