I Am The AP3X | 4 Downs Guest Column
This isn’t a Nickname, This is who I am now
Matt Lombardo is on vacation through July 18, and he reached out to several current and former NFL players, reporters, and analysts to tell their stories and lend their insights while he’s away. Today, it’s Cleveland Browns cornerback, The Ap3X, on finding identity in alignment with life’s purpose.
By The Ap3X - A Story of Becoming
First Down: A Name Is Never Just a Name
Why the name change?
This isn’t cosmetic.
This is spiritual. Intentional. Earned.
A-P-3-X doesn’t just represent peak performance—it’s about alignment with purpose.
I chose this name initially to separate who I am on the field, the beast, the elite competitor, from the man I am off of it: the father, the son, the partner.
I needed space between those worlds so I could protect them both.
Because to lead, you must preserve your spirit.
And to give others grace, you have to first offer it to yourself.
As a competitor, I spoke to myself harshly. The inner voice that built me was also breaking me.
But as I matured, I learned that discipline without compassion is punishment.
So I created a name that gave me space to grow.
What began as separation became transformation.
I realized the goal wasn’t to keep those worlds apart, it was to merge them.
To become one whole being.
Second Down: The Power of 3X
The real shift came when I touched Africa.
In the name Ap3x, the “3X” is not for aesthetics, it’s sacred.
It symbolizes mind, body, and spirit, in full alignment.
It also stands for past, present, and future, all of which I carry with me.
And “Apex” means the highest point. The apex predator. The one who is not preyed upon.
That’s the mindset I move with.
Two years ago, I experienced a miracle that brought me closer to my faith.
But I was still Tony Brown in conversation, still Tony Brown in quiet moments with family.
Then came Ghana.
My teammate, my brother, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, invited me to his camp, one rooted in culture, faith, and purpose. He’s a man who honors his roots, wears his country with pride, and uplifts his people. Being around him made me want to do the same for mine.
I wore my first African garment before I even knew where it was from. But my soul knew.
I wanted to connect. I needed to connect.
Third Down: A Conversation With My Ancestors
The trip changed me. It wasn’t just football. It was homecoming.
We toured Accra, the Cape Coast, and met with kings.
We visited slave dungeons.
And it was there, in those dark, sacred spaces, that something shifted in me forever.
As we moved through the dungeon, I was quiet. Heavy.
A brother asked me what was wrong. I said, “I’m feeling everything.”
He told me, “Talk to your ancestors.”
I didn’t know how. But I tried.
I asked them,
“Are you there?”
“Can you give me strength, wisdom, guidance?”
“Let me turn this anger into purpose. Let me be someone you’re proud of.”
No cold chills. No visions. But I walked out a different man.
Minutes later, we’re by the ocean.
A crooked bamboo staff, six feet long, washes up at my feet. No one else touched it.
It hit my leg. I picked it up. And something ancient moved into the room.
At first, I thought it was just a stick. But the brothers there reminded me: You didn’t buy it. You didn’t cut it. It came to you. That means something.
In Africa, symbols have meaning that transcends logic.
A staff doesn’t just support—it leads. It’s carried by kings.
That day, I stopped being a visitor and became a vessel.
Fourth Down: Walking With The Staff
The king we visited told me, “Seek the men who walked with the staff before you. Learn from them.”
This wasn’t a souvenir. This was a calling.
When I returned to the Browns, everything changed.
I spoke with more intention. I led with clarity.
I realized that being Ap3x isn’t about being above others. It’s about becoming a mirror.
Helping others rise. Creating ten Ap3xes on the field.
I’m not leading to dominate. I’m leading to multiply.
Overtime: I Am The Ap3X
Ap3x is mind, body, spirit—aligned.
Ap3x is past, present, future—integrated.
Ap3x is who I was, who I am, and who I’m becoming.
I no longer switch between names. I no longer wear duality.
I am not Tony on one side and Ap3x on the other.
I have shed who I was, and stepped into who I was born to be.
This name isn’t an alias. It’s an arrival.
So call me what I’ve earned.
Call me The Ap3x.
Because that’s who I am.
And from here forward, that’s who I walk as.
For anyone out there evolving: You don’t owe the world comfort.
You owe yourself truth.
Become the version of you that scares people.
That’s the version that’s free.
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Not sure whether I've witnessed the birth of a rudimentary religion with the author as divinity, replete with scripture and a crowning event, not quite the pulling of the sword from the stone, the plucking of the bamboo driftwood from the ocean, or whether I've read the elevator pitch for a new Marvel Universe franchise.
I think I'd find a lunchtime conversation with Tony Brown about the personal impact of his Africa trip fascinating. That same discussion with top predator AP3X surely sounds tedious. I do appreciate his time contributing to Matt's Substack space and I look forward to other contributors during Matt's vacation.
Ap3x, Your words moved me deeply. I felt called to transform your story into music, using AI, purely as a personal reminder of the power of your experience. The song is for my own private use only and will not be commercialized. I don’t seek credit or recognition, I just wanted to share that this song exists because your story inspired it. If you’d ever like to hear it, please let me know. Thank you for sharing your truth.