Eagles’ Nick Sirianni: Ailing A.J. Brown is expected to play, and Avonte Maddox has a chance to return vs. 49ers

Sirianni on Brown's apparently minor leg injury: “He was going through a little something with his body that was hurting him.”

Eagles wide receivers A.J. Brown (left) and DeVonta Smith talk on the sideline as time runs down in the 38-7 rout of the Giants.Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff Photographer

by EJ Smith

Published Jan. 23, 2023, 5:03 p.m. ET

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said A.J. Brown is dealing with a minor injury but should be available for the NFC championship game.

Brown left the Eagles’ 38-7 win over the New York Giants on Saturday with an apparent leg injury and was visibly frustrated on the sideline. The star wideout was laughing with teammates in the locker room after the game but did not speak with reporters.

Sirianni said Brown is on track to play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers as the Eagles are a win away from a Super Bowl berth.

“He was going through a little something with his body that was hurting him,” Sirianni said Monday. “We feel like he’ll be ready to go this week, but he was hurting in that game, so that’s why he wasn’t in the game.”

Brown came up limping early in the fourth quarter after gaining separation on a go route but coming up just short on Jalen Hurts’ deep pass. A few plays earlier, the 25-year-old was slow to get up as well.

The CBS broadcast caught Sirianni having a brief conversation with Brown as the coach appeared to console his receiver while on the bench. Sirianni said Brown’s frustration came from his lack of production; Brown finished with three catches for 22 yards on six targets.

“Of course he’s always going to want the ball, he’s a really good player,” Sirianni said. “Not really anybody in the pass game really got a lot of targets and opportunities because we were running the ball so well. But that’s what you want from your receivers is to want to have the football.

“Make no mistake about it, he was thrilled that we won the football game. He always wants to be involved in the [game] plan. ... He was really excited and celebrated in the locker room with us after the win.”

Sirianni ‘hopeful’ Maddox can return

Sirianni said the Eagles left the blowout win without any additional injuries, leaving Avonte Maddox as the lone player on the active roster with uncertainty going into the championship weekend.

Even Maddox has a chance to return after missing the last four weeks with a toe injury, Sirianni said. The starting slot cornerback has already been on injured reserve once this season, but the Eagles have kept him on the active roster in the event that he can return before their postseason run is over.

“We’re hopeful,” Sirianni said. “But he’s still got to get out there and run on the field and do drills. It’s not something that we know quite yet. There’s some unknown with some of the football movements that he has to go out and do.”

Maddox has been replaced by C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the slot, with undrafted rookie Reed Blankenship filling Gardner-Johnson’s usual spot at safety when the Eagles are in sub packages. Gardner-Johnson, who played nickel cornerback with the New Orleans Saints for the first three years of his career, has played well in relief of Maddox. He’s allowing just 5.4 yards per reception in the last two games according to Pro Football Focus.

“I think Chauncey has done a really nice job of stepping into the nickel position,” Sirianni said. “That’s so important that we have these guys that can play multiple spots. That’s really helped us as we’ve gotten dinged a little bit with Avonte, that we’re able to move Chauncey.”