From High School Teammates to Super Bowl, A.J. Brown and Willie Gay are Blessed
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PHILADELPHIA - One of the more layered storylines of the many that will unfold in Super Bowl LVII is that of former teammates at Starkville (Miss.) High School turning into rivals on the biggest stage.
Eagles’ star receiver A.J. Brown and Chiefs’ linebacker Willie Gay were both stars on a state championship team in Starkville that went on to be second-round picks in the NFL, Brown in 2019 by the Tennessee Titans and Gay a year later by the Chiefs.
The two played together and won the 2015 6A Mississippi State Championship before matriculating to Egg Bowl rivals Ole Miss (Brown) and Mississippi State (Gay).
“To be on the biggest stage of football, so blessed to play this game and to know Willie and play high school ball with him, compete against him in college,” Brown said Thursday.
In the pros, Brown quickly became a Pro Bowl player with the Titans but Tennessee was wary of what the star wideout might cost on a second contract and moved him to the Eagles for first- and third-round picks back on draft night in April.
Howie Roseman quickly signed Brown to a four-year $100 million extension which was validated when the powerful receiver put up career numbers of 88 receptions for 1,496 yards (a franchise single-season record), and 11 touchdowns.
Gay, meanwhile, is an ascending linebacker who teams with Nick Bolton to give Chiefs' defensive coordinator Steve Spagnulo one of the best tandems in the AFC.
“Growing up just five minutes from him, it means everything,” said Brown. “It means everything to the City of Starkville, I know they are proud of both of us.”
Brown also realizes what it means to the kids growing up in Mississippi and dreaming of a similar road.
“We lived in the country," he said, "and it shows to the kids that you can make it out, you can do whatever you want to do if you put your mind to it and take the right route."
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-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
