Eagles' Brown reinforces love for Philly amid trade rumors: 'That's home'
Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, who's been the subject of trade rumors, says he loves playing in Philadelphia.
"When I got to Philly, Philly welcomed me with open arms," Brown said on "The Edge with Micah Parsons" podcast. "That's home, man, and I love them. I love the support. I love the accountability. I love everything else that they do. Philly is Philly. You have to be there to understand."
Brown is coming off a down year relative to his standards after posting 78 receptions for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns. His mark of 66.9 receiving yards per contest is his worst since he arrived in Philadelphia in 2022. Meanwhile, he also generated controversy off the field.
In September, the star wideout subtly took a shot at his involvement in the Eagles' offense in a cryptic social media post. He then spoke about his frustration during an online stream in November, calling his situation a "shit show." Brown also got into a heated exchange with head coach Nick Sirianni on the sidelines during Philadelphia's wild-card loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Eagles have made multiple personnel changes on the offensive side of the ball since being eliminated from the playoffs, including firing former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo in January. They hired 33-year-old Sean Mannion to replace him following a two-year run on the Green Bay Packers' coaching staff.
"We have great leaders in our locker room," Brown said. "I'm fortunate to be a part of that, especially on offense. We do have a lot of talent, but talent gets us nowhere. It's all about being detailed and being disciplined."
When asked if he's excited to work with the team's newly hired coaches, Brown added: "I'm always excited. Sometimes change is not a bad thing. I have the utmost respect for (Patullo). To me, he did a tremendous job, and he has a great heart, but I'm excited for the season. I'm excited for what's to come."
Brown signed a three-year, $92-million extension with the Eagles in April 2024. The team would assume over $43 million in dead cap money for the 2026 campaign if it trades Brown before June 1, according to Over The Cap.