August 10, 2022

Eagles quotables: Under the stadium lights

By Nick Tricome
PhillyVoice Staff

A.J._Brown_Eagles_Open_Practice_8.7.22.jpg

Colleen Claggett/For PhillyVoice

Eagles WR A.J. Brown

A.J. Brown dove after a Jalen Hurts pass and slid into the endzone.

The Lincoln Financial Field crowd cheered.

It was only practice, but the energy under the stadium lights Sunday night sure felt real.

The NFL season is just around the corner and everyone from the players to the fans knows it.

Philly will get to do it all again on Friday night when the Eagles host the Jets for the first game of the preseason.

It'll be another step closer.

In the meantime, training camp is still in full gear. Here are some of the best quotes from it in the past week or so:

"I think it was exciting, obviously. For a long time, my birthday has always fell on a day at work, since I was in high school, little league, whatever it was, I was always playing football, which is what I love to do. It was wonderful being in the Linc on my birthday, having that type of environment, the fans showing tons of love...And obviously, we were going out there and taking another step as a football team." – QB Jalen Hurts on Sunday night's open practice at the Linc.

"I was in game mode. I felt the fans, the energy from them...I even caught myself afterward diving, making the play on the ball and I don't dive in practice. That's the rule, you never dive in practice. It felt so game-like with the fans in there. They were showing love and I was feeling the energy." – WR A.J. Brown on the open practice.

Here is the 30 yard TD pass from Jalen Hurts to AJ Brown beating James Bradberry, who had good coverage

AJ Brown celebrating with Eagles fans

🎥 @EROCK_Eagles pic.twitter.com/xSdrNRQJ8z
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) August 7, 2022

"Man, he's real good. He's making all the tough catches. He turns 50-50 balls into 70-30. He's very challenging and he's getting me better every day." – CB Darius Slay on covering Brown in camp.

"Whenever I'm going against Slay, I know I gotta be precise. Every step matters." – Brown on lining up against Slay in camp.

"A great impact. I mean, you got two high-level starters and smart players, they've been in the league for quite some time now...Slay's getting old, ancient dust (I'm playing!), but no, he's still competing at a high level and each and every day we see these guys out here." – CB Avonte Maddox on Slay's and CB James Bradberry's impact on the defense.

"I can say now, I'm definitely a lot bigger and stronger than what I was during the Super Bowl year. I feel like my best football is coming. I feel like at this age, the next two years will be my prime." – RT Lane Johnson on the immediate future of his career.

"Lane to me, he's the best, one of the best tackles in the world. He's THE best right tackle in the world." – Head coach Nick Sirianni on Lane Johnson.

"He's looked, honestly, the best he's looked in a couple years. He's always looked good, but now I think what motivated him times ten was coming off the injury, and Brandon...he's into the media deal where he might've read something, something lit a fire under BG right now." – DT Fletcher Cox on DE Brandon Graham's return from last season's Achilles tear.

"It's hard to stop a big train when it's moving." – Cox on rookie DT Jordan Davis.

"BIG. Big. That's a big dude, man. Once it clicks for him, ain't no one gonna be able to stop him." – DT Milton Williams on Davis

"Treat it like a regular game. These guys are vets, everybody knows what's gonna happen, but you gotta go out there and take care of business. Be consistent." – Williams on Friday night's first preseason game.

"I care so much. I have so much passion for the game, for the process, the work, and what it takes. So knowing that this city is all about that, knowing that the city is as passionate as it is...It lights a fire in all of us." - Hurts on how fans have inspired the team.

"I'm taking the WHOLE establishment down!" – RB Boston Scott taking exception to his Madden rating. It's 75 overall.