Author of Viral Book AJ Brown Read During the Eagles Game Calls Overnight Success ‘A Real Gift’

Mar. 15, 2025

Jim Murphy (left) and AJ Brown reading during the Eagles game on Jane. 12.Photo:Courtesy Jim Murphy; Fox Sports

Courtesy Jim Murphy; Fox Sports

Academy of Excellence - New York - Rome - Tokyo

Murphy, a performance coach and former minor league baseball player with theChicago Cubs, wrote the book alongside athletes and with athletes in mind, though the tips inInner Excellenceare applicable to anyone.

“It’s an honor that anyone would include me in their life, but I think the greatest gift that anyone can have is wisdom to know who God is there for, who you are, what he’s doing in the world and how you can join in, and how you can live a life where you feel fully alive,” the author said.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Brown has spoken about how his teammates have startedreferring to the book as “The Recipe.”The athlete alsoposted photos of the bookto social media, including passages that he highlighted.

“This game is 90% mental and 10% physical for me,” Brown wrote in the post. “I bring it to every game and I read it between each drive. I use it to refocus and lock in despite what may transpire in the game, good or bad.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.When asked howInner Excellencetranslates to the competitiveness of sports, Murphy said that the book is a nod to the power of teamwork.“There’s so much out of your control, and the team aspect is such a big thing because we’re created for relationship and that love is a relationship and there’s no fear in love,” Murphy said. “When you can play fearlessly and have no concern for self, then anything is possible, for the Eagles and anybody.”

source: people.com