NEW ORLEANS — If solely Mike Vrabel knew what A.J. Brown was really writing in his pocket book.
The newly employed Patriots head coach and the Eagles receiver have a decent bond these days, however when Vrabel’s Titans drafted Brown with a second-round choose in 2019, it wasn’t all easy crusing throughout workforce conferences.
“Early on within the league — he doesn’t know this — however I didn’t like him,” Brown stated Thursday with amusing. “I used to take notes and write, ‘I don’t like Vrabes. I don’t like Vrabes.’ He would make me take notes and do all these items which can be uncomfortable as a rookie. As I bought older and was studying, he was growing me and getting me prepared for moments like these.”
The five-time 1,000-yard receiver will play in Tremendous Bowl 2025 — his second in three years with the Eagles after he was traded reportedly in opposition to Vrabel’s needs.
Vrabel not too long ago spoke glowingly about Brown’s improvement and added “we’ll see” when requested if the Patriots may attempt to commerce for him.
“He’s an unimaginable coach and we have now an unimaginable relationship,” Brown stated. “I’m completely satisfied for him. I’m all the time wishing him success — that’s with all people I’m shut with.”
As if New Orleans wasn’t already stocked with a few of the finest eating places on this planet, Rao’s, the New York Metropolis Italian establishment, opened a pop-up model of the enduring restaurant on 114th Road, for Tremendous Bowl week.
The operation in New Orleans is being run by meatball maven Dino Gatto, the manager chef at Rao’s for the previous 29 years.
Gatto and Rao’s, which has outposts in LA and Miami, additionally do a pop-up model of the restaurant on the Masters.
On the pop-up on St. Peter’s Road on Thursday evening was a big desk for the Manning household, together with Peyton and Eli after it grew to become official the latter wasn’t voted into the Corridor of Fame on the primary poll.
All the pieces is deliberate and scheduled to the minute however generally issues change on the fly.
Two years in the past, the Eagles had been getting ready to face the Chiefs within the Tremendous Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., and head coach Nick Sirianni wrote a speech he supposed to relay to the workforce the evening earlier than the sport.
Sirianni, on the time ending up his second season as the top coach, modified his plan.
As an alternative of giving his speech, he opened the assembly up for anybody who had one thing to say.
That was a practice Sirianni skilled when he performed for perennial Division III soccer powerhouse Mount Union and plenty of Eagles gamers took turns providing their emotional messages in what all concerned stated was a memorable assembly.
The Eagles ended up dropping to the Chiefs, 38-35.
May Sirianni have one other open discussion board this Saturday evening earlier than dealing with the Chiefs in Tremendous Bowl 2025?
“Yeah, we’ll see how that goes,’’ Sirianni stated Thursday in the course of the ultimate media session of the week. “Simply what you bought to see is simply how a lot the fellows cared about one another. The entire dialog was simply when guys would rise up there simply speaking about how a lot they imply to one another, how they’re going to play for one another, all these various things.
“And once more, it’s not one of the best teams of people that wins, it’s one of the best groups. So, it was a superb second for our workforce and we’ll see how that performs out. Bear in mind plenty of issues from that, plenty of completely different guys speaking and it meant rather a lot and we’ll most likely attempt to recreate that.’’
Giants extensive receiver Darius Slayton is the recipient of the NFL Gamers Affiliation 2025 Alan Web page Group Award, given to the participant who “demonstrates a profound dedication to positively impacting his workforce’s metropolis and communities throughout the nation.’’
The NFLPA will make a donation of $100,000 to Slayton’s Left-Hand Proper-Hand Basis.
“Profitable this award means greater than phrases can describe,” Slayton stated. “The primary objective for me and my household has all the time been to have the ability to give again to the folks in our communities. It’s not in regards to the recognition, however I settle for this award with grace and humility.’’
Slayton, 28, who in six seasons with the Giants protecting 92 video games has 259 receptions and 21 touchdowns, seems headed to free company.