Gritty, AJ Brown Get Love In 'Abbott Elementary' Season 2 Premier

PHILADELPHIA — "Abbott Elementary" is truly a show the embodies Philadelphia's culture.

The hit ABC mockumentary sitcom set at a Philadelphia public school premiered its second season Wednesday night, and it was all things Philly.

In the opening segment, custodian Mr. Johnson, played by William Stanford Davis gave Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown a shoutout to the show's main character, Janine Teagues, played by the show's creator and Philly Native Quinta Bruson.

"Hey Janine! This year is going to be different... Because we got A.J. Brown! We back, baby!"

The bit here is Brunson's character, being the overly optimistic teacher she is, thinks he is referring to the school year, not the Eagles 2022-23 (go Birds).

Season two's premier opened with Brunson's character showing up to school to prep for the year only to find the school's parking lot had been turned into an Eagles tailgate party by Principal Ava Coleman, played by Janelle James, who was nominated for the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy for season one.

And later on in the season premier, Brunson's character teases she was able to get the Flyer to send Gritty to Abbott's first day of school.

"After making many phone calls and pretending to slip on a beer can at the Flyers arena, I've managed to get the only celebrity that matters to come surprise our kids on the first day of school," Brunson's character announced to her fellow educators. "America's favorite orange furry sweetheart: Flyers mascot Gritty!"

The wrinkle in the Gritty plot comes when the mascot shows up on the first day of school for teachers, not the first day of school for students.

Brunson Wednesday replied to Gritt on Twitter, saying, "I can’t believe I met a celebrity."

Gritty's response: "ditto queen, ditto."

The Flyers mascot told Variety that Brunson's "people" reached out to his "people" to make the cameo happen.

"When you’ve reached the level of fame and success that Quinta and I have, you have people for that," he said. "Her people reached out to my people. Of course I’m a fan … It’s comedy, it’s Philly and it’s school. I love two of those things!"

"There are a lot of people who might be iconic in Philadelphia," said Sheryl Lee Ralph, who won the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy for season one for her role as teacher Barbara Howard. "There are a lot of people that might be loved in Philadelphia. None of them come close to the love and admiration that is given to Gritty,"

Ralph is married to Pennsylvania State Sen. Vincent Hughes.

Watch a behind the scenes clip from the NHL on how the most beloved mascot in the league made his way onto the show:

"Abbott Elementary" airs at 9 p.m. Wednesdays on ABC.