For anyone watching the Philadelphia Eagles this past season, the inconsistent effort and erratic attitude of wideout A.J. Brown called into question whether the time to move on for both sides had, unfortunately, arrived.
Fresh off a Super Bowl triumph, the star receiver had suddenly gone from spinning on top of the world to a steady source of drama.
Bad body language with an unpredictable attitude. Slowing down on some routes and not going all out all the time. Suddenly, flashes of his customary greatness seemed to rotate with dramatic tendencies and inconsistent effort. And when one player, especially an integral team member, starts performing and behaving erratically, it often sets off a ripple effect among teammates and jeopardizes the mission at hand.
Eagles legend Jason Kelce chimed in on A.J. Brown
Speaking on SportsRadio 94 WIP, former teammate Jason Kelce delved into the dynamics surrounding Brown and his tumultuous showing this past season.
"He's (Brown) just unfortunately a player who allows his internal frustrations to manifest into his play, and it makes him play worse, it makes the offense worse, and it makes his energy worse," Kelce said. "And some guys can block that out and just play football. He is clearly not one of those guys."
At the same time, according to the longtime Eagles center, Brown's relationship with many teammates and coaches remains rock solid. The mutual respect and camaraderie stand strong despite the drama, making the situation all the more mystifying.
"The reality is, most of the words that come out of the building, from players, from coaches, from everybody, (they) love A.J. Brown," Kelce remarked. "And I feel like, you can tell a lot of times when guys are just feeding you bull crap. There is a genuine appreciation for A.J."
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Kelce always shoots from the hip while providing a read on the inner workings of the team that few others can. As countless talking heads continue to toss in their two cents on the standout receiver, Kelce's words serve notice that, regardless of all the 'he said, she said,' those within the building still have Brown's back.