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 good bond these days, however when Vrabel’s Titans drafted Brown with a second-round choose in 2019, it wasn’t all clean crusing throughout workforce conferences.
“Early on in the league — he doesn’t know this — but I didn’t like him,” Brown mentioned Thursday with amusing. “I used to take notes and write, ‘I do not like Vrabes. I do not like Vrabes.’ He would make me take notes and do all these things that are uncomfortable as a rookie. As I got older and was learning, he was developing me and getting me ready 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 growth and added “we’ll see” when requested if the Patriots would possibly attempt to commerce for him.
“He’s an incredible coach and we have an incredible relationship,” Brown mentioned. “I’m happy for him. I’m always wishing him success — that’s with everybody I’m close with.”
As if New Orleans wasn’t already stocked with among the greatest eating places on the earth, Rao’s, the New York Metropolis Italian establishment, opened a pop-up model of the enduring restaurant on 114th Avenue, 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 Avenue 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.
Every part is deliberate and scheduled to the minute however typically issues change on the fly.
Two years in the past, the Eagles have been getting ready to face the Chiefs within the Tremendous Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., and head coach Nick Sirianni wrote a speech he meant to relay to the workforce the evening earlier than the sport.
Sirianni, on the time ending up his second season as the pinnacle coach, modified his plan.
As a substitute of giving his speech, he opened the assembly up for anybody who had one thing to say.
That was a convention Sirianni skilled when he performed for perennial Division III soccer powerhouse Mount Union and lots of Eagles gamers took turns providing their emotional messages in what all concerned mentioned was a memorable assembly.
The Eagles ended up shedding to the Chiefs, 38-35.
Would possibly Sirianni have one other open discussion board this Saturday evening earlier than going through the Chiefs in Tremendous Bowl 2025?
“Yeah, we’ll see how that goes,’’ Sirianni mentioned Thursday in the course of the closing media session of the week. “Simply what you bought to see is simply how a lot the blokes cared about one another. The entire dialog was simply when guys would stand 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 the very best teams of people that wins, it’s the very best groups. So, it was a great second for our workforce and we’ll see how that performs out. Keep in mind numerous issues from that, numerous completely different guys speaking and it meant rather a lot and we’ll most likely attempt to recreate that.’’
Giants huge 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.
“Winning this award means more than words can describe,” Slayton mentioned. “The primary purpose for me and my household has at all times 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.
