A surprising twist in A.J. Brown’s career might have seen him on the baseball field rather than the football field in 2022.
Few are aware that the standout wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 19th round of the 2016 MLB Draft as a center fielder, fueling his aspirations to excel in two sports.
In a tweet in January, Brown hinted at a potential return to playing both sports, mentioning the Padres and expressing his readiness with an upbeat emoji.
It turns out Brown’s tweet wasn’t just idle chatter.
“I was dead serious,” Brown told DelawareOnline.com. “[The Padres] had reached out to me. They were about to invite me to spring training. They were just waiting on an answer from me.”
Nevertheless, the Padres made it clear that full commitment to baseball was a prerequisite for Brown.
“They were telling me if I’m [still] going to play football, then I can’t play baseball,” Brown said. “I can’t just play around with [baseball]. So it kind of killed my chances for the moment.”
Despite the setback, Brown has lofty ambitions for a potential baseball career, aiming to surpass the success of basketball legend Michael Jordan in the sport.
“Who knows? Maybe when I’m done playing football, I’ll go play baseball,” the 25-year-old shared.
Reflecting on the benefits of playing baseball, Brown highlighted how it has honed his hand-eye coordination, offering crucial skills that translate well to his current football endeavors.
“Playing baseball definitely helps me with hand-eye coordination,” Brown noted. “Tracking the ball over the shoulder. I think tracking the football is much easier than tracking a little small baseball. That helps me in the game I play today. The hand-eye coordination with my hands, looking the catch in.”
During the offseason, Brown made a move to the Philadelphia Eagles from the Titans and secured a lucrative four-year, $100 million contract extension.
