Screenshot

Welcome back to The Morning Win. Never forget: "The enemy speaks kindly and holds a knife."

When A.J. Brown tweeted those words in 2023 -- breathing new life into an old viral tweet about the kind of thing a wide receiver might tweet -- it was apparently just a joke. However, the cryptic message that came from his X account on Sunday didn't appear to be for laughs.

After being held to two catches for seven yards in a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brown tweeted the following quote: "If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way."

Yeah. Those don't sound like the words of a man who feels appreciated. Brown hasn't confirmed the tweet is related to the Eagles, so we can only assume it is, but let's be real, it fits our profile of the typical WR tweet -- and Brown's previous joke lets us know he's very aware of how it would be received. This is the new version of "throw me the damn ball."

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni didn't deny the connection when confronted with the tweet Monday, saying Brown "wants to contribute into these wins."

It's hard to blame Brown. Most of us would agree he's one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, yet he has just 151 yards and one touchdown through four games (and 109 of those yards came in one game). He isn't being utilized to the full extent of his abilities. But complaining now is basically screaming into the void, because the Eagles are 4-0. They're one of just two undefeated teams left. It's hard to convince people this isn't coming from a selfish place.

But here's the thing: Brown isn't completely out of line with his "diva receiver" attitude. At some point, the Eagles' inability to get him the ball is going to catch up to them. It very nearly did Sunday when Tampa outscored them 19-7 in a second half where Jalen Hurts was 0-for-8 passing -- or the previous week when the Rams outscored them 19-7 in a first half where Hurts went 4-of-8 for 17 yards. Factoring in the struggles of Saquon Barkley and the run game, Philadelphia's passing attack will need to be much better for them to repeat as champions.

Brown knows as much, which is likely why he's apparently voicing his concerns now. That said, he may want to find a different outlet for his frustration. Nobody wants to hear from someone disgruntled about their personal production on a team that's winning. It invites too many questions about priorities. Maybe he should go back to reading a book on the sideline. People seemed to like that move a lot more.

Quick Hits: NFL power rankings ... blocked kicks ... and more

  • The cursed Chargers and bizarre Packers really threw a wrench into our latest NFL power rankings going into Week 5.
  • Christian D'Andrea did a deep dive into all the blocked kicks in the NFL this year to find answers for the uptick.
  • Steve Ballmer is running out of wiggle room in the Clippers salary cap circumvention investigation after yet another damning report by Pablo Torre.
  • In addition to dislocating his knee, Tyreek Hill reportedly tore multiple ligaments in last night's game. Somehow, he managed to smile through the gruesome injury.
  • Anthony Davis will have to wear goggles for the rest of his NBA career. Here's Bryan Kalbrosky with more on why that is.

This was For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: A.J. Brown's cryptic tweet was actually very loud and clear

Reporting by Prince J. Grimes, For The Win / For The Win

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect