This is about the last thing on Earth a team on a nine-game winning streak needs.
Brandon Graham indicated on a radio show Monday evening that the relationship between Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown, two of the team’s leaders and stars, has frayed and he urged Brown to speak to Hurts about his frustration in the offense instead of going to the media.
And he urged Brown to speak to Hurts about his frustration in the offense instead of going to the media. Hours later, Graham attempted to clarify those remarks.
Graham spoke during his regular weekly appearance on The Brandon Graham Show at Chickie and Pete’s in South Philly, and he criticized Brown for complaining about the offense to the media Sunday night after the Eagles beat the Panthers at the Linc instead of going directly to Hurts.
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“The person that’s complaining needs to be accountable,” Graham said. “And I'm just being honest. He knows this. I don't know the whole story, but I know that 1 (Hurts) is trying and I mean, 11 (Brown) could be a little better with how he responds to things.
“And they was friends before this, but it's like, man, things have changed and I understand that because life happens. But it's the business side that we have to make sure that we don't let the personal get in the way of the business and that's what we got to do better as right now because we know it's an issue.”
Later Monday night, Graham said he regretted his remarks, telling NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark, "I should’ve talked to them first without assuming what others said. I should’ve just kept it kept in house and I was wrong for talking about it. I just want to win. I wanna have a parade down Broad Street.”
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“I know 1 is trying and 11 could be better with how he responds to things. They were friends, but things have changed.”
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) December 9, 2024
Brandon Graham gives insight to the AJ Brown/Jalen Hurts drama: pic.twitter.com/RcouHPGK43
After the Eagles held on to beat the Panthers 22-16, Brown was asked what needed to improve on offense. He responded with one word: “Passing.”
The Eagles are 31st in the NFL in passing yards with 181 per game, ahead of only the Patriots. During the nine-game winning streak, they’re last at 167.
After catching 194 passes for 2,952 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2022 and 2023 and making the Pro Bowl both years, Brown has just 48 catches for 836 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games this year.
He averaged 8.9 targets per game the last two years and 6.6 this year. But his two biggest games of the year were in Week 1 and Week 2 and the last two weeks he has just 10 targets, nine catches and 109 yards.
Hurts has thrown for just 226 yards the last two games, and has only thrown 62 passes the last three games. On Sunday he appeared to miss Brown wide open down the field at least twice.
Brown was clearly frustrated on the sideline and was seen slamming his helmet down at one point.
The Eagles are 11-2 and have won nine straight games, mainly behind the NFL’s No. 2 scoring defense and a monster running attack.
But that’s left Brown as an afterthought.
Graham, who has played in more games than anybody in franchise history, is out for the year with a torn triceps but has been around the team since he got hurt and was on the sidelines on Sunday.
“Everybody is entitled to their own opinions,” Graham said. “But when we got stuff in house and we winning, it’s just not a good look for the person complaining when you ain’t complaining to the right person. That’s all I’m saying. Like, if I got a problem, I’m going to that man. I’m not going to the media, I’m not acting a certain way.”
Graham is one of the most respected leaders on the team and a captain, but it could come across to some that he’s doing exactly what he’s saying Brown shouldn’t have done – expressing his opinion through the media.
“We got a good group and I ain’t trying to mess this up, man,” he said. “All it takes is a conversation sometimes. But the person that got the problem gotta be willing to have the conversation. That’s all I’m saying.”
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