"Banged-Up" Eagles Receiver Ready To Give It His All, Make Plays

The Philadelphia Eagles will open the playoffs on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers and should have all hands on deck.

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) reacts against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA – A.J. Brown’s knee is hurting, but that won’t stop him from lining up on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers as the NFL’s playoffs get underway.

“It’s the end of the season, everybody’s banged up,” said the Eagles' leading receiver at his locker on Friday following practice. “So I’m banged up more than others, but most importantly I’m going on Sunday. I’m gonna give my all and make plays, so it doesn’t matter.”

The Eagles practiced all week at Lincoln Financial Field. Brown participated on Friday after not practicing on Thursday to get treatment for his ailing knee, though he showed up at the Linc that day for about five minutes. He called it a miscommunication.

“I wasn’t even supposed to be there,” he said, “but I rode over with the team, and I rode back.”

DeVonta Smith practiced Thursday but not Friday. The receiver was listed on the injury report as rest/back. Like Brown said, everyone is banged up, but it’s the playoffs, so it's all hands on deck.

“It doesn’t matter how we’re feeling,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re hurt or whatever, we’re going. We’re going, we’re going.”

Eagles WR A.J. Brown addresses media following Week 6 win over Browns. / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

Brown missed last year’s wildcard loss to the Bucs with a knee injury. It’s not clear if it’s the same knee or even if it’s the same type of injury. Brown said only that it’s been something he’s been dealing with for a while.

Not playing last year in the playoffs is something that is motivating him now.

“I gotta be out there, so give it all for my teammates, this city," he said. "Felt miserable last year to just let it go like that and not being able to put my hand on (the outcome), this is gonna be different.”

Brown will line up against a different Packers cornerback than he did in the team’s first meeting back on Sept. 6 when Jaire Alexander was healthy. And that was quite a matchup, with two of the best players at their respective positions jawing back and forth occasionally.

Asked if he will miss lining up against him, Brown didn’t answer right away.

Finally, he said: “No. They have some other corners as well. (Keisean) Nixon is a very good corner as well. I know him. Everybody’s got their hands full. Nobody’s matchup is easy. That’s what it’s about. That’s what you live for.”

Brown was in the training room on Friday when he learned he had made second-team All-Pro despite missing three games with an injury and last week’s game when the Eagles rested their starters. He still finished the season with 1,079 yards on 67 catches with seven touchdowns.

“It’s a big blessing,” he said of the recognition. “I have to give my credit to God because it’s been a tough year from start to finish and we’re still going. That was good for the moment. They told me in the training room. I have bigger goals while we’re here so none of that matters.”

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