During the Philadelphia Eagles‘ wild-card playoff game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, wide receiver A.J. Brown was caught by Fox Sports cameras reading a book on the sideline.
Not that you could really blame him, given how lopsided the game was.
This unusual sight took place in the fourth quarter, with the Eagles leading comfortably 22-10. That would ultimately prove to be the final score.
The book in question, “Inner Excellence” by Jim Murphy, became the subject of much discussion.
“Inner Excellence” is described as a motivational and self-help book focusing on mental skills for athletes, aiming to train the mind for extraordinary performance and a fulfilling life.
Some critics have suggested that reading a book shows Brown was not focused. The fact that it was a self-help book for athletes suggests he sought advice regarding the game and/or his performance.
A.J. Brown Made The Book A Chart-Topper
A.J. Brown revealed that reading “Inner Excellence” is part of his routine during games to maintain mental peace and focus. He reportedly reads it between each drive, whether the outcome is positive or negative, to refocus his mind.
Brown has been known to carry this book to games all season, with teammates even referring to it as “The Recipe.”
Now, the author is benefitting from the news.
Publicity from the viral video propelled “Inner Excellence” to become a No. 1 best-seller on Amazon. In fact, it currently ranks at the top of Amazon’s Sports Science, Sports Psychology, and Baseball Coaching book lists.
Brown will be pleased to learn that the audiobook version is currently on sale for just $0.99.
A.J. Brown reading Inner Excellence on the sideline of a playoff game made the book go #1 on Amazon's Best Sellers list š¤£ pic.twitter.com/JiZY5YpxkW
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) January 13, 2025
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Coach Sirianni Defends His Player
Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni defended wide receiver A.J. Brown after he was spotted reading the book on the sideline during a playoff game, Siriani called out the media for “lazy” takes on the matter.
He also confirmed Brown’s contention that he’d been reading the book all along, but it only came to light because a camera happened to catch it this time.
“I’m definitely OK with it,” Sirianni said. “The crazy thing is, he’s been reading this book on the sideline for a long time. It just so happened a camera saw it this week. Some guys pray in between, some guys mediate in between. A.J. reads in between. “
“Whatever these guys need to do to put their mind in a place where they can play with great detail and great effort, I fully encourage them to do that,” the coach added. “I love A.J. He’s such a great teammate.”
It must be working. Brown had a great regular season, catching 67 passes for over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns.
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