A.J. Brown Hopes Comparisons to Terrell Owens Quiet Down
PHILADELPHIA - Despite catching 10 passes for 155 yards to tie his previous career-high in Sunday’s win over the Detroit Lions, A.J. Brown didn’t want to call it his best game.
“I had a game last year, but that’s all in the past,” said Brown on Friday as the Eagles prepare for Week 2’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday Night Football.
“Now I’m moving forward. I’m not going to hang up on one game because it’s week to week in this league.”
That game last year was against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 24. He had eight catches for 133 yards and a touchdown. A week later, he set his career-high against the Indianapolis Colts, catching 10 passes and with one TD.
Brown also said he had a game in college at Mississippi that he believed was better than last week.
“As an athlete, you have those games and everything just goes your way,” he said when asked what made those games stand above last week.
“Early on last week, like the first drive, didn’t go my way, but that’s part of it. Last year I think against the Chiefs and I recall another game in college, just everything was going my way. Whatever I wanted to do, I could do it. Last week wasn’t one of those games.”
Still, Brown was getting plenty of congratulations on social media. He said he removed social media accounts from his cell phone.
“I don’t want to keep getting reminded,” he said. “I don’t need people to tell me how good I am or how bad I am. I’m just going to focus on this week and make this week my best week.”
Another thing that Brown wouldn’t mind happening, except he has no control over is the comparisons many are beginning to make between him and Terrell Owens.
The size is similar, though TO was 6-3, 224 compared to Brown, who is 6-1, 226. Both have sticky hands, and the ability to create space, then pick up yards after the catch.
Still, Brown doesn’t want to hear any of it.
“I’ve talked to him a couple times,” said Brown about Owens. “When someone brings up my name beside TO, I’m A.J. and that’s T.O. He’ll say the same thing. I’m just trying to get better each and every day. I’m not trying to believe my own hype.
“T.O. is in the Hall of Fame. I’m still playing football. This is my fourth year. I have a long way to go. That’s my approach with it. It would be nice if fans and stuff just quieted that down. I’m on my own path, my own journey, so I’m just trying to keep growing. That’s it.”
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
