Travis Kelce took a stand against A.J. Brown, the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver, after Brown expressed his frustrations on social media about his performance at the start of the 2025 NFL season.
Despite the Eagles boasting an undefeated record through four weeks, Brown, 28, has seen limited action with only 14 receptions from 28 targets and just one touchdown to his name.
Following the Eagles' narrow 31-25 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 28, Brown shared a quote from the New Testament on X, stating, “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”
Kelce, 35, responded during the October 1 episode of his podcast, “New Heights,” saying, “You’re 4-0, boss. Come on, man.”
However, Jason Kelce, Travis's brother and a veteran player who spent his last two seasons alongside Brown in Philadelphia, offered a different perspective. He expressed that he “disagreed” with Travis’s take.
“I don’t think it’s unfathomable for a player of A.J. Brown’s caliber to feel upset about not being utilized,” Jason stated. “He should feel comfortable expressing that to the players and coaches in the locker room. That’s not a selfish move; A.J. knows his worth.”
Jason acknowledged that while there might be better ways to communicate frustrations than tweeting, he understood Brown's feelings.
“To each his own,” Travis remarked with a hint of sarcasm.
Jason further elaborated that simply increasing Brown's targets isn’t a straightforward solution. “It’s not as easy as just throwing the ball to A.J. more,” he noted.
Travis concurred, emphasizing that “that’s not how this thing works in the NFL.”
“It’s clear A.J. is frustrated right now, especially since he’s taking to social media to express it,” Travis said. “But it’s hard for me to get upset when we’re winning. I don’t feel that energy when we’re successful and scoring points.”
He added, “I can’t say I’ve never been frustrated and reacted in a way to let everyone know how I feel. We all love this game; we want to win and enjoy it.”
In an effort to clarify his earlier comments, Brown addressed reporters on Wednesday.
“First off, I want to say that after Sunday’s game, I let my frustrations boil over,” Brown admitted. “I didn’t speak to the media then, and I should have corrected my frustrations sooner. That’s on me; I take full accountability.”
He clarified further, “My message on Twitter wasn’t aimed at anyone in the organization—neither my coaches nor my quarterback or G.M.”
The Eagles are set to face the Denver Broncos on Sunday, October 5.
