For Philadelphia, A.J. Brown 'As Advertised'

Statistically speaking, his first 11 games with his new team have been consistent with what he did during his three seasons with the Tennessee Titans.

Nick Sirianni figured he had a good idea of what he was getting when the Philadelphia Eagles traded with the Tennessee Titans to acquire A.J. Brown.

It turns out that the second-year head coach was right. To a point.

“As far as the play – as advertised,” Sirianni said Wednesday. “I didn’t have to watch a lot of film. I obviously knew a lot about him. … And then you get him out here, and there’s obviously things you think to yourself, ‘Man, well he can do that too, and that’s going to be a nice addition to this offense.’

“… Everything we imagined has been as advertised and then some.”

Through 11 games, Brown leads his new team in receiving yards (831) and receiving touchdowns (seven). His 53 receptions are second on the Eagles to DeVonta Smith’s 56, but Brown’s average of 15.7 yards per reception is the team-high for anyone with more than two receptions. The rest of the Eagles combined have just three more touchdown catches (10) than Brown.

His numbers are consistent with – slightly better, in some cases – what he did through the first 11 games of each of his three seasons with the Titans, which is to say they make him one of the NFL’s most productive receivers.

Brown comes into Sunday’s game between the Titans (7-4) and Eagles (10-1) at Lincoln Financial Field tied for fourth in the league in touchdown catches and ninth in receiving yards. As such, his former team has a pretty good idea of what to expect when they go against him for the first time.

A year-by-year rundown of A.J. Brown’s receiving statistics through the first 11 games of the season:

Year	Team	Rec.	Yards	TD	1st Downs
2019	Tennessee	31	581	4	23
2020	Tennessee	40	638	8	30
2021	Tennessee	46	615	3	31
2022	Philadelphia	53	831	7	36

“He’s just a special athlete,” Tennessee safety Kevin Byard said. “I just think that we know the type of receiver, the type of guy he is. He’s a physical guy. So, you have to be physical with him. If you don’t get physical with him, he’s going to throw guys off. … Make him make those contested (catches), and don’t give him too much space because if you do, he’s going to be A.J. He’s a dangerous receiver.”

Brown is one of three wide receivers in the NFL to have multiple games this season with 150-plus receiving yards. He had 155 yards (on 10 catches) in Week 1 against Detroit and a career-high 156 (on six receptions) in Week 8 against Pittsburgh.

He had four such games in his three seasons with Tennessee.

“I just see that competitiveness in him, personally,” Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts said. “I see the things that he desires to do. So, I’m always rooting him on and pushing him.

“… I think it’s been cool just to be able to experience all of these things with him and be front and center for the journey, his journey. He’s doing great things, and he’s done a lot of great things this year. I’m happy for the things he’s doing, and I know he wants more.”

Brown, a 2019 second-round pick out of Ole Miss, made his way to Philadelphia when he rejected the Titans’ offer of a contract extension prior to this year’s draft. Convinced that Brown did not intend to re-sign with the Titans once his first contract expires following this season, general manager Jon Robinson asked the 2020 Pro Bowler where he wanted to be.

Ultimately, Robinson accommodated Brown’s desire to play with the Eagles and – specifically – Hurts, a close friend. He made a deal that included this year’s 18th overall selection, which Tennessee used to select wide receiver Treylon Burks.

Tennessee knew full well how good he was and what it likely would mean to the offense if he was gone. After all, Brown’s 12 100-yard receiving games from 2019-21 were more than every other Titans’ receiver combined over that same stretch, and the team was 10-2 in those contests.

It hasn’t taken the Eagles long to figure out the same – and then some.

“I can’t say enough about A.J. the person,” Sirianni said. “Obviously, his play speaks for itself. But he is a great teammate. He is a great person. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know A.J. So, that was obviously a good thing.”

Still, there is the undeniable sense that Brown wants to use this game as a chance to show everyone – the Titans in particular – just how good he can be.

“He doesn’t have to do any more than just to go out there and be himself,” Sirianni added. “He doesn’t have to press. He just has to go out there and do his job to the best of his abilities with attention to detail.”