Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown has been a hot topic of discussion this season. He’s on pace for a career low in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
Combining his lack of production with consistent headlines while hashing out his frustrations online, the former All-Pro has been given the label every wide receiver dreads: diva.
But is this title justified?
Early Incidents
A.J. Brown first received the title of “diva” during the 2023 season following the Eagles’ historic collapse that resulted in a wildcard blowout against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The reports began to emerge once again in 2024 when rumors spread of a divide between Brown and Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts. The two were once reported to have a very close friendship, with Hurts even being the godfather of Brown’s oldest daughter.
A disconnect seemed to surface between the two as Brown spoke in a press conference following a narrow victory against the Carolina Panthers. After Brown was asked what could be improved upon in the Eagles’ offense, he responded by saying, “passing”. The press took his words and ran with them.
Brown then received some backlash a few weeks later following the Wild Card game versus the Green Bay Packers. During the game, he was seen on the bench reading a book rather than studying plays or interacting with his teammates.
This newest headline didn’t seem to make much of a difference, however. The Eagles would go on to blow out the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. In that game, Brown caught three passes for 43 yards and a touchdown.
A few days after the Super Bowl victory, Brown would take to his Instagram page and state, “I’ve never been a champion at the highest level before, but I thought my hard work would be justified by winning it all. It wasn’t. My thrill for this game comes when I dominate. It’s the Hunt that does it for me.”
This statement, alongside other key interactions and context clues, are what many should use to piece together the fact that Brown is not a diva, but instead someone with serious mental health issues.
2025 NFL Season
Fast forward to the 2025 season, and the problems surrounding A.J. Brown are, according to the media, cropping up once again.
Ten games into the season, Brown has only recorded 31 receptions for 408 yards and three touchdowns. His lack of production has caused him to express frustrations with his involvement, wanting to contribute more in the passing game. While it’s unclear why his usage in the Eagles’ passing game is faltering, what people claim to be certain of is the reason Brown acts this way.
A.J. Brown is no stranger to mental health struggles; in fact, he’s been very open about them. As far back as 2021, he opened up about how he thought about taking his own life, a moment that left a reporter touched and emotional. His depression reached a low point in 2020, and since then he’s become a strong mental health advocate.
A.J. Brown Speaks Out
One of the most telling statements regarding A.J. Brown’s mental health came in an article published by the New York Times highlighting what he wants in life and how he copes with his depression. He talks about how therapeutic spending time with his son is and how he wants to have a larger contribution to the team.
However, the most eye opening remark he makes is when he’s asked about what his friends are like. Brown claims he doesn’t have many friends, and states his reasoning as, “I just feel like I would never want to place things that I go through on someone else.”
As of last week, A.J. appeared on a Twitch stream with a friend in which he was asked point blank, “Is everything okay?” to which he responded, “Family’s good. Everything else? No.” He then goes on to talk about his disappointing season, even going as far as to say, “If you have me in fantasy, trade me,” referring to his below par season for Fantasy Football managers.
NFL players struggling with mental health is nothing new. On the Eagles’ roster alone, longtime Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson took some time away in 2021 to focus on his mental health. Newly acquired Jaire Alexander is taking some time away to focus on his mental and physical health while recovering from injuries. Alexander’s mental health in particular has left him contemplating retirement.
Conclusion
With this information in mind, it’s clear that A.J. Brown just isn’t doing well. There’s a bigger issue going on than him simply being a diva and wanting to get the ball more.
A.J. Brown is, more than anything, in a very dark place. Perhaps it’s time to shift the narrative from antagonizing him to sympathizing and supporting him.
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