AJ Brown, Jimmie Ward get into pregame altercation

Things got a bit chippy before kickoff of Sunday’s NFC Championship Game between the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles.

Eagles star wide receiver AJ Brown and Niners cornerback Jimmie Ward got into a scrum during pregame warmups at Lincoln Financial Field. Brown appeared to give Ward a little shove as Ward was walking by him, and the Niners veteran did not appreciate it. He then turned to say something to Brown, who extended his hand for a shake before things got heated.

Players and officials separated the two players. You can see the video below:

Things are getting chippy in Philly pic.twitter.com/AfFWmlH5da

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 29, 2023

Brown had a monster first season with the Eagles. He had 88 catches for 1,496 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was largely held in check with three catches for 22 yards during last week’s blowout win over the New York Giants, though he was not really needed.

Stopping Brown will be one of the biggest challenges for Ward and San Francisco’s defense.