On the field, A.J. Brown is a fierce competitor; brash at times, and clearly one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. Off the field, family, friends, and mentors see another side of the Pro Bowler. To them, he’s “Jay,” the mellow, somewhat introverted, humble kid from Starkville, Mississippi. Heck, his mom even calls him a “homebody.” But when it comes to the Eagles’ prospects for 2023 and their chances to get back to the Super Bowl, there’s no question that A.J. Brown is going to have to deliver another superb season the likes of which he produced in his first, record-setting year in Philadelphia. On the Season Two premiere of unCovering the Birds, take a trip down to Mississippi with The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane, as he learns more about the people and places that shaped one of the most important members of the Eagles’ roster.

Follow Jeff McLane on X. You can read his work at inquirer.com, including the companion story to this podcast, Myself and Mississippi.

Producer's note: for this episode, the use of headphones or earbuds is highly recommended to best hear select pieces of sound.

unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts.

Host: Jeff McLane
Executive Producer, Philadelphia Inquirer: Renee Ifill
Director of Podcasting, KYW Newsradio: Tom Rickert
Producer: Brian Seltzer