A.J. Brown: Nothing but respect for Nick Sirianni, frustration isn’t about play calling

Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown’s level of frustration has been a talking point around the team this week and Brown addressed it from the team’s locker room on Wednesday.

Brown said that he did speak to the media after last Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals because he “didn’t want to be negative” and that his on-field frustration “wasn’t about the play calling” of offensive coordinator Brian Johnson. He said it was due to wide receiver DeVonta Smith’s injury and that he apologized to his teammates because he put them in position to answer questions for him.

Brown also addressed his relationship with head coach Nick Sirianni. Brown said that Eagles players “improvised and we went on our own” on a play that resulted in an interception at the end of their loss to the Seahawks last month and credited Sirianni with taking the blame by saying that the team was trying to draw a pass interference penalty. Brown said he appreciates Sirianni’s loyalty because he “takes up for us when it has nothing to do with him.”

“I have nothing but respect for him because not all coaches do that,” Brown said, via Eliot Shorr-Parks of WIP. “We ride with him, we ride with Brian. We just gotta come out and play ball.”

Brown continued to put the need to turn things around on players by saying “the coaches played zero snaps this year” and “it is us” who have to improve on execution in order for the Eagles to turn things back around. He expressed confidence that the team is “right there,” but some on-field proof will likely be needed to convince the masses that the Eagles will be able to return to the winning ways of earlier this season.