The Philadelphia Eagles may be 8–2, but trouble has been brewing in the team behind the scenes. Wide receiver A.J. Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts have shown signs of tension for weeks. Fans assumed it stemmed from on-field issues. But on his House of Action podcast, former Eagles WR DeSean Jackson just suggested that the rift goes well beyond football.

“As you can tell, it’s something else going on,” said DeSean Jackson. “And I got a great relationship with [A.J. Brown]. I respect him. I can’t say it. But I know it’s something else going on. It’s not all about football – it’s not all about X’s and O’s. I’ve had situationships with QBs I didn’t necessarily like. And when it ain’t there, it sticks out like a sore thumb. That’s all Imma say.”

A.J. Brown and Jalen Hurts have been friends ever since their high school days. Hurts even tried to recruit Brown in Alabama. Then Brown made Hurts the godfather of his child. But things escalated last week between the two Eagles players when A.J. Brown joined Twitch streamer JankyRondo on a live stream. In the chat, Brown was asked if everything was fine with him, and his response set off alarms.

He said that his family was fine, but everything else was “a s–t show.” 

Brown further suggested that the Eagles were “struggling” and told fantasy football owners to drop him. 

That’s not something a star receiver usually says unless he’s fed up. But DeSean Jackson didn’t hold back on his criticism of Brown for that online incident. 

“I’m a realist and I gotta speak the facts,” said Jackson. “I feel like he’s brought a lot of attention upon himself. I think he’s a hell of a talent. As a wide receiver, you should want the ball. But when you’re doing these gimmicks or you’re out on social media, you’re on Twitch, you’re saying all this, it brings more attention to you.”

The Eagles legend made a fair point. Social media can amplify frustrations. But does A.J. Brown have a valid reason to be upset? Statistically, he does. So far this season, Brown recorded 38 catches for 457 yards and three touchdowns. He also posted career lows in yards per route run (1.59), passer rating (96.9) when targeted, and average depth of target (11.9). 

When a Pro Bowl receiver puts up numbers like that, something isn’t clicking. And if defenses have given A.J. Brown single coverage, Jalen Hurts still won’t take shots; the frustration is understandable. But Jackson also warned Brown about the consequences of voicing his frustrations. 

“If you’re gonna bring the attention to you, that means you have to be on your game that much more,” said Jackson. “Your game gotta be superior, your game gotta be top tier. For like the attention that he’s allowed himself to bring, now it’s like it’s a few passes that are thrown his way. One-on-one coverage, and he’s given up, and he’s not running at full speed. All that stuff you probably could’ve got away with, if you didn’t bring all this attention to yourself.” 

So, the issue might not be one-sided. A.J. Brown may feel overlooked. But the film also shows moments where he hasn’t given his full effort. Both sides are feeding the tension. But it’s not just Brown who has been frustrated with what’s going on with the Eagles’ QB this season. 

A.J. Brown and the Eagles have growing frustrations with Jalen Hurts’ play style

Jalen Hurts has changed his play style this season. He has become more cautious, and he avoids tight-window throws. The QB now leans on checkdowns or scrambles. That’s a major shift from the aggressive offense that nearly won a Super Bowl in 2024. And according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Eagles locker room is fed up with Hurts’ conservative approach.

“Multiple offensive players have grown frustrated with Jalen Hurts’ approach this season, particularly his conservative decision-making against zone coverage,” Russini wrote.

Jalen Hurts didn’t help matters when, post-game, he redirected questions about A.J. Brown’s low target share (11) against the Detroit Lions. The QB admitted that he was “just going with the flow of the game” and redirected more questions toward offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. His answer felt like passing the responsibility instead of owning it.

Ultimately, the Eagles are winning games, but not because of their offense. Their defense is carrying them. And with division pressure rising and the A.J. Brown-Jalen Hurts conflict now public, the Eagles face a real challenge. The team needs to fix the issues within the building before the tension derails the season.