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Ole Miss

A.J. Brown delivers commencement speech to Ole Miss 2025 graduating class

Chandler Vesselsby: Chandler Vessels05/10/25ChandlerVessels
a.j. brown
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Philadelphia Eagles receiver AJ Brown delivered the commencement speech to the spring 2025 class at his alma mater, Ole Miss, on Saturday. Brown spoke to the more than 5,500 graduates on the next chapter in life after graduation and why it takes more work from this point to build success.

“Now here’s the real game,” he said. “You are your own operation. Your discipline is your product. Your name is your brand. Your habits are your investments. Nobody’s coming to build it for you and nobody’s coming to rescue you when it gets hard. Success isn’t owned, it’s rented. And rent is due every single day.”

AJ Brown spent three years at Ole Miss from 2016-18 and left as the leading receiver in school history with 189 catches for 2,984 yards and 19 touchdowns. He later went on to be selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans.

Brown spent the first three years of his pro career in Tennessee before being traded to Philadelphia ahead of the 2022 season. He shared the disappointment he felt at the time, but said that he trusted “God’s timing” and that it ended up being what was best for him, encouraging the graduating students to view life through the same lense.

“You’re stepping into a new season,” he said. “You’re holding the ball. Ole Miss gave you the playbook. Now it’s your job to call the plays and lead the drive.”

Ultimately, Brown ended up posting the best numbers of his NFL career with the Eagles the season after being traded, recording 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns. Philadelphia made the Super Bowl that season but ended up losing against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Two seasons later, Brown and the Eagles were back in the Super Bowl against none other than the Chiefs. This time he and his team were able to get the job done, delivering a dominant 40-22 victory. Brown had three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown.

In his final message to the graduating class, the former Ole Miss receiver encouraged them to aim high. Having been through numerous ups and downs in his life to reach the ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl, he is speaking from experience.

“Dream big,” Brown said. “Bigger than what feels safe. Bigger than what feels comfortable. Because with God, with faith and with consistent hard work, there’s no limit to what you can build. Above all, bet on yourself. Trust the work and trust the one who gave you the gift. Class of 2025, give yourself a round of applause. You’ve earned it.”