Turning the page: Eagles receiver A.J. Brown reads inspirational book on sideline during playoff win

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Philadelphia Eagle wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) looks on after talking with his son before an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

PHILADELPHIA ā€“ A.J. Brown had a novel ideal to pass time on the bench during Philadelphia's wild-card playoff game.

The Eagles wide receiver passed on the playbook and checked out an inspirational title ā€” Brown casually ignored the action on the field and flipped through the pages of ā€œInner Excellenceā€ by Jim Murphy.

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Brown had time for some light reading with only one catch for 10 yards in a 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.

The book is described on the cover as one that will ā€œTrain your mind for extraordinary performance and the best possible life.ā€

Brown said he often reads on the sideline, but added: "Yā€™all caught me that time."

Brown, who had 67 catches for 1,079 yards and seven touchdown this season, described the lessons in the book as useful because football is ā€œ90% mental and 10% physical for me.ā€

ā€œIf I score a touchdown or drop a pass, it's something how I refocus,ā€ Brown said. ā€œI always revert back to the beginning of the book. It states if you can just have a clear mind and remember that nothing else matters, clear conscience, nothing matters negative or positive. You're willing to take risks. It also says if you're humble, you can't be embarrassed.ā€

Murphy's bio on his website says he's a former minor league outfielder and a mental skills coach to professional athletes. Murphy said he worked with another Eagles player who recommended the book to Brown.

Murphy told The Associated Press he was watching a replay of the Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame when his phone started blowing up with texts that his book made a cameo on an NFL playoff game.

ā€œThat's pretty unique to read it during the game,ā€ Murphy said by phone from Dallas. ā€œI saw that he was reading it on the sidelines before. I saw a picture of it. I though, oh, that's really cool, I never had an athlete in the game read it.ā€

ā€œInner Excellenceā€ was the book of choice for Brown and maybe the rest of the Eagles.

A better story for the Birds on Sunday: Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and one of the NFL's stingiest defenses securing another home playoff game in a season they hope comes with a happy ending ā€” a Super Bowl win.

ā€œI'm just going to stay free, play free,ā€ Brown said.

Brown later shared a photo of the book on social media with several passages highlighted in yellow.

ā€œIā€™ve never seen him read. Iā€™ve seen the book in his hands," Hurts said. "Everybody has a different thing and finds their flow in different ways. Thatā€™s how we choose to do it.ā€

The next chapter? The NFC East champion Eagles host a divisional round game next Sunday at the Linc against the winner of the game Monday night between Minnesota and the Los Angeles Rams.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL


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