AJ Brown downplays Eagles drama between star wideout and Jalen Hurts

The Philadelphia Eagles improved to an 11-2 record and clinched a playoff berth with their 22-16 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Week 14. They have won nine consecutive games, but doubt continues to linger after the team's inexplicable collapse last year.

In 2023, the Eagles stormed out to a 10-1 record in 2023, but then proceeded to lose five of their remaining six games to finish with an 11-6 record. They were put out of their misery with a 32-9 blowout loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card Round.

Philadelphia has shown more consistency and stability throughout their 13 games this season, but recent reports about friction between quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown brought concerns about the team's culture back into focus.

Brown criticized the team's passing game after the team's narrow win over Carolina, claiming that "there's not too much conversation" with Hurts to fix miscues throughout a game. Those words were enough to start whispers of a disconnect, and Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham exacerbated the issue with his comments during a weekly radio appearance on Monday night.

A.J. Brown dismissed concerns about friction with Jalen Hurts

Brown was asked about Graham's comments on Wednesday, and the wideout dismissed any concerns as a simple misperception.

[Graham] was just being [Graham]," Brown said. "He's emotional. In that case, he just mispoke. Me and Jalen are good. ... Everybody loves [Graham], he's speaking from the heart. He's giving his perception on something from the outside. ... I think that's what the world did, they perceived what I said about passing and felt like it was an attack on Jalen, and I think that's what he did. Me and Jalen's relationship is personal."

Graham also tried to walk back his initial comments. The veteran told ESPN that he "made a mistake" and "assumed that it was something that it wasn't." Graham added that he would apologize to both of his teammates, but also said he just wants "brothers to be able to just hash it out."

At this point, it's hard to separate narrative from reality. The only certainty is that Brown was open on multiple occasions, but Hurts missed it and didn't throw him the ball. Wide receiver DeVonta Smith also expressed some frustration with the passing game after the narrow victory, per Mike Sielski of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“I’m not going to speak on it,” Smith responded when asked about his mood during the game.

The hiring of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio have helped stabilize Philly's performance. The addition of running back Saquon Barkley, who is currently on pace to break the NFL's single-season rushing record, has worked miracles as well.

With an increased focus on running the ball, the Eagles have become less reliant on their passing game for success. That has led to fewer targets for Brown, who had become accustomed to receiving around 150 targets over the past two years. In 2024, the Pro Bowl wideout is on pace for under 100 targets for the first time since his rookie season in 2019.

The well-balanced attack is far better for the team's success, but there's still a harmony that needs to be found between the running and passing attacks. With Brown and Smith receiving fewer opportunities to touch the ball, Hurts needs to make sure he delivers the ball when those opportunities come.