CNN
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Over the years, cameras have captured NFL players doing some memorable non-football things on the sidelines during games. Tom Brady once threw an electronic tablet in frustration. Three members of the Seattle Seahawks were fined for eating hot dogs during a 1995 preseason game.

On Sunday night in Philadelphia, as the Eagles played a playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, wide receiver AJ Brown did something arguably even more intriguing.

He sat down and opened a book.

As the Eagles earned their 22-10 victory, cameras showed Brown sitting on a bench on the sideline, studying a well-worn paperback. One of the Fox Sports hosts chuckled. “I haven’t seen too many people reading books (during a game),” he said.

The book is titled “Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Achievement and the Best Life Possible.” It was written by Jim Murphy, a former professional baseball player and self-proclaimed “performance coach” who helps athletes build mental toughness.

Brown is one of the Eagles’ best players. On Sunday, only three passes went his way, and he caught just one for just 10 yards. Still, he was cheerful as he answered questions after the game.

This may have been his first time reading on camera. But he said it wasn’t the first time he’d read that book during a game.

“This is a book that I bring to every single game,” Brown said, adding, “My teammates call it ‘The Recipe.’

Some passages have been underlined and highlighted. Of course the audience was curious. The Eagles have many fans and the book quickly climbed the charts. As of Monday afternoon, it was No. 1 on Amazon’s bestseller list.

“As an outfielder in the Chicago Cubs organization, my self-esteem and identity revolved around my performance, especially my batting average,” Murphy writes in the book’s introduction. “When I hit well, I walked tall and felt great. If I hit badly, my shoulders would slump and my outlook would be bleak. Life was an emotional rollercoaster. I was a slave to results and that affected my performance. I was afraid of failure and this fear kept me thinking about the past and the future.

“When I started training professional and Olympic athletes, I saw this again and again: The athletes had lost their joy and passion for life because they were struggling under the pressure to perform. The fear of failure took over her life.”

The book helped athletes achieve higher levels of performance, even when they were full of doubts, writes Murphy. “But far more than that,” he adds, “you will learn how to live your everyday life with deep contentment, joy and self-confidence.”

Brown told reporters the book helps him refocus after every drive, “whether I’m scoring a touchdown or dropping a pass.” He’ll get more chances next Sunday when the Eagles host another playoff game .

A Sports Illustrated reporter reached Murphy by phone Sunday evening when his book suddenly went viral. Murphy said of Brown, “It is truly an honor to be a part of his life and to hold a meaningful place in everyone’s life.”

As of Monday afternoon, the book had at least one new five-star Amazon review from a user named Todd. The headline of the review was “Go Birds.” The full text of the review stated: “AJ Brown recommended this book, so I’m looking forward to reading it. Flying, Eagles Flying.”

At least 1,044 people found Todd’s review helpful.