Eagles WR A.J. Brown: Sneaky MVP Candidate in Year 2?

While the trade itself surprised many the Philadelphia Eagles got themselves a top of the line receiver talent in A.J. Brown.

The Philadelphia Eagles came a handful of plays away from winning a Super Bowl last season, and it would’ve been the perfect bow on top of what was otherwise a very successful year. 

Along with the many Eagles wins came vindication for quarterback Jalen Hurts and further evidence the draft-weekend trade for receiver A.J. Brown was well worth the purchase price.

While Hurts will get serious MVP consideration if the team stays in contention this season, Brown is unlikely to, even though he’s the next-in-line candidate in Philadelphia according to NFL.com.

“Brown proved just how valuable he was last season after coming over,” says NFL.com. “The price Philly paid looks well worth it after he put up career bests in nearly every major category a season ago.”

While it’s unlikely Brown can do what no receiver has ever done and win the league’s MVP award, he’d get off to a good start to his candidacy by posting a triple crown season. 

Twelve receivers in NFL history have won the triple crown by leading the pack in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. 

One, Don Hutson of the Green Bay Packers, did it five times during the 1930s and 40s. To this day Pete Pihos is the lone Eagles player to ever achieve the feat, and he did it with 63 receptions, 1,049 yards, and 10 touchdowns. 

Brown eclipsed all of those numbers in his first season in Philadelphia, but this is a much different game now than it was in 1953 when Pihos did it. 

And none of Brown’s career-high numbers led the league, meaning there’s still room for growth from him and his quarterback. If they can even get close to triple crown-worthy numbers for Brown, then it’s likely the result will be an MVP Award for Hurts.

Though we’re sure the Eagles star quarterback will happily give some credit - and maybe some fancy gifts - to his playmakers that help him make it happen, an incredible season for Brown would almost certainly mean an MVP-like season for Hurts by default.

What will he get them? Well, we’ll categorize that under champagne problems, one we hope to talk about at the end of this season in Philadelphia.

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