The Eagles improved to 4-0 with an excellent team victory on Sunday. A.J. Brown didn't seem to feel like he was part of the team afterward.
The receiver posted a cryptic message quoting the Bible on social media in the hours after the 31-25 win over the Buccaneers.
"If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw," Brown posted on X after the game. "Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way."
Three days later, Brown explained himself to reporters assembled around his locker.
"First off, I want to start off by saying, obviously, Sunday after the game I let my frustrations boil over," Brown said, via the Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane. "I didn't speak to the media. I had a chance to correct my frustrations and I continued to let it boil over and that's on me. I take full accountability on that.
"My message on Twitter wasn't directed at anyone in the building -- not my coaches, not my quarterback, my GM, nobody. I take full accountability. I have open communication with all of my coaches and with my quarterback, as well. Me and my coaches -- KP (offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo), (head coach) Nick (Sirianni) -- we discuss weekly about trying to get this thing on the same page."
Through four games, Brown has 14 catches for 151 yards and one touchdown. Of the 151 yards, 109 came in one game: Philadelphia's furious comeback win over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3.
Brown hasn't been excluded from the offense this season, even amid a strange refusal to open up the passing attack through Philly's first 10 quarters of action ahead of the aforementioned comeback. Outside of receiving a lone target in the Eagles' season opener, he's been thrown to eight or more times in each of the past three games. On Sunday, however, Brown caught just two of his nine targets for 7 yards.
"I think it's normal to have frustrations because of the standard we hold ourselves to," Brown explained. "And we have a lot of talent on offense and, to be honest, defense and special teams, have been low-key carrying us.
"We need to clean up what we need to clean up and get on the same page and play to the ability that we say we can, and be who we are called to be. It's a standard that we preach. So it's easy to have that frustration. I think it's fair to have that frustration. But I just can't let that boil over."
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni understands Brown's makeup, though, and knows this is part of what comes with having a star pass catcher who would like to play a bigger role in the offense. Sirianni told reporters earlier this week he questions "nothing about [Brown's] desire to play football, his desire to be a good teammate, his desire to be here."
If it were the first instance of Brown venting his frustrations publicly, Sirianni might be more alarmed. They've been here before, though. Just last season, Brown was the subject of scrutiny and drama during a December stretch of subpar play.
Brown, Jalen Hurts and the rest of the team ironed out their issues and went on to win Super Bowl LIX.
If this is the cost of being a title contender with an unquestioned star playmaker in the lineup, so be it. Sirianni has enough experience to handle the bumps in the road -- but he might want to game plan toward Brown soon.
