It has been an interesting offseason for A.J. Epenesa, who played the first six years of his career with the Buffalo Bills and is now with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2026.
However, earlier in the offseason, Epenesa had agreed to join the Cleveland Browns before the deal ultimately fell through.
Now, Epenesa is opening up about that contract drama, and he threw in a subtle jab at the Browns.
A.J. Epenesa Takes Subtle Jab At Cleveland Amid Eagles Signing
The Bills drafted Epenesa in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Despite never making a Pro Bowl, the Iowa Hawkeyes product made his impact felt for Buffalo.
Epenesa racked up 135 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 53 quarterback hits, 24 sacks, and 21 passes defended across his six years.
The defensive end also racked up 4 interceptions, 5 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries. His best year came in 2024 when he played in every game, started 13, and set career highs with 39 tackles, 8 tackles for a loss, and 11 quarterback hits.
In March, Epenesa agreed to a one-year contract worth about $5 million with the Browns before Cleveland ultimately backed out due to concerns with his physical.
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That led the six-year veteran to sign a one-year deal with the Eagles in June, but this time it was worth roughly $1.4 million.
As you’d imagine, there’s some obvious animosity between Epenesa and the Browns, and when speaking to reporters on Wednesday, he took a subtle jab at the organization.
AJ Epenesa didn’t divulge much about why things broke down between him and the Cleveland Browns during free agency.
“I’m just happy I’m not a Brown and that I’m an Eagle.” #Eagles pic.twitter.com/n6mTO8qNjF
— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) August 4, 2026
“Cleveland, you know, it was a weird situation. I don’t necessarily want to go back and talk on that in just a weird sense,” Epenesa said. “I’ll just leave that in the past and just be happy that I’m not a Brown and that I’m an Eagle.
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When asked about his health, he added: “Very healthy, feeling good and happy to be here.”
We will probably never know exactly what was wrong with Epenesa’s physical that led the Browns to back out of the contract, but it cost the defensive end about $3.6 million.
Epenesa handled the questions with class, not getting into the details.
Judging by the tone of his voice, he sounded more relieved that the situation is over, and he seems ready to move on and prepare for the season with the Eagles.
The veteran defender is slotted as a third-stringer on the Eagles’ depth chart for now, but that’s nothing new for the former Hawkeye. Epenesa was rarely a starter during his time in Buffalo and often found ways to get playing time and make an impact regardless.
