Titans' Ryan Tannehill on A.J. Brown trade: 'Personally, it hurt'

Star wide receiver A.J. Brown has admitted to feeling conflicting emotions about his trade from the Tennessee Titans to the Philadelphia Eagles made during last week's NFL Draft. While Brown is hyped to play alongside "best friend" and Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts starting this fall, the one-time Pro Bowl selection explained during Monday's introductory press conference that leaving the only pro football home he'd known since the spring of 2019 was "kind of bittersweet." 

Brown leaves veteran signal-caller Ryan Tannehill behind back in Tennessee, and Tannehill addressed the trade while speaking with reporters on Tuesday. 

"Professionally, it hurt," Tannehill said of the transaction, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. "Top target, heckuva football player, made big plays for us consistently over the last three years. Personally, it hurt. A.J.’s a good friend. Have a lot of great times, great memories on and off the field with him. Not being able to see him on a daily basis is going to be different, going to be hard. Happy to see him get what he wanted, but, at the end of the day, it hurts."

Before the Titans traded Brown, they acquired Robert Woods from the Los Angeles Rams, and Tennessee also spent a first-round pick to land former Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks. Both men will be tasked with replacing Tannehill's favorite target. 

Brown, meanwhile, put pen to paper on a four-year, $100 million extension with the Eagles that includes $57 million in guaranteed money.