A.J. Brown may not have set out to draw attention to Jim Murphy’s Inner Excellence, but, he ended up delivering the perfect promotion for the author.
During the Eagles’ 22-10 win over the Packers, Brown, amid a quiet game with just one catch for 10 yards, A.J. was seen on the sidelines diving into Murphy’s Inner Excellence.
“My teammates call it ‘the recipe,’” he told reporters after Philadelphia’s win. “It’s got a lot of points in there. It’s a lot of mental game, a lot of mental parts about it and, for me, this game is mental.”
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Murphy’s Inner Excellence has skyrocketed to Amazon’s No. 1 best-seller spot after A.J. was seen reading it, with fans dubbing it a potential key to a Super Bowl run, as reported by the New York Post.
The sudden surge is a surprising twist for Murphy, who has just 1,485 Instagram followers and has written 35 fiction and non-fiction books for children.
“It’s been a pretty amazing night,” Murphy told Sports Illustrated on Sunday night. “I’m sitting here in a hotel by myself. I was like, ‘What’s with all these messages?’ And then I saw what happened, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, that’s crazy.’ Really neat.”
James Palmer of Underdog received A.J.’s worn paperback copy of Inner Excellence, revealing how frequently A.J. had read the book.
“Eagles WR A.J. Brown handed me a beaten-up paperback copy of Inner Excellence,” Palmer said in a post on X. “Full of handwritten notes and highlighted sections. He has it with him every game and you can tell it’s been knocked off benches on sidelines week after week. Brown then showed me the passage he reads between drives. It calms his mind. He was kind enough to share, so here you go.”
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One of the more impactful passages, as it is highlighted and underlined by A.J., reads as follows:
“In the pursuit of extraordinary performance, it’s easy to succumb to anxiety and pressure because so much is out of your control. When you learn to live a life that is fully engaged, however, then you can perform your best and love the challenge.
“Every performance, presentation, or problem you face is an opportunity to learn and grow and vividly experience each moment. You will find, as you take this journey with me, that your best moments always come from a clear mind and unburdened.”
Eagles fans are playfully embracing the moment, leaving humorous reviews of Inner Excellence on Amazon.
“Grabbing this book. I will read it on the flight to the Super Bowl, possibly while at the Super Bowl,” one review said.
