If A.J. Brown had it his way, his role in the Philadelphia Eagles' offense would look like how it did during Sunday's win over the Minnesota Vikings every week. Only it doesn't.
The seventh-year receiver finished the 28-22 victory with a season-high 121 yards and two touchdowns on four grabs. His second score, a 26-yard catch, pushed the Eagles' advantage to double-digits and effectively salted the game away. A fan on Reddit listened back to what Brown said afterward, which should reveal a lot about where his relationship with quarterback Jalen Hurts stands right now.
"This (is what happens) when you throw me the (expletive) ball!" It sounded like Brown said. ""What the (expletive) is that? Just throw the (expletive) ball!"
Brown also had a 45-yard reception with under two minutes left that put the nail in the Vikings' coffin, showing once more that he can dictate the terms of a game when given the chance.
During a 33-26 win over the Los Angeles Rams last month, Brown was targeted a season-high 10 times for six receptions, 109 yards and a touchdown. During Philly's five other games this go-round, Brown has averaged under four receptions and 33 yards on seven targets — hardly WR1 numbers. Following a two-catch, seven-yard effort in a Week 4 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown created a stir by not talking to the media, but posting a cryptic message on social media instead.
"If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw," the post read, quoting a Bible verse. "Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way."
When Brown finally spoke to reporters a few days later, he tried to extinguish the buzz he'd created, saying he let his frustrations "boil over" and that the post wasn't "directed at anyone in the building." It sure seemed like it had been, though.
How can Brown's frustration affect the Eagles going forward?
Earlier this month, nearly a week after that win over Tampa Bay, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that an unnamed Eagles player told her that the relationship between Brown and Hurts had become "functional, professional." Brown has gone on record this season saying he feels the attack has been conservative and that coaches need to let the team’s stars perform as such.
Brown’s frustration could be a foreboding sign for the Eagles’ offense as it rounds into an important stretch. It’s obvious he’s not thrilled with how he’s been used this season, which prompted some to wonder if he’d be happier elsewhere. Head coach Nick Sirianni’s offense has been disjointed at times, and tension will only make things worse as the team tries to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Sirianni and his staff will have to keep Brown’s dissatisfaction from boiling over, in part to recalibrate their attack. If the situation festers, it could signal a larger crisis that could affect the team down the line. One thing is clear, though: After Sunday, Brown's conviction that the way forward for Philly's offense involves getting him the ball will only grow.