PHILADELPHIA – AJ Brown had a novel idea to pass the time on the bench during Philadelphia’s wild-card playoff game.
The Eagles wide receiver flipped through the playbook and reviewed an inspiring title: Brown casually ignored the action on the field and flipped through the pages of Jim Murphy’s “Inner Excellence.”
Brown had time for a light read with just one catch for 10 yards in a 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.
The book is described on the cover as one that will “train your mind for extraordinary performance and the best life possible.”
Brown said he often reads on the sideline, but added, “You all got me that time.”
Brown, who had 67 receptions for 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns this season, described the book’s lessons as helpful because football is “90% mental and 10% physical for me.”
“If I score a touchdown or drop a pass, it’s something that allows me to refocus,” Brown said. “I always go back to the beginning of the book. Indicates if you can have a clear mind and remember that nothing else matters, a clear conscience, nothing matters, neither negative nor positive. You are willing to take risks. “It also says that if you are humble, you cannot be ashamed.”
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Murphy’s biography on his website says he is a former minor league outfielder and mental skills coach for professional athletes. Murphy said he worked with another Eagles player who recommended the book to Brown.
Murphy told The Associated Press that he was watching a replay of the Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame when his phone started filling up with text messages saying his book had a cameo in an NFL playoff game.
“It’s pretty unique to read it during the game,” Murphy said by phone from Dallas. “I saw you were reading it on the sidelines earlier. I saw a photo of it. I thought, oh, that’s really cool, I’ve never had an athlete in the game read that.”
“Inner Excellence” was the book of choice for Brown and perhaps the rest of the Eagles.
A better story for the Birds on Sunday: Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses ensure another home playoff game in a season they hope will have a happy ending: a Super Bowl victory.
“I’m just going to stay free, play free,” Brown said.
Brown later shared a photo of the book on social media with several passages highlighted in yellow.
“I have never seen him read. I’ve seen the book in their hands,” Hurts said. “Everyone has something different and finds their flow in different ways. “That’s how we choose to do it.”
The next chapter? The NFC East champion Eagles will host a divisional round game next Sunday at the Linc against the winner of Monday night’s game between Minnesota and the Los Angeles Rams.
