The Philadelphia Eagles’ offense has struggled to find its rhythm this season, with the on-field chemistry between Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, and A.J. Brown still noticeably off. Despite winning four of their first five games, the unit’s inconsistencies have raised concerns about whether their early success is truly sustainable.
Brown has been visibly frustrated with his role in the offense and his connection with Hurts, often showing signs of dissatisfaction on the field and sidelines. Now, former three-time All-Pro Gerald McCoy believes Brown’s demeanor isn’t likely to change and that the Eagles may have no choice but to move on from their star wide receiver.
Gerald McCoy Believes A.J. Brown’s Behavior Won’t Change in Philadelphia
Brown, who’s ranked 64th in PFSN’s WR Impact metric, has just 194 yards and one touchdown on the season. For comparison, his teammate and No. 2 receiver DeVonta Smith has 272 yards and one touchdown through five games despite being targeted seven fewer times than Brown.
That lack of production has visibly frustrated Brown, who has been seen sulking on the sidelines and showing signs of irritation on the field. The tension escalated in the Eagles’ Week 5 loss to the Broncos, when Brown appeared to stop running on a deep ball before later blaming Hurts for an overthrow.
His refusal to acknowledge any misstep only fueled questions about accountability and communication within the offense. According to McCoy, those issues stem from Brown and have followed him since his early days in Tennessee.
“It’s time for AJ to go,” he said. “You are who you are. All that sulking and pouting is starting to wear on the sideline; it’s starting to become an issue in the locker room simply because he is who he is.
“Oh well, he’s a diva. He’s just tweeting. He’s just a wide receiver. This is something it’ll blow over. Oh, will it? Did AJ Brown start his career in Philly? No, he started in Tennesee, and how did he get to philly? He got traded. What was he doing before that, tweeting and complaining? But AJ, (they say) oh, he’s matured. This is no shot to my QB, it’s nothing to do with people in the building.
“After Sunday, they asked him what happened after the ball was over. Did you stop running? Did he overthrow? What happened? Nope, nothing happened. You are not communicating with your quarterback but you want us believe that there’s nothing going. They asked him about the route, everybody said he stopped, he said, ‘no I don’t believe i stopped on the play. To me, he overthrew me’. Again, you are who you are and you gonna be who you are.”
Brown has never shied away from speaking his mind, but this time the stakes feel higher. The Eagles’ offensive rhythm is fragile, and ongoing friction between Hurts and Brown could prove costly if not addressed quickly.
Fortunately for the Eagles, though, Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski reported on Monday that Hurts, Brown, and Bakley “had a long, positive conversation,” a sign that cooler heads may prevail. Still, if communication doesn’t improve soon, McCoy’s warning could become reality, and the Eagles may face the tough decision of choosing locker room harmony over star power.