A.J. Brown tried to weaponize his words as much as his speed and his hands when times got tough for the Eagles.
Brown admitted to feeding certain stories to the media as a motivational tactic during an appearance on “7PM in Brooklyn” this week.
He did not specify whether he was a source of anonymous leaks in the locker room.
“It was done purposely to give us a push,” Brown said. “I knew if I said something in the media, it’s going to propel us to work harder.”
Assuming that they didn’t realize it was Brown at the time, will his Eagles teammates and coaches agree with his thinking? Maybe not.
But Brown is now a member of the Patriots, after he was traded Monday for first- and fifth-round picks.
“If you say what you need to say to the media, which I won’t do anymore, it gives everything legs to push everyone to be better,” Brown said. “Because pressure isn’t always a bad thing, it can be a good thing. Honestly, I felt like it was OK to do.”
Despite his vow not to do it again, will his new teammates and coaches – in New England, the capital of Say Nothing to the Media — trust that Brown won’t do the same to disrupt their team?
Maybe because of Brown’s history and mutual respect with head coach Mike Vrabel, dating to when both were with the Titans.
NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe disagreed with Brown giving information to the media.
“I’m not giving out any information about my team,” Sharpe said on “Nightcap” with Chad Ochocinco. “Whatever transpired, be it a team, be it somebody blown a play, somebody overslept, somebody got fired, somebody got injured, I ain’t telling you. Don’t ask me.”
Brown’s four seasons with the Eagles included a Super Bowl victory sandwiched between two promising seasons that went off the rails.
His deteriorating relationship with quarterback Jalen Hurts was a constant topic of conversation.
