Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown always seems to find a way to unintentionally get the spotlight on himself. Whether it’s casually reading books on the sideline or explaining his unorthodox pre-game ritual, he’s must-watch TV.
Fresh off his first-ever Lombardi Trophy, Brown has been making the media rounds and sharing stories from the locker room. His latest tale involved how he prepares himself to ball out on gameday, including a totally unexpected shoutout to a 16-time Grammy Award winner.
A.J. Brown Loves Watching Julio Jones Highlights, Adele Videos
Brown is one of the best wide receivers in football, a dominating physical presence who brings speed and elite route running. The three-time Pro Bowler is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses on every play.
Brown made three catches for 43 yards in Super Bowl 59, with a 12-yard touchdown in the second quarter. He hauled in 67 balls for 1,079 yards and seven receiving scores during the regular season.
During an interview on the “Kickin’ It With Dee” podcast, the 27-year-old revealed his secret pre-game ritual for the first time.
Brown aired it out unapologetically, telling the world that he likes to watch highlights of Julio Jones — who was his teammate on the Eagles and the Tennessee Titans — while listening to his favorite Adele song in a pitch-black room.
Here’s how he explained his game-day vibe:
“When I get in that mode right before [gameday], I’mma watch some Julio [Jones] highlights really quick. First of all, I’m in the room by myself, pitch-black, watching Julio, you know, ‘ause I’m like, if he could do it, I can do it,” Brown said.
“And so, but there’s one song ‘Hometown [Glory]’ by Adele, and it just take me there. I’m telling you I don’t know what it do, I don’t know what it do. It just take me there.”
.@1kalwaysopen_ says he gets locked in by sitting in a dark room, watching @juliojones_11 highlights and listening to @Adele 😂
(via @KickinItWithDee) pic.twitter.com/Pp25WzbDi4
— NFL (@NFL) February 20, 2025
Brown never ceases to amaze. The viral clip of him reading Jim Murphy’s “Inner Excellence” on the Eagles’ sideline during a Wild Card Round win put his quirkiness on the national stage. Now, Brown has turned the volume up (literally) on everything.
‘Big Dom’ DiSandro Is the Godfather and the GOAT
Dom DiSandro‘s official title on his Eagles’ bio page reads as such: Senior Advisor to the General Manager/Chief Security Officer/Gameday Coaching Operations.
Ask anyone on or around the team about DiSandro and the answers are more colorful and more endearing. He is the glue that holds the team together. He is the brains and the brawn. He is “the godfather” and “the GOAT.”
Legendary: AJ Brown says Big Dom is the reason the Eagles stayed together and were able to win the Super Bowl:
"I ain't gonna say probably… [Big] Dom IS the reason why this team stays together."
Big Dom is an essential part of Philly's success.
(via @KickinItWithDee) pic.twitter.com/QFgA9hQGW2
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 21, 2025
When asked to describe “Big Dom,” Brown couldn’t stop smiling as he heaped praise after praise on DiSandro. The Eagles star joked that he couldn’t divulge any personal stories for fear of getting on his bad side as one of the hosts joked by calling DiSandro “the GOAT” and “the Godfather of Philadelphia.”
“I ain’t going to say probably — Dom is the reason why this team stay together,” Brown said.
“Dom is the security, the GM, everything; anything you need, he going to make it happen for you.”