Getty Pro Bowl WR A.J. Brown has embraced Philadelphia Eagles culture on the field and away from it.
Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown woke up this morning to an annoying message from the NFL. The league asked him to complete a drug test following his 156-yard, 3-touchdown performance.
Brown’s career day helped the Eagles to a 35-13 dismantling of Pittsburgh on Sunday as the Eagles ran their record to a perfect 7-0. The Pro Bowl wide receiver took to Twitter and let everyone know “this is not random.” He was joking, of course. Brown has never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs although he has made his feelings known about the NFL’s random testing system.
Brown told the NFL to “please leave me alone” in 2021 after he was asked to complete three drug tests in the same offseason. He wrote: “NFL will y’all please leave me alone with these drug test. 3rd one this off-season. I don’t even drink protein milk. Chill on me.”
According to USA Today, the NFL tests the urine of every player in training camp and then randomly selects 10 players per team each week from the preseason to the postseason. There have been 258 suspensions handed out sine 2001, with defensive lineman and linebackers listed as the most frequent offenders.
Travis Tygart, the CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, told USA Today that the NFL’s anti-doping policy is good but could be better. It is estimated that 12,000+ players per year undergo drug testing.
“Given the violent nature of the sport, the short-term careers of their athletes and the money that can be made, the NFL should have the best independent, anti-doping program in the world,” Tygart told Brent Schrotenboer. “Unfortunately, it is hard to argue that they do.”
NFL players are still testing positive for anabolic agents with regularity, according to a database from @usatodaysports.
Meanwhile, the league and its players association remain relatively silent as the issue persists. t.co/EgiNwfjSrg
Brown Worth Every Penny of $100 Million Extension
The Eagles’ blockbuster trade for Brown on draft night has arguably been the best move from an offseason filled with gems. Minutes after the deal was announced, details started to trickle in about his four-year, $100 million contract extension. He’s been worth every penny of it through seven games.
One more, via #Eagles PR: AJ Brown, who totaled 4 receptions of 25+ yards (39, 27, 29 and 43), became the first Eagle to produce 3 receiving TDs of 25+ yards in a game since Ben Hawkins on 9/28/69 vs. Pittsburgh. His 3 TDs were the most since Riley Cooper on 11/3/13 at Oakland.
Brown fought through double coverage on 2 of his 3 scoring strikes from Jalen Hurts against Pittsburgh. He simply cannot be contained by a defensive back in a 1-on-1 matchup, perfecting the technique of using “late hands” to fool the defender.
“I’m always trying to work on something and continue getting a bigger bag, building my arsenal,” Brown told reporters. “I did show late hands and I squeezed them back inside to give myself some room for over the shoulder. Jalen gave me a great ball on both of the sideline passes and I just OTS’d – over the shouldered.”
That chemistry with Jalen Hurts is another big reason why Brown is a lock for his first Pro Bowl since 2020. He has 39 receptions for 659 yards and 5 touchdowns so far this season. He’s out there playing backyard football with his best friend, his family on and off the field.
“I think we just want to be great. This is somebody that I call a friend,” Brown said of Hurts. “He knows what I want to accomplish and I know what he wants to accomplish. When you’re playing for somebody that you love, who you call family, it’s a different meaning behind it. And I know I can’t let him down.”
Terrell Owens Vibes: Brown Sets Career Highs
The 6-foot-1, 226-pounder certainly looks like a guy who could be on the juice. He has a hulking, massive frame fitted with superhero muscles. There’s a reason Darius Slay nicknamed him Swole Batman.
However, Brown’s physique is a testament to the work he puts in. He set career highs on Sunday in receiving yards and touchdowns for a single game. Here are some of his accomplishments, via Eagles PR guru John Gonoude.
- A.J. Brown hauled in 6 passes for 156 yards (career high) and 3 TDs (career high). He became the first Eagle to record 650+ receiving yards (659) and 5+ TDs (5) in the first 7 games of a season since Terrell Owens during the 2005 campaign (763 yards, 6 TDs).
- Brown, who totaled 4 receptions of 25+ yards (39, 27, 29 and 43), became the first Eagle to produce 3 receiving TDs of 25+ yards in a game since Ben Hawkins on 9/28/69 vs. Pittsburgh. His 3 TDs were the most since Riley Cooper on 11/3/13 at Oakland.
- Brown became the first NFL player to have 3 TD catches of 25+ yards since Breshad Perriman on 12/15/19 at Detroit with Tampa Bay. The last NFL player to do so in the first half of a game was Drew Bennett on 12/5/04 at Indianapolis with Tennessee.