As questions swirl around the Eagles' sputtering offense, A.J. Brown stays composed and committed-offering leadership when frustration might be easier.
Two games into the 2025 season, and the Philadelphia Eagles’ passing game is still looking for its rhythm. Jalen Hurts, known for his dual-threat ability and poise under pressure, has yet to throw a touchdown pass this year.
Through two weeks, he’s thrown for just 253 yards. Yes, he’s completing 75% of his passes, but that stat doesn’t tell the full story-Hurts is averaging only 5.6 yards per completion, which points to a conservative, short-yardage passing attack that hasn’t stretched defenses or opened up explosive plays.
That lack of vertical threat has had a ripple effect across the receiving corps. DeVonta Smith leads the group with 69 yards-total, not per game.
A.J. Brown, the team’s top target and one of the league’s most physical wideouts, has just 35 yards on six catches.
Naturally, that’s led to outside noise and speculation. Is Brown frustrated?
Is he demanding more looks? Is the chemistry off?
But inside the locker room, it’s a different vibe. Brown isn’t fanning the flames-he’s leaning in to what head coach Nick Sirianni has been preaching: team-first mentality.
And to his credit, Brown isn’t ducking the conversation. He stepped up and addressed the media, offering a grounded perspective on the Eagles’ slow start through the air.
“I think the reason why people may talk about it (is) because they want to know if it’s substantial and can you sustain that throughout the season,” Brown said. “So, I think that’s fair.
That’s a fair thing to talk about. But our job is to continue to try to find a way to win.”
That’s the tone you want from a veteran leader. Brown didn’t deflect, didn’t point fingers-he acknowledged the concerns and kept the focus on the bigger picture: stacking wins.
Sirianni, for his part, addressed the situation last week. He reminded his receivers that there will be games where someone gets two catches, and others where they might haul in 12. That’s the nature of a balanced offense-and he made a point to commend Brown for his professionalism and readiness, even when the ball isn’t coming his way.
A lot of the scrutiny has shifted toward offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s play calling. Critics have pointed out the lack of deep shots and an overreliance on short slants and underneath routes. But Brown isn’t throwing his OC under the bus.
“We’re happy with him,” Brown said. “Just trying to figure some things out.”
That kind of patience and perspective isn’t new for Brown. Last season, he made headlines for calmly reading a book on the sideline-Jim Murphy’s Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance.
That mindset clearly stuck. Brown’s approach this season reflects that same mental discipline: focus on what you can control, don’t take things personally, and keep showing up.
“You just try to remove the emotions and just put your business hat on and just try to find a way to get better because that’s the only thing that matters,” he said. “So, regardless of what I’m feeling, it really don’t matter.”
That’s a mature, measured response-especially coming off a game where the Eagles managed to win, even if the passing attack still hasn’t hit its stride. And let’s not forget: this is a team that knows how to win ugly.
They’ve done it before. But if they want to get back to the kind of offensive firepower we’ve seen in recent seasons, they’ll need to unlock Brown and Smith sooner rather than later.
Next up? A tough matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. That secondary isn’t going to make things easy, but it’s also a chance for the Eagles to open things up and remind the league just how dangerous this passing game can be when it clicks.
The pieces are there. Now it’s about putting them together.
