Roob's Eagles Observations: Why A.J. Brown will be a Hall of Famer one day
Roob's Eagles Observations: Why A.J. Brown will be a Hall of Famer one day originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Understanding just how historically productive A.J. Brown has been, a look at why the Eagles are so good at developing young players and the dwindling list of players remaining in the NFL from the 2017 Super Bowl championship team.
Welcome to our final offseason edition of Roob's 10 Random Eagles Observations.
We'll be back after the Eagles beat the Cowboys.
1. He missed most of training camp with that hamstring injury, so we didn't really talk much about A.J. Brown this summer. But with opening day four days away, this is a good time to take a look at just how legendary this dude is. Because the numbers are mind-blowing. Brown has 7,026 career receiving yards in 90 career games, and that's 78.1 yards per game. In his three years with the Eagles, though, he's averaged 85.8 yards per game. If he maintains that 85.8 average through the first 10 games of this season, he'll have 7,884 yards after his 100th career game. That would be the 10th-most yards in NFL history by a receiver through 100 games behind - check out these names - former teammate Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss, Torry Holt, Jerry Rice, Antonio Brown, A.J. Green, Marvin Harrison and Isaac Bruce. Brown is already eighth in Eagles history with 4,031 yards in just three years and if he stays healthy he'll pass Dallas Goedert (4,085), Harold Carmichael (4,579), Fred Barnett (4,634), Jeremy Maclin (4,771) and most likely Zach Ertz (5,354) this year. Only Mike Quick (6,439) and DeSean Jackson (6,117) are out of reach in 2025, although at his current pace of 85.8 yards per game Brown would be the all-time Eagles leading receiver in Week 11 of the 2007 season. Or 4 years into his Eagles career. That's insane. Brown is one of only three players in NFL history to average 15.5 yards per catch and 75 yards per game, along with Hall of Famers Calvin Johnson and Lance Alworth. And finally, his 10.1 career yards per target is 3rd-highest since 1978, which is as far back as Stathead tracks yards per target. He trails only Pennsauken's John Taylor (10.4) and Justin Jefferson (10.2). There are a few potential Hall of Famers on this roster, led by Lane Johnson. If he keeps playing the way he has, Brown is definitely headed to Canton.
2A. Nick Sirianni has been the head coach for 25 percent of the home playoff wins in Eagles history. Fifteen before 2022, five since 2022.
2B. Eagles home postseason wins by coach: Greasy Neale (1), Buck Shaw (1), Dick Vermeil (3), Ray Rhodes (1), Andy Reid (7), Doug Pederson (2) and Nick Sirianni (5).
2C. The Eagles have had more winning seasons since 1991 than before 1991. They had a winning record 21 times in the 58 years from 1933 through 1990, and they've had 22 winning records in the 34 years since 1991.
2D. The Eagles haven't had consecutive losing records under the same coach since 1997 and 1998 under Ray Rhodes.
3. With Brandon Graham, Jordan Hicks, Ronald Darby and Rodney McLeod retiring after last season and Nelson Agholor, Jalen Mills and Nate Sudfeld not currently on rosters, there are only nine players still active who played in at least one game during the Eagles' 2017 championship season. Lane Johnson and Jake Elliott are the only ones left on the Eagles, and Zach Ertz (Commanders), Carson Wentz (Vikings), Isaac Seumalo (Steelers), Mack Hollins (Patriots), Derek Barnett (Texans) and Rasul Douglas (Dolphins) are also on NFL rosters. Also, Rick Lovato is on a practice squad (Chargers).
4. Gabe Hall was on the practice squad. So was Fred Johnson. Britain Covey, Brett Toth, Braden Mann and Ben VanSumeren as well. Jakorian Bennett? Was never on the Eagles' practice squad, but Thomas Booker was, and he's the guy the Eagles traded to the Raiders for Bennett. As the Eagles get ready for the Cowboys Thursday night, it's fun to think about just how many guys on this Super Bowl-caliber roster came up through the ranks of the practice squad. Nobody makes better use of the practice squad than the Eagles, who have been known to stash veterans on there (41-year-old Josh McCown, future Hall of Fame Julio Jones, 30-year-old slot corner Parry Nickerson this year) but mostly use it to help develop young players. The Eagles have an elaborate developmental program, with young guys getting extra reps as a group after practice, and it pays off. Not every player is ready as a rookie. There's nothing wrong with not playing as a rookie or in Year 2. Every player has his own path, and sometimes it takes a while to figure things out, and the practice squad is the perfect place to do that. Some teams just give up on guys who don't flash right away. The Eagles have the patience and the staff to develop raw talent. That's why you see so many of their late-round draft picks turn into starters. Hall, the undrafted interior defensive lineman, is the perfect example of that. He was overmatched last year as an undrafted rookie out of Baylor, but he had this red-shirt year on the practice squad working with defensive tackle coach Clint Hurtt, sitting in meetings with Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, practicing every day with a Super Bowl team and even getting a ring. A year later, he made the 53 and looks ready to contribute. Some practice squad guys just disappear after a few weeks, never to be heard from again. Has anybody heard from Ross Pierschbacher lately? The Eagles had 41 different guys on the practice squad in 2024, which might be some kind of record. But when it pays off, it can pay off in a big way. It's hard enough finding talented players. It's even harder developing them. The Eagles are very good at both.
