AJ Brown may laugh to himself, but Eagles WR isn't kidding about being open (2023)

To understandAJ MarrónAs a wide receiver, you first need to understand your taste for comedy.

Malik Joe is aEaglesNorth Philly fan whocreate funny content onlinethis can go viral. Earlier this season, he made a mock video of the Eagles meeting with Brown repeating, "I'm open!" He did different iterations of this Brown chorus, including Brown in amock press conferenceanswering all questions with "I'm open" regardless of topic.

Brown was not offended. She laughed, shared the videos and has been following Joe on Instagram ever since.

“He's a comedian here in Philly, he's always making videos. He made a video and it was a quarter to 20, and I was like, 'I'm open! I am open! '” Brown said of Joe. “He always does a really good job with it. The guys love it. I hope he continues!”

"The background to the video," Joe said, "came from him being really open, being honest."

Yeah, Brown always thinks he's open. He just looked up at his closet, where a sign that said "Always Open" hangs. See his bio on Instagram-@1k_alwaysopen. He wears a T-shirt that says "Un-guard-able". Brown is not ashamed of this belief.

There was a bit of a ruckus earlier this week when TV cameras caught Brown looking dejected in the fourth quarter of an Eagles game.ruined victoryabout himNew York Giantsin the NFC divisional round. Manager Nick Sirianni even comforted Brown on the bench. Brown said this week that he was "nothing serious" or "nothing to worry about," and Sirianni called him a confident player who wants the ball.

The footage sparked debate and parlor psychology. If this is the drill you choose, it's important to understand the wide receiver mindset in order to participate.

"If you throw the ball at me 100 times," Brown explained, "I'll hit it 101 times."

Brown is not shy about it. Look up from your closet! There's a reason Brown laughs at Joe's videos. It's his way of thinking, and it's part of what made him one of theNFLthe best wide receivers

“Personally I feel like I can change the game at any time,” Brown said. “Catching the ball often keeps you moving, keeps you in rhythm. It definitely puts you in the zone. You are stuck. Of course I want the ball.

Brown disputed the suggestion that a great receiver might have "diva" tendencies. He insisted that he would not cause confusion with teammates or coaches.

"I'm never the receiver that goes to the sideline or tries to cause trouble on the sideline, I'm not the type," Brown said. “I think that's what you're describing, the 'diva' or whatever. I'm not that person. I'm the guy who talks to the quarterback, talks to the CO and does this. I'm not a guy who's going to cause a commotion backstage."

(It's worth noting a sentiment shared by Alshon Jeffery in 2017, when the topic of "no diva" came up during the Super Bowl run. Jeffery suggested that he was sure the Eagles had this type of player, but they wouldn't show it when the team was winning. Success is a powerful deodorant.)

Brown finished with 88 receptions for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns in the regular season, all career-highs, and broke Mike Quick's single-season franchise record for receiving yards. The Eagles traded a first-round and third-round pick in April of last year to acquire Brown, giving him a four-year, $100 million contract to make him the highest-paid player on the team. He's in Philly to "change the game," to use the phrase used by Brown and Sirianni.

“That's what you want from your receivers, to want to have football,” Sirianni said. “Part of the reason receivers are good is because they want and crave football. They want the ball to change the game. But make no mistake, he was delighted that we won the soccer game. He always wants to be involved, obviously, in the plan. He blocked his butt, and you could see how excited he was when he rebounded that block for a touchdown off of DeVonta (Smith). But he was obviously very excited and he celebrated in the locker room with all of us after the win."

True, Brown had a major block on Smith's touchdown run. Brown was proud of that, even though teams don't pay receivers $25 million a year because they're good blockers. Brown had three catches for 22 yards against the Giants; it was his second-lowest yardage production of the season and tied for the second fewest receptions by him. The Eagles also built a 28-0 halftime lead and attempted just seven passes in the second half (and 24 in the game). Last Saturday would not require prolific production from the team's receivers.

This Sunday may be different. Hesan francisco 49ershe has the best defense in the NFL, but his run defense is ranked higher than his pass defense. Based on yards allowed, the 49ers rank 20th against passing and 2nd against rushing. The Eagles will need to use their passing game to advance to the Super Bowl, and Brown is a key part of the plan.

Brown, who suffered an unspecified injury late in Saturday's game, said he was "ready to play" and did not appear on the injury report due to illness this week.

The 49ers know Brown well. He played against them with thetitansin December 2021 and finished with a career-high 11 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown. Brown noted that the staff moved to San Francisco, but he made plays in that game, and he'll have to do the same this weekend.

Brownembrace the big stage.His "flawless" college performance came in his only game in his hometown of Starkville, Miss. His NFL debut came the same day as Odell Beckham Jr.'s opener in Cleveland, and Brown was the leading receiver. His first start for the Eagles included 10 receptions for 155 yards. Facing the team that traded him, he caught two touchdowns andgave the Titans a "whooping cough".

Brown played in the AFC Championship Game as a rookie (had three receptions for 51 yards) when Tennessee lost in Kansas City, his first deep postseason experience.

"I definitely know what the atmosphere is like, but this time it's on my side, being at home," Brown said. "It's still about making plays, making every push count."

And he wants to be the one to make those plays. Yeahpull hurtsHe throws 10 passes to him, Brown will want 11.

“I feel like everything I do is going to work; It may not work, but I feel like it will work," Brown said. “And I really believe in myself and feel like I can take control of the game every chance I get. Of course I want the ball, I want the ball. That's the best I can sum it up.

Brown wasn't joking, but he knows how to crack a joke.

Just watch your favorite video that Joe made.

Reporter: On that 3 and 17, how can you explain your reaction to this non-conversion?

Brown: It was open.

News reporter. You were defensive.

Brown: I was open...

reporter: whenjake elliotI went to kick that 60 yard line, were you nervous?

Brown: It was open. I was open

On vacation, Joeshared a memewhich read, "Everyone's work closed for the holidays." Underneath it read: "My job," with a photo of Brown's face.

"Open like clockwork," Brown said. "Tell a friend, tell a friend."

Scroll through Joe's content and it's clear the part isn't getting old. In fact, Joe even went to deliver a gift to Brown before the Eagles' Week 18 game.

Joe arrived at the stadium during pregame warmups and walked to the baseline behind the end zone with agift-wrapped package that Brown missed.

Brown walked to the end zone seats, opened the box, and looked inside.

It was another sign that said: "OPEN". Brown laughed as if he had been watching a comedy show. There is often truth in every joke.

(Foto: Rich Graessle / Icon Sportswire vía Getty Images)