A.J. Brown Reacts to Criticism for Sitting Out Offseason Programs

The Titans star is up for a contract extension and is looking for a longterm deal.

After an ESPN report detailed several star wide receivers were planning to skip on-field offseason programs for their respective teams until they get longterm contract extensions, one of them not-so-subtly clapped back at critics. 

“I’m a diva and a bad teammate all of a sudden, lol ok,” Titans wideout A.J. Brown said in a tweet. “Do what you have to do then and so will I.”

Brown was mentioned as one of the players who will hold out along with 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel. Commanders wideout Terry McLaurin will report to his team’s offseason program that started Monday while he still looks for a deal, per ESPN. Tennessee’s offseason program also started Monday while San Francisco’s will begin Tuesday. 

Tennessee’s off-season program opens today, San Francisco’s Tuesday. But this is an issue that hangs over these players, their teams, and this draft. Teams will have option to extend these players’ contracts or explore trades for them.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 18, 2022

All three wide receivers were taken in the second round of the 2019 draft and are eligible for extensions as they enter the last year of their respective deals. All this comes after an offseason when receivers like Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill signed record-breaking extensions after being traded by the teams that drafted them. 

The Titans will need to come to terms with Brown, or may explore trading him as opposed to letting him walk in 2023. Brown caught 63 passes for 869 yards and five touchdowns in his 13 games played this past season.