Jayden Daniels, More NFL Stars Reveal Summer Reading After Viral AJ Brown Book Video

If you've ever wondered what NFL players are doing their the long offseason, some of them spend a portion of their free time catching up on their summer reading lists.

Since we are firmly in the doldrums of the NFL offseason calendar until training camps open later this month (with the exception of an occasional trade), ESPN's Tim McManus gathered intel on what some players around the league are reading right now.

Jayden Daniels and Bobby Wagner are part of a group of Washington Commanders players whom McManus noted recently finished reading the biography on Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.

Here are some of the other players who shared their offseason reading lists with McManus:

• San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy: Gospel Patrons by John Rinehart
• Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson: The Harry Potter series; books about Hollywood; the Bible
• Washington Commanders LB Bobby Wagner: The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America by Warren Buffett
• Washington Commanders TE Zach Ertz: The Art of Winning by Bill Belichick
• New York Giants DE Kayvon Thibodeaux: The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz
• Jacksonville Jaguars DE Josh Hines-Allen: Don't Give The Enemy a Seat at Your Table by Louie Giglio
• Seattle Seahawks DT Leonard Williams: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
• Buffalo Bills S Damar Hamlin: Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins; Fear Is a Choice: Tackling Life's Challenges with Dignity, Faith, and Determination by James Conner and Tiffany Yecke Brooks
• Atlanta Falcons S Jessie Bates III: The Twin Thieves by Steve Jones and Lucas Jadin; Family Fortunes by Bill Bonner
• Cincinnati Bengals C Ted Karras: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
• Los Angeles Rams CB Ahkello Witherspoon: James by Percival Everett; All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

One common explanation players offered for wanting to read is it allows them to refrain from using social media. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy added he has found reading helps him recover from the grind of football.

"I'll just try to make an emphasis on reading and getting my mind on things that are bigger than myself, and that helps me just with my life in general," Purdy told McManus. "And then obviously I think reading before bed and cutting out the blue light, all those kinds of things have helped me with my recovery and stuff too."

Leonard Williams of the Seattle Seahawks went with War and Peace as his book of choice at the moment. The two-time Pro Bowler told McManus that Leo Tolstoy's 1,296-page iconic novel is taking him "a while" to finish, but he has found the experience to be worthwhile.

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown didn't officially begin the trend, but the sideline video of him reading during the team's playoff win over the Green Bay Packers helped spur Inner Excellence to become a bestseller.

The video also inspired Brown to share a recommended reading list following the Eagles' victory in Super Bowl 59. His recommendations included titles ranging from The Rise: Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality by Mike Sielski to The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

Given how difficult the grind of an NFL season can be, players being able to step back for a quiet moment in which they can clear their head by engaging in a book is a very healthy approach to take.