Ole Miss Rebels legend AJ Brown made history in the NFL team's season opener

Former Ole Miss superstar AJ Brown will join other players from the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers on Friday as the first NFL athletes to play American football in South America.

The NFL is heading to Brazil to bring its fan base to an international stage. While football may be popular in the United States, it pales in comparison to the international enthusiasm for soccer.

Brown, a wide receiver for the Eagles, had a three-year career as a Rebel between 2016 and 2018 before being selected 51st overall in the second round by the Tennessee Titans in the 2019 draft.

During his time at Ole Miss, he rushed for nearly 3,000 yards, including two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and 19 touchdowns on 189 passes caught. In his two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, Brown was the SEC's leading receiver, ranking in the top 10 in the country in that category. In addition to his 1,252 yards, he also led the SEC in touchdowns in 2017.

Brown was also named to the All-SEC first team in 2017 and 2018.

Since his time at The Sip, he spent three seasons in Nashville with the Titians, amassing 185 receptions, 2,995 receiving yards and 24 receiving touchdowns. He also had five rushing attempts that resulted in 70 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

However, on draft night in 2022, he was traded to Philadelphia in exchange for a first- and fourth-round pick. He also immediately agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract with the Eagles.

Since joining the Birds, Brown has rushed for just over 1,400 yards in two consecutive seasons, resulting in 18 touchdowns on 194 passes caught.

Brown made headlines again during draft season when he signed a three-year, $96 million contract extension with Philadelphia that keeps him under contract through the end of the 2029 season.

He's hoping for a strong start in Brazil against a strong Packers team on Friday at 7:15 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed on Peacock, NFL+ or YouTube TV with the purchase of Sunday Ticket.