Eagles' A.J. Brown Apologizes to Teammates: 'I'm a Man, I Can Take Care of Myself'
PHILADELPHIA – A.J. Brown stood in front of his teammates on Wednesday and said he was sorry, sorry for hanging them out to dry by not talking to reporters, who tried to pull an end-around and ask his teammates about his stony silence the past two weeks.
“They shouldn’t have to answer questions on my behalf,” said the Philadelphia Eagles receiver at his locker on Wednesday prior to the team’s walkthrough practice as they prepare to travel to play the New York Giants on Sunday (4:25 p.m./FOX).
“You can portray me however you want to portray me, but at the end of the day, I know who I am. I try to be careful with what I say because you guys are still going to write it up however you’re going to write it up. I was a journalism major. That’s your job. I’m not upset at none of y’all. That just comes with it.”
A.J. Brown spoke to the media for the first time in two weeks as the Philadelphia Eagles prepare to travel to face the New York Giants in Week 18.
John McMullen/SI Eagles Today
Brown said his body language after the Eagles had to settle for a field goal after a give-up play – a short throw to Kenny Gainwell on third-and-19 against the Arizona Cardinals – had more to do with the injury DeVonta Smith suffered on the play.
It had nothing to do with the playcalling.
Smith was on crutches and in a walking boot after the game and is believed to have a sprained ankle that will likely cause him to miss his first game since the Eagles drafted him in 2021.
“I’m going to need Smitty moving forward,” said Brown.
As for not speaking in two weeks, Brown said he didn’t want to compound a negative with a negative and because he was a captain, he felt apologizing was the right thing to do.
“Another (reason) why I wanted to apologize, too, because all you see is A.J. Brown frustrated with the Eagles, A.J. this, A.J. that,” he said. “Everyone in this locker room is frustrated, so why are you singling me out because I’m frustrated? Just because I’m shaking my head, I’m showing emotion?”
Browns’ teammates were asked about his apology.
“He’s taking leadership, taking ownership for some of the things that’s been out there,” said quarterback Jalen Hurts. “I appreciate him having the courage for doing that in front of the team.
“It was on his heart, so he did what he felt was right. I was going to support whatever it is he feels and any other play feels.”
Added tight end Dallas Goedert: “I think we all knew why he didn’t want to talk. Why he wasn’t, things like that. But it was really cool for him to just kind of put everything that he had on his heart to the team.
"It’s something that will definitely bring us closer together and hopefully we can use it as motivation and use it as aggression going into the last little bit of the season we have here.”
