A.J. Brown’s goodbye message to the Eagles was a VERY loaded statement

We knew there was no love lost between A.J. Brown and the Philadelphia Eagles last season, no matter how much the team tried to hide it. We saw the public blowup between Nick Sirianni and Brown on the sideline last year, and there were reports that the receiver was unhappy with the number of targets he was getting from quarterback Jalen Hurts. That meant there was no surprise when the Eagles traded Brown to the Patriots earlier this month, but what is a surprise is what Brown left for the team on his way out the door.

A tradition in Philadelphia is to hang photos of the team’s Pro Bowl players inside the facility and have the players sign their own photos. Brown was in Philly last week picking up some belonging he had left there, stopped by his Pro Bowl photo and according to Mike Garofolo of NFL Network he left the following inscription:

The best to ever play here. Always open. — A.J. Brown

There are a lot of ways to dig into this one. Perhaps we can chalk it up to typical wide receiver bravado, but that second clause really hits home when he was upset about not getting enough targets on the field. Also, it’s bold to call yourself “the best to ever play here,” even if you’re just limiting yourself to discussing the WR position.

Truth be told, the Eagles haven’t exactly had many all-time great receivers, especially in the modern era. Brown ranks 9th in franchise history in receiving yards during his limited time in Philly, and 12th in receiving touchdowns. If we look solely at players who have suited up since 2000 he ranks 3rd all-time behind Desean Jackson and Zach Ertz in yards.

When it comes to best receiver ever to play for the Eagles, well, that discussion gets interesting. Terrell Owens didn’t exactly have a great run in Philly, but is undoubtedly one of the best to ever do it. Harold Carmichael holds the franchise records in yards and touchdowns, but that was largely a factor of longevity rather than individual brilliance. Jackson might be able to lay claim to the title, but leaving in 2014 and returning a much older receiver hurts his team legacy.

Either way, calling yourself the GOAT after being traded and then making a quip about always being open is one heck of a statement.