It's becoming increasingly evident that the 2025 NFL season has been taking a brutal toll on Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Typically, the star receiver has plenty to say to the media. Still, right before their Week 12 showdown against the Dallas Cowboys, Brown showcased a more reserved manner in answering questions from the press. He was asked whether he tracks other receivers in the NFL like the Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb, and once he responded no, his follow-up explanation was kind of sad to hear.
“It gets me upset.”
"So I stay away from it. I mean, there's a time and place for it. Right now, I'm just trying to stay focused."
A.J. Brown said he tries not to keep track of what other top receivers do around the league.
— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) November 20, 2025
Why not?
“It gets me upset.” #Eagles pic.twitter.com/nQai7hhvG1
Brown is trying to keep his promise and be the best teammate he can be
It appears as though Brown is really trying to stick to his guns with his promise to Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie that he will keep things to the vest. He's doing a good job of it, but the weight of not speaking his mind seems to be there.
In nine games this season, Brown has caught 38 passes for 457 yards and three touchdowns. It's a far cry from the receiver that dominated so much throughout his career with the Tennessee Titans and Eagles, but he's been working through it.
This week, the media has seemed more focused on Brown's play and why he isn't succeeding as he did in previous years. A lot of the criticism is that he is running the same routes over and over again. That one falls on Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo for calling the same hitch routes multiple times a game.
Some have even gone as far as to say that he's taking plays off and not running the routes all the way through. It is unclear whether that is true, but with frustrations brewing in Philly, it might not be a total surprise if it is.
Read more: Nick Sirianni pulled no punches when discussing his feelings on Eagles backup
Brown is truly an elite receiver, and every Eagles fan knows it. They have yet to see much of it this season and hope he can get back on the same path Lamb is on, without going too far and force-feeding him the ball, of course.