Hollywood Hope

PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles (2-4) will host the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night in a primetime divisional showdown. After weeks of turbulence surrounding the team, the Eagles will look to return to the win column in a game that has considerable stakes for both teams.

Unlike the Cowboys, however, if the Eagles are to persevere and win, they must do so considerably undermanned, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.

This week was most certainly shepherded by the leadership of locker room pillars and team captains Jordan Mailata and Saquon Barkley, who set the temperature and did their best to instill confidence and optimism.

Barkley, by the way, could make his return Monday night.

There were plenty of topics to discuss this week, and while I’ve covered most all of it, there are some notes throughout the week that naturally wind up on the cutting room floor leading up to the game. This end-of-week includes some leftover highlights from the week.

Eagles WR Hollywood Brown isn’t fazed by the lack of playing time, choosing to be patient.

Here’s perspective from wide receiver Hollywood Brown, a speedy veteran who now has a pathway to playing time due to a positional shortage. I also caught up with Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen to discuss our shared appreciation for an ’80s classic.

‘Taking it day by day’

When the Eagles this offseason signed veteran speedster Hollywood Brown to a one-year deal, all $5 million guaranteed, it was assumed he’d factor into the offensive plan. Merely months ago, that appeared to be the reality. The team had traded away a three-time All-Pro wide receiver in A.J. Brown. Sure, the Eagles selected Makai Lemon in the first round, but rookies, at times, require time for development.

Brown, 29, was coming off a season in Kansas City in which he secured 49 receptions for 587 yards and five touchdowns and represented quality depth and demonstrated production. He also, in theory, brings a vertical element, differentiating himself from others in his room. Theoretical is the optimal term here, however, as Brown has never been truly deployed as a deep threat at any point in his career, as evidenced by his 11.6 career average in yards per reception.

He logged a solid training camp, even if his offering was overshadowed by the routinely standout performances of Dontayvion Wicks and Darius Cooper, and it seemed he’d have a role.

That hasn’t been the case through the team’s first six games, as Brown has only played in one, yielding just 17 snaps in the Eagles’ 24-20 over the Tennessee Titans. He was active but didn’t play in Week 1 and was a healthy scratch last week against the Carolina Panthers. Sandwiched in between was a lingering ankle injury. But the Eagles find themselves in a position in which they must now rely on Brown in the absence of Wicks and DeVonta Smith, both ruled out for Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys.

Brown, who has handled his role with grace and professionalism,

“Just really taking it day by day,” he said this week. “Kind of just really be right for when I get my opportunity. So, that’s what I’ve been focusing on.”

Brown has the horizontal quickness and open-field agility to add another dimension to an offense in need of a spark. That could come in handy on a short-handed receiving corps suddenly headlined by Lemon and Cooper. His speed and big-play potential could provide a shot in the arm.

A veteran of eight NFL seasons, Brown has been around long enough to know not to take anything personal. He acknowledged that “stuff happens.” Still, the consensus of his message was well-received: Whenever his time comes, he’ll be ready.

In any situation in life, uncertainty can spawn frustration. But in Brown’s case, he cited the support of his teammates and coaches and is taking a day-by-day approach. Experience has given Brown perspective, which can be attributed to how Brown is wired to take things in stride.

“Definitely just being older and being in the league for a minute,” he said. “I wouldn’t have handled it well as a younger guy. But now, just knowing I’m blessed to be here, I mean, my plan is not always my plan. It’s God’s plan. And the more I got comfortable with that, I can’t be mad about a situation because maybe that’s not what God called for me.”

On Saturday, Nick Sirianni characterized Brown as a “great pro, comes to work every day, just working to get better and paying attention in meetings.” He then highlighted a reception Brown made in Friday’s practice, which Sirianni remarked was “one of the best catches” he’s seen in routes on air, in terms of his adjustment to the ball. Sirianni also commended Brown for being “the same guy every single day, regardless of the circumstances.”

The confidence has never wavered, nor has his preparation, so when Brown was asked this week if he’ll be ready if his number is called, he delivered a rapid fire response.

“I’ll be ready,” he said.

