PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A.J. Brown had a novel ideal to pass time on the bench during Philadelphia's wild-card playoff game.
The Eagles wide receiver passed on the playbook and checked out an inspirational title — Brown casually ignored the action on the field and flipped through the pages of “Inner Excellence” by Jim Murphy.
Brown had time for some light reading with only one catch for 10 yards in a 22-10 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.
The book is described on the cover as one that will “Train your mind for extraordinary performance and the best possible life.”
Brown said he often reads on the sideline, but added: "Y’all caught me that time."
Brown, who had 67 catches for 1,079 yards and seven touchdown this season, described the lessons in the book as useful because football is “90% mental and 10% physical for me.”
“If I score a touchdown or drop a pass, it's something how I refocus,” Brown said. “I always revert back to the beginning of the book. It states if you can just have a clear mind and remember that nothing else matters, clear conscience, nothing matters negative or positive. You're willing to take risks. It also says if you're humble, you can't be embarrassed.”
Murphy's bio on his website says he's a former minor league outfielder and a mental skills coach to professional athletes. Murphy said he worked with another Eagles player who recommended the book to Brown.
Murphy told The Associated Press he was watching a replay of the Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame when his phone started blowing up with texts that his book made a cameo on an NFL playoff game.
“That's pretty unique to read it during the game,” Murphy said by phone from Dallas. “I saw that he was reading it on the sidelines before. I saw a picture of it. I though, oh, that's really cool, I never had an athlete in the game read it.”
“Inner Excellence” was the book of choice for Brown and maybe the rest of the Eagles.
A better story for the Birds on Sunday: Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and one of the NFL's stingiest defenses securing another home playoff game in a season they hope comes with a happy ending — a Super Bowl win.
“I'm just going to stay free, play free,” Brown said.
Brown later shared a photo of the book on social media with several passages highlighted in yellow.
“I’ve never seen him read. I’ve seen the book in his hands," Hurts said. "Everybody has a different thing and finds their flow in different ways. That’s how we choose to do it.”
The next chapter? The NFC East champion Eagles host a divisional round game next Sunday at the Linc against the winner of the game Monday night between Minnesota and the Los Angeles Rams.
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Philadelphia Eagle wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) looks on after talking with his son before an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — A deafening sound of whistles and vuvuzelas echoed throughout downtown Belgrade on Saturday as Serbia's capital geared up for a major rally against populist President Aleksandar Vucic and his government.
Huge crowds have been converging on downtown Belgrade for the gathering seen as a culmination of months of almost daily anti-corruption protests that have posed the biggest challenge to Vucic's 13-year firm grip on power in Serbia.
Reflecting mounting tensions, police said they arrested a man who rammed his car into protesters in a Belgrade suburb, injuring three people.
Ahead of the demonstration, Vucic repeatedly warned of alleged plans for unrest while threatening arrests and harsh sentences for any incidents.
In an apparent effort to prevent people from attending the rally, Belgrade city transport was canceled Saturday while huge columns of cars jammed the roads leading into the capital. The transport company said the cancellation was made “for security reasons.”
On Friday evening, tens of thousands of people staged a joyous welcome for the students who have been marching or cycling for days from across Serbia toward Belgrade for the main rally on Saturday afternoon. From early morning, people started assembling in various parts of the city, preparing to march toward the center.
Fueling fears of clashes, Vucic's supporters have been camping in central Belgrade in front of his headquarters. The crowd included ex-members of a dreaded paramilitary unit involved in the assassination in 2003 of Serbia's first democratic Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, as well as soccer hooligans who are known for causing violence.
Private N1 television on Saturday broadcast a footage of dozens of young men with baseball caps going into the pro-Vucic camp.
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic told state RTS broadcaster that 13 people have been detained overnight but that no major incidents were reported on Friday. He said police detained six opposition activists for allegedly plotting to stage a coup and stir unrest on Saturday.
Protesting students have led the nationwide anti-graft movement, which started after a concrete canopy collapsed at a train station and killed 15 people in Serbia’s north on Nov. 1.
Many in Serbia blamed the crash on rampant government corruption, negligence and disrespect of construction safety regulations.
Vucic has been claiming that Western intelligence services were behind almost daily student-led protests with an aim to oust him from power.
Students have struck a chord among the citizens who are disillusioned with politicians and have lost faith in the state institutions. Previous student-led rallies in other Serbian cities have been peaceful while drawing huge crowds.
People pass by students and former paramilitary fighters loyal to President Aleksandar Vucic camp outside the presidency building prior to a major anti-corruption rally in downtown Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
People seat in front of Serbian parliament building near students and former paramilitary fighters loyal to President Aleksandar Vucic camp outside the presidency building prior to a major anti-corruption rally in downtown Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
A view of students and former paramilitary fighters loyal to President Aleksandar Vucic camp outside the presidency building prior to a major anti-corruption rally in downtown Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Students and former paramilitary fighters loyal to President Aleksandar Vucic camp outside the presidency building prior a major anti-corruption rally in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Protesters gather ahead of a major rally this weekend in downtown Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Police officers stand guard prior to a an anti-corruption rally in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Protesters light flares as they gather ahead of a major rally this weekend in downtown Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
People cheer and greet university students as they arrive at a protest ahead of a major anti-corruption rally this weekend, in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)
A protester yells from the top of a tractor ahead of a major rally this weekend in downtown Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Protesters light flares as they gather ahead of a major rally this weekend in downtown Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Police officers stand guard prior to a an anti-corruption rally in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Police officers stand guard prior to a an anti-corruption rally in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Police officers stand guard prior to a an anti-corruption rally in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
A man speaks with police officers prior to a an anti-corruption rally in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
