National Football League

A.J. Brown encourages Eagles fans to troll Deebo Samuel before 49ers matchup

Published Nov. 28, 2023 8:38 a.m. ET

The 49ers-Eagles rivalry is in full swing, and A.J. Brown is fanning the flames before the teams face off Sunday in a rematch of last season's NFC Championship Game (4:25 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App).

Brown posted a message Monday night on X, formerly Twitter, declaring this week "troll [Deebo Samuel] week." The star Eagles wide receiver tagged Samuel, his 49ers counterpart, in the post.

It's all in good fun for Brown, but Samuel has been one of the most vocal proponents of the budding rivalry.

Last offseason, following Philadelphia's 31-7 win over San Francisco to reach the Super Bowl, Samuel called the Eagles his "most hated" opponent due to the trash talking by Philly players and fans. Like many of his teammates, Samuel insisted that the 49ers would have won the game had quarterback Brock Purdy not torn his UCL in the first half, robbing him of his ability to throw the football.

"We lost because we played with 10 people," Samuel said at the time.

The two teams could be headed for another postseason showdown this season. The Eagles are an NFL-best 10-1 following an overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday while the 49ers seem to be completely recovered from an injury-plagued three-game losing streak in October. San Francisco has roared back with wins over playoff hopefuls Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and Seattle, all by at least two scores.

Not coincidentally, Samuel missed the majority of the 49ers' skid with a hairline fracture in his shoulder but has been healthy for each of the team's eight victories. Now, he and the 49ers get their shot at revenge in Philadelphia for how things turned out in January.

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