Shared Enthusiasm

Paging through the 2026 Philadelphia Eagles media guide recently, I was amazed to read that Riq Woolen and I share the same appreciation for a now-underdiscussed ’80s classic: Beverly Hills Cop.

The movie, starring Eddie Murphy, was released in 1984, so naturally, I was curious to learn how Woolen, 27, first discovered it, and what gravitated him to it. And because he evidently felt strongly enough about the first movie to list it as his favorite in his player bio, what were his impressions of the sequels?

I caught up with Woolen this week to talk about it:.

Andrew: So, what’s your connection to the movie?

Riq: “Nothing really. I just like movies with Eddie Murphy, and ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ was like one of those kind of favorite movies, especially when I was younger, because they got like that song that dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun. So, like, when I was a little kid, this thing called Crazy Frog, and like as little kids you watch it and it got the same Axel F song. So, that’s one of the reasons why I like the movie as well, just because like when I hear the song it just kind of reminded me of childhood songs as well.”

Andrew: The keyboards?

Riq: “Mm-hmm. No, most definitely. Like, it’s just hella dope, so I liked it.”

Andrew: How did it first get on your radar? I know you like Eddie Murphy, but…

Riq: “Shoot, I mean, I’m like the younger sibling of my brothers and sisters that I lived with. And, shoot, whenever you’re kind of a younger sibling, you come across different movies and different stuff like that. And I don’t know … I just remember just watching as a kid and then when I was in like college, I’ll put it on Netflix and stuff whenever I get out of class. So, I feel like just watching it and re-watching it a couple times and seeing the different ones, I feel like the movies did get better, except when they made the new one that came out recently.”

Andrew: Well, that’s my next question. Do you like the sequels?

Riq: “Well, I mean, I like all of them. I just don’t like the newest one. I mean, it kind of like just didn’t hit like the old ones a little bit, but that’s typically what happens whenever you make a newer movie of an older movie, you know? But my favorite one has to be when they go to Disneyland, Disney World.”

Andrew: Oh, the third one.

Riq: “Yeah. I like that one just because it’s just action-packed and it takes place in a theme park. And then, also, I do like the first one when he actually goes to Beverly Hills, because it’s pretty cool how he finds a random mansion and ends up living and acting like it’s his. It’s pretty cool because when I was younger I kind of thought you could do that.” [laughs]

Andrew: Well, I think it’s kind of funny because that first one was made before I was born. You as well. Do you like older movies like that?

Riq: “Oh yeah, for sure. I used to watch, like, ‘Harlem Nights’ and ‘Coming to America’ and stuff like that. ‘Brooklyn Vampire.’ So, I know a good amount of those older movies, man.”

Andrew: You ever see ’48 Hours.’ with Eddie Murphy?

Riq: “I probably have. I gotta go look.”

Andrew: Oh, you gotta see ’48 Hours’ if you haven’t yet.

Riq: “[Eddie Murphy] and Martin Lawrence are kind of like my favorite actors just growing up, and Denzel [Washington], because they had a lot of great movies.”

Andrew: Yeah. Eddie Murphy’s a favorite of mine.

Riq: “Oh yeah, Eddie’s dope.”

Andrew: If you had to guess, how many times do you think you’ve watched ‘Beverly Hills Cop’?

Riq: “Probably a good like 10 times, 10 plus times, for sure.”

Andrew: I must have watched it 50 times by now.

Riq: “Oh, see, I gotta catch up with you.”

Andrew: I had a little bit of a head start. [laughs] What’s your favorite line?

Riq: “Honestly, I wouldn’t even say a favorite line. I just really just got like favorite movies and just like the whole plot of things. Especially ’cause I know they had, like, killed the head chief that… Or like one of his best friends. You know, a guy he was close with, and he just went on like this vengeance mission and just trying to make everything right and clear the guy’s name and different things like that. So, I like the first one for sure. I feel like the first one was the one I paid a lot more attention to. And then I feel like the third one is probably like my second favorite. So, you know, other than that, that’s my order. The first one, the third one is second, and the second one is third. And then the last one is the last.”

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com