Eagles Coach Defends A.J. Brown After Sideline Playoff Meltdown
Sunday was a day to forget for wide receiver A.J. Brown and the Philadelphia Eagles. The team was eliminated from the NFL playoffs by the San Francisco 49ers, ending their bid for back-to-back Super Bowl titles in the opening round.
Brown struggled during Sunday's game, dropping multiple passes and showing visible frustration on the sideline.
He ended the game with three catches for 25 yards, far below his playoff and regular season averages. Brown was an integral part of last year's Super Bowl run with the Eagles, but it appears that his days on the team could be numbered after a frustrating 2025 campaign.
Rumors have continued to spread, but Brown's head coach Nick Sirianni stood up for the star wide receiver when speaking after Sunday's season-ending loss to San Francisco.
Nick Sirianni and A.J. Brown with a heated exchange on the sidelines.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 11, 2026
(???? FOX) pic.twitter.com/vDlLkM8uzu
Sirianni Stands Up For Brown After Loss
"He's got the best hands I've ever seen," Sirianni said on Sunday evening about the Pro Bowl wide receiver.
"The way he catches the ball, the amount of different types of catches that he's made. When you get as many targets as he does, you're going to have some drops. Not ever using an excuse, but the ball moves differently in the wind."
Sirianni noted that the drops were "uncharacteristic," but also explained that Brown's teammates were able to make plays elsewhere to keep the Eagles competitive until the final drive.
During the game, Brown and Sirianni appeared to have a heated exchange on the sideline, and the receiver needed to be restrained by teammates.
"I love A.J., I think he knows how I feel about him," Sirianni said.
"I have a special relationship with him. We've probably went through every emotion you can possibly have together. We've laughed, we've cried together, we've yelled at each other. We're both emotional, and I was trying to get him off the field. That happens in this game, but I love him."
"I have a special relationship with him. We've probably went through every emotion you can possibly have together. ... That happens in this game, but I love him."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 12, 2026
-Nick Sirianni on his exchange with A.J. Brown pic.twitter.com/GGWXfUsO2z
After the game, Brown acknowledged his teammates in the locker room before leaving without addressing the media.
Changes Could Come in Philadelphia
Philadelphia's loss will prevent them from reaching the Super Bowl for the third time in the last four years, and it confirms that the NFL will have a new champion this season. Of the remaining playoff teams, the Los Angeles Rams most recently won a Super Bowl in 2022.
The Eagles became the first team in two decades to repeat as division champions in the NFC East, but they'll need to focus on areas of improvement in 2026. The team's offense stagnated this season, leading to many fans and analysts calling for the firing of offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.
“There will be time to evaluate everybody’s performance,” Sirianni said after Sunday's game. The head coach didn't name names, but promised that accountability would come after the loss.
“Right now, I feel for all our guys in the locker room, all the players, all the coaches, the front office, everybody that works so hard, the fans that come out and support us, [team owner] Mr. Lurie. I feel for all of us, all of them, and there’ll be time to evaluate everything coming up.”
The 49ers advance into the divisional round of the NFC playoffs, where they're set to face their longtime rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, for a spot in the conference championship game.