AJ Brown’s latest meltdown proves why the Chiefs built something special

AJ Brown is not having a very good season.

After 1,000+ yards and 7 touchdowns last year, he’s struggling to get the ball. Brown ranks 50th in receiving yards on the season, and he’s been held to 5 catches or fewer in all but 2 games this season. That isn’t exactly what he or the Philadelphia Eagles had in mind when they made him the sixth-highest-paid receiver in the league.

In classic wide receiver fashion, AJ Brown is doing everything he can to let as many people know he’s not happy about it.

AJ Brown is making headlines (again) after complaining on a Twitch stream Tuesday night about his lack of production. “If you got me in fantasy, get rid of me.” Later on, when reviewing his stats in a game of Madden, he said, “That’s the only highlights of damn football I’ve been living right now.”

On Wednesday, Brown doubled down on his comments. “If you have eyes,” it’s obvious what he’s frustrated about — and that he’s speaking up because he wants the offense to improve and is tired of the defense having to band-aid their issues.

AJ Brown’s public frustration stands in stark contrast to the championship-first mindset that’s fueled the Chiefs’ dynasty.

This isn’t really surprising after Brown went viral for his comments after winning his first-ever Super Bowl. Despite a dominant Super Bowl win by his team, Brown was held to only 3 catches, 43 yards, and a touchdown.

While the Eagles are still a Super Bowl contender and have an excellent roster, it feels like their path with Brown is getting more and more limited. The Eagles have proven to be a volatile roster after their collapse in 2023 with essentially the same roster that took the Chiefs down to the wire in the 2022 Super Bowl. While those types of things don’t necessarily show in the stat sheet, the Chiefs’ locker room chemistry has also proven to be incredibly resilient and focused on one thing: winning.

Look at Tyreek Hill in Kansas City versus his time in Miami. Since he’s left the Chiefs, it feels like there is something almost monthly about Tyreek Hill disrupting the Dolphins’ locker room. When in Kansas City, Hill certainly had issues off the field, but for the most part he was focused on the field. He was never clamoring for more targets or production; it was about winning. Even as his role changed to more of a yards-after-catch–centric player in 2021, he was willing to do what he needed to do.

No player better embodies this than Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who is arguably one of the greatest to ever play his position. Despite that, he has never complained about not getting his production or stats heading into the latter part of his career. In fact, in 2024, as the team continued to win, he didn’t take to his podcast to call for more yards or stats, but instead he praised his ability to help the team win. “[I was] struggling in terms of stats. I was still playing winning football, and that’s all that f–king matters,” Travis clarified on Wednesday’s episode of their “New Heights” podcast.

This really even boils down to a Patrick Mahomes conversation, too. Mahomes is a chameleon willing to change his play to whatever is needed to win. If that means checking the ball down to a back in the flat, he’ll do it. If that means scrambling time after time to win, he’ll lower the shoulder on a safety to get into the end zone. Nothing showcased this better than the 2024 season, where Mahomes’ play was constantly the deciding factor in close games.

The Chiefs’ focus on winning and team success has helped fuel a dynasty, and it can’t go overlooked. AJ Brown’s clamoring for more production is a symptom of the disease that decays so many Super Bowl teams. Players win a ring, and then they want to focus on their legacy and their bank accounts. The Chiefs have managed to stay focused on winning despite transitioning the roster several times. Don’t be surprised if the Eagles are watching Super Bowl Sunday instead of playing in it.