Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley already has enough to worry about with the running gam struggling mightily, but now has to talk about the latest drama with star wide receiver A.J. Brown.
More headlines were created by Brown this week when he went on a Twitch stream and called the Eagles a “s-show” and told fantasy owners to drop him. This caused everyone within the organization, including head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts, to comment on the situation.
Well, it was time for Barkley to answer questions about Brown, and the running back wasn’t too concerned with it causing a “distraction” to the team.
“In reality, in our locker room, that has no factor at all. …It’s a lot of noise, in my opinion. We’re focused on Detroit. And we know we’re going to get the best from A.J. as a player and a leader.”
Last year, the Eagles were going through some drama with Brown, who was unhappy with his usage in the offense. Fans might remember that team ended up winning the Super Bowl, so it didn’t hurt them.
Admittedly, the media has not done a great job on their coverage of Brown. A prime example is The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who made multiple posts about Brown on a Saturday morning regarding his unhappiness and rumors of a potential trade. All the major sports networks have covered every cryptic tweet and every comment he has made.
This week, it has seemed like the majority of people are standing up for Brown and defending his comments. Let’s face it, most of what he has said about the offense is not wrong. They are statistically in the bottom 10 in every category and have failed to get the franchise’s greatest receiver the ball consistently.
The good part is the Eagles are not letting Brown’s comments become an issue for the team. Clearly, with a 7-2 record, they are rolling just fine and can handle any noise that comes their way.
Arguably the biggest game of Week 2 takes the form of a highly anticipated Super Bowl rematch between the defending champs, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Kansas City Chiefs, who were denied a chance to make history by securing an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat following their heartbreaking loss to the Eagles in New Orleans last February.
While Hurts has done well to try to downplay the rivalry angle, there’s no denying that both teams will be coming to Sunday’s matchup with some extra motivation.
Hurts, though, is more focused on his team. The two-time Pro Bowl QB underscored the importance of discipline as the Eagles look to defend their crown this season.
Hurts knows that the Eagles are going to be facing an uphill battle not only in Week 2, but throughout this season. Nevertheless, a win against the mighty Chiefs will not only give Philly a 2-0 start in 2025, but it will mark a crucial victory against one of their top challengers this year.