5. A.J. Dillon looked good in training camp, stayed healthy, showed surprising receiving ability and ran hard when he got carries. He didn't do anything wrong. But I've still changed my tune about what his role and Will Shipley's role will look like. A few weeks ago, I figured a healthy Dillon would be RB2 behind Saquon Barkley, but Shipley has been better. He's one of the smoother receiving backs you'll see, and I can see him taking on that Kenny Gainwell role as a 3rd-down and two-minute back. Gainwell was solid in that role the last four years, and I expect Shipley to add some juice when he's in there, mainly as a receiver but also potentially as a runner. I'm still not totally convinced about his pure running ability, but he looked fine as a ball carrier this summer. We know Barkley is going to get most of the touches, but even with his 23 touches per game last year, Gainwell got about six per game. Give Shipley five or six touches, he's going to make some plays.
6. Here's something to think about: Jordan Davis and Jakorian Bennett are 25, Nolan Smith, Moro Ojomo, Quinyon Mitchell, Azeez Ojulari, Jalyx Hunt, Jalen Carter, Gabe Hall, Ty Robinson and Byron Young are 24, Kelee Williams and Mac McWilliams are 23, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Andrew Mukuba, Smael Mondon Jr. and Cooper DeJean are 22 and Jihaad Campbell is 21. Howie Roseman set out this offseason to build a young, fast, tough, physical defense after losing Josh Sweat, Milton Williams, Darius Slay, Isaiah Rodgers and Oren Burks, and he's sure done it. Yeah, that second corner and second safety spot remain question marks, but most teams have question marks at a lot more than two positions on defense. The Eagles have studs just about everywhere. And almost every one is in his early or mid-20s.
7. Five of the last eight Super Bowls were won by head coaches first hired by Jeff Lurie.
8A. Jalen Hurts is one of only 12 quarterbacks who started on opening day 2021 and is expected to start on opening day 2025 for the same team. And the Eagles are one of only seven teams that goes into 2025 with the same head coach and quarterback as 2021. There's something to be said for stability, and the teams that have the same coach-QB combination are all considered among the best in the league - the Ravens with Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh, the Bills with Josh Allen and Sean McDermott, the Bengals with Joe Burrow and Zac Taylor, the Lions with Jared Goff and Dan Campbell, the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid and the Rams with Matt Stafford and Sean McVay.
8B. Hurts' streak of five straight opening-day starts will be tied for 4th-longest in Eagles history. Donovan McNabb started 10 openers in a row from 2000 through 2009, Ron Jaworski started 10 in a row from 1977 through 1986 and Randall Cunningham started nine in a row from 1987 through 1995. Good ol' Adrian Burk also started five in a row - from 1951 through 1955.
8C. Hurts is already the only Eagles quarterback ever to win four straight openers. Jaws won three straight from 1979 through 1981 and Michael Vick won three straight from 2011 through 2013. McNabb's five opening-day wins are the most in Eagles history (2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009). Hurts, Jaws and Randall have all won four. Adrian Burk, Norm Snead, Vick and Carson Wentz each won three openers.
8D. The best opening-day performance statistically by an Eagles quarterback came 78 years ago, when Tommy Thompson had a 150.0 passer rating in a 45-42 win over Washington at Municipal Stadium (the future JFK) on opening day 1947. Thomson threw only 17 passes but completed 12 of them for 202 yards with three touchdowns - two to Pete Pihos and one to Neill Armstrong, who were both playing in their first NFL game. That remains the only game in Eagles history where a quarterback threw fewer than 20 passes with three touchdowns, no interceptions, 200 yards and 70 percent accuracy.
9. Last postseason, the Eagles won four playoff games in 29 days. The Cowboys have won four playoff games in the last 10,471 days.
10. If Howie Roseman were Eagles general manager in the 1980s, they would have drafted Dan Marino in 1983 instead of Michael Haddix, Wilber Marshall in 1984 instead of Kenny Jackson and Jerry Rice in 1985 instead of Kevin Allen. Can you imagine Marino throwing to Rice at the Vet for 15 years?