Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin didn’t approve of Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown’s sideline spat Thursday with quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Brown was spotted chirping at Hurts as the fourth quarter of Philadelphia’s 34-28 win over the Vikings began.
Friday on “Undisputed,” Irvin, the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver who owned up to his own sideline antics back in the day, had a message for Brown and his colleagues: Don’t do it.
“What I saw on the sideline, and I’ve always been careful with this, even what A.J. Brown was doing, I’ve always told players, ‘Don’t do that. Don’t do that unless you are balling out. Unless you’re ready to go make plays,’” Irvin said.
“Because now, when you’re coming on the sideline, it’s a selfish look. Selfish look. Especially if you’re winning, ‘it’s just about me, just about me.’”
Irvin, who recently returned to NFL Network after settling his Marriott lawsuit that followed a misconduct allegation from a female worker, said he understands Brown’s frustration and hinted that Hurts’ five-year, $255 million contract could have something to do with it.
The Eagles were leading, 27-14, when the television cameras spotted Hurts and Brown in a heated discussion.
Wide receiver DeVonta Smith was standing near the players when it happened and head coach Nick Sirianni had to come over to break up the heated discussion.
Sirianni was seen talking with Brown as Hurts walked away.
After the disagreement, Hurts targeted Brown three times on the following series, which included a 25-yard touchdown wiped out by a penalty.
Brown finished the game four receptions for 29 yards and was targeted by Hurts a total of six times.
Brown didn’t talk with reporters after the game, but Hurts gave some details on the incident.
“I think everybody wants to make plays and everybody wants to contribute,” Hurts said, according to ESPN. “I have no worry about him. He’s a great player, a great teammate, a great friend, and we’ll do anything and everything to win.”
Smith was the receiving star of the night with four catches for 131 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
After the game, he stuck up for Brown.
“That’s part of being a competitor, man. You always want to feel you’re a part of the team, helping the team and things like that,” Smith said. “Anytime something like that is going on, it’s not anything bad. He’s not bashing nobody. He just wants to feel part of the team, wants to help us.”
Sirianni tried to move past it during his postgame press conference.
“The conversations we have on the field are going to be private,” Sirianni said. “And the conversations we have in our locker room are going to be private. Y’all don’t need to know what was going on right there.”
Brown is in his second season with the Eagles.
He set career highs last year with 88 receptions and 1,496 receiving yards following his offseason trade from the Titans.
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