The Philadelphia Eagles receiver said he reads the book to recalibrate his mind during games.
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown made one self-help author happy.
In the fourth quarter of the Eagles’ 22-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers, Brown was caught reading a passage from a book on the bench while the defense was on the field. The book,
Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy, has since rocketed up the Amazon charts to become the
#1 bestseller in books on the website. Brown said he often reads the book when experiencing the emotional highs and lows that come with each game.
Early in the fourth quarter of the game, the Eagles faced a 3rd and 1 on their own 49-yard line. The offense lined up for their famous “Brotherly Shove” play, but they instead ran a play-action pass. Quarterback Jalen Hurts missed Brown for what would likely have been a touchdown; the Eagles later kicked a field goal to take a 19-10 lead over Green Bay. After the
broadcast returned from commercial break, Brown was caught on camera with the book in his hand.
“So A.J. Brown ... he’s a little frustrated. He’s gonna read a little passage here,” play-by-play analyst Kevin Burkhardt said.
“I haven’t seen too many people read books on the sideline,” color commentator Tom Brady noted, joking that he had once seen a quarterback eat a hot dog on the bench.
Burkhardt later
gave the audience the name of the book. Brady and Burkhardt then joked about reading it on the flight home.
In his
postgame press conference Sunday night, Brown said he brings the book every game, though it was the first time he heard that he had been caught.
“It’s got a lot of points in there ... a lot of mental parts about it ... For me, this game is mental. I physically believe I can do anything and everything, but I got to make sure my mentality follows. It’s something like how I refresh every drive, regardless of if I score a touchdown or I drop a pass, and I always go back to that book every drive and just re-focus and nothing matters, nothing happened, re-lock back in.”
Brown’s preferred passage comes from the beginning of the book. “If you have a ... clear mind and clear consciousness, nothing matters, negative or positive, you’re willing to take risks, and I go back to it. And he also says if you’re humble, you can’t be embarrassed. So no matter what happens, like in the game or whatever happens, I’m just going to just stay free, play free, keep going, take risks.”
The receiver was adamant that he was not frustrated, and that he predicted that was what the media would say. He added that he was reading the book because he likes to read.
The book, published in 2009 and republished in 2020, touts itself as a guide to help people develop mental skills. “Whether you’re an athlete or entrepreneur, single mother or father of five, you’ll find exercises, techniques and tools in this book that will improve every area of your life,” the blurb on the book’s
Amazon page states. “Your life will take on new meaning as you move beyond the pursuit of happiness to a life of purpose and fulfillment.”
The book touts reviews from six top golfers; NHL defenseman Kevin Connauton; university professor Jonathan Michael; and water ski jumper Ryan Dodd; among other athletes and coaches.
On his
personal website, Murphy, a former professional athlete himself, discusses how he sought to uncover how Olympic athletes train for such short competitions with confidence.
“Thousands of hours of research and writing became the book Inner Excellence,“ Murphy writes. ”While interviewing over 50 sport psychologists and professional and Olympic coaches, I had an astonishing discovery: the heart is the key to extraordinary performance under pressure.
“And not only that, but training it (the heart) is the foundation for everything you could ever want: inner strength, love, joy, and peace, amazing relationships, incredible experiences, and a deep, meaningful life.”
