Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown is questioning his team’s offense. That has led to questions for Coach Nick Sirianni, who told reporters Wednesday that he was “close to being done” fielding them.
“He’s working hard,” Sirianni said, “and he is a big part of this [upcoming] game plan, and he’ll be a big part of the game plan going forward. He’s working like crazy when he’s here, and I’m excited to have him.”
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown is questioning his team’s offense. That has led to questions for Coach Nick Sirianni, who told reporters Wednesday that he was “close to being done” fielding them.
“He’s working hard,” Sirianni said, “and he is a big part of this [upcoming] game plan, and he’ll be a big part of the game plan going forward. He’s working like crazy when he’s here, and I’m excited to have him.”
For his part, Brown did not sound very excited the previous night during an appearance on a Twitch stream hosted by a friend. Not seen on the stream — but definitely heard all over Philadelphia and beyond — Brown said he was “struggling” and suggested that, apart from a positive family situation, he was immersed in a “s— show.”
“If you’ve got me in fantasy [football],” he added, “get rid of me.”
Those comments came in the wake of an offensively challenged Eagles win Monday night at the Green Bay Packers in which the three-time Pro Bowl selection had just two catches for 13 yards on three targets as Philadelphia prevailed, 10-7. Nominally Philadelphia’s most dangerous pass catcher, Brown is on pace to set career lows in yards per game, yards per reception, yards per target and catch percentage.
Asked about his Twitch stream remarks Wednesday while in the locker room, Brown said he was just “having fun with my friend” and “literally trying to laugh through this [expletive].”
The 28-year-old, in his fourth season with the Eagles after arriving in a trade from the Tennessee Titans, also made the case that his unhappiness wasn’t solely related to a drop in his individual numbers. Nor, as he noted, is he upset that Philadelphia isn’t winning; on the contrary, after a 14-3 season last year that culminated in a Super Bowl triumph, the Eagles are off to a 7-2 start this season and have a commanding lead in the NFC East.
Along the way, however, Sirianni’s team has taken a relatively conservative, run-heavy approach meant to complement a top-notch defense. That worked to perfection in 2024, when running back Saquon Barkley had a career year and the Eagles rolled up 179.3 rushing yards per game, second-best in the league.
This season, Philadelphia is averaging just 111.6 rushing yards (21st), and its defense, while still good, isn’t nearly as dominant. The result is a massive reduction in the Eagles’ average margin of victory, from 9.4 last season to 2.9 in 2025. At the same time, they haven’t displayed much urgency to change course, ranking just 30th in pass attempts after finishing last in 2024.
At a news conference Wednesday in which he discussed the state of his team, Sirianni indicated that he had no plans to deviate from a strategy based around committing fewer turnovers than his opponents, which has generally been a winning formula in the NFL.
“We’ve had some success here, the last two years, playing this way,” the fifth-year coach said, “and we’ll continue to try to get better. … But we’re definitely not going to sway from [winning] the turnover battle.”
Later Wednesday, Brown echoed his coach’s language while presenting a different point of view.
“Last year, what it was — thank you for the [Super Bowl] ring, but it’s a new season,” he said. “They adapted, and we have to adapt. We have to continue to get better and find new ways, so that’s where the frustration comes in. … If we’re really in this business of trying to get better, we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do and not just say, ‘As long as we get the win, it’s cool.’ No, we cannot do that. Not in this league.”
One thing that has gone differently in Philadelphia this season has been the emergence of fellow wide receiver DeVonta Smith, who has led the team in receptions in the past but not by much over Brown, who had far and away the most receiving yards in each of the past three seasons. Through nine games this season — one of which Brown missed with a hamstring injury — he trails Smith in receptions (48 to 31) and yards (657 to 408).
Some have opined that Smith has caught the eye of quarterback Jalen Hurts by getting open more frequently than Brown, and advanced metrics provide corroboration. According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Smith has an average separation of 3.1 yards from the nearest defender on his receptions, while Brown’s mark is just 1.8, fourth worst among qualified pass catchers. Brown’s average separation has steadily declined since he joined the Eagles, leading to questions about whether the oft-injured receiver has lost some of his athleticism.
Sirianni, though, told reporters Wednesday that he still sees “all the same physical attributes” in a standout player he continues to regard as integral to the Eagles’ offense.
“I think he’s moving around really well,” Sirianni said. “Getting out of breaks well. Still physical, strong, quick. … A.J. Brown is one of the best receivers in the NFL, so of course we’re trying to get him involved in the game, every single time.”
Asked whether Brown had become a distraction, Sirianni replied: “No, I don’t think so. … It’s business as usual.”
This is not the first time this season that Brown has expressed discontent. Following a 31-25 September win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which he was limited to less than 30 receiving yards for the third time in four games, Brown shared a Bible verse on social media that stated: “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”
Brown subsequently deleted the post and told reporters he was taking “accountability” for having let his “frustrations boil over.”
On Wednesday, following his comments on the Twitch stream, Brown said he was “not apologizing for that because, like I said, if you’ve got eyes, you can see.”
“This [expletive] is tough,” he continued, “but I’m trying to make fun of the situation and trying to get through it.”
The post Eagles’ Nick Sirianni is ‘close to being done’ with A.J. Brown questions
appeared first on Washington Post.
