The Philadelphia Eagles fired offensive coordinator Brian Johnson earlier this offseason, and wide receiver A.J. Brown does not seem shocked that the Eagles took that route.
When asked about the situation this week, Brown was very blunt in his assessment.
“I wasn’t surprised,” Brown told Rob Maaddi of The Associated Press. “In this league, somebody has to be the bad guy. … Like I said earlier about the OC job, regardless of who you put in that position, it comes down to the players executing and making plays. Me personally, I’m not too attached to whoever is in that OC position because I have a job to do, and if my number is called, I have to answer.”
Brown played in every game during the regular season in 2023, hauling in 106 receptions for 1,456 yards and seven touchdowns. However, he suffered a knee injury in Week 18 and did not play in the Eagles’ Wild Card Round playoff loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The 26-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Mississippi, was originally selected by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
He enjoyed a strong rookie campaign, catching 52 passes for 1,051 yards and eight scores. He posted similar numbers in 2020, snaring 75 balls for 1,075 yards while reaching the end zone times 11 times. However, Brown then took a step back in his third season, finishing with 63 catches for 869 yards and five touchdowns.
That ensuing offseason, the Titans traded Brown to the Eagles. He proceeded to break out in his first year in Philadelphia, racking up 88 grabs for 1,496 yards and 11 scores.
A.J. Brown has earned three Pro Bowl selections in his career and has achieved the honor in each of his first two seasons in Philly.
The Eagles got off to an 10-1 start this past year but then lost five of their last six games to end the season. They became the first club in league history to not win 12 games after starting 10-1.
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