A.J. Brown sends strong message after Eagles trade with Patriots

After an incessant amount of talk inside the NFL about the Philadelphia Eagles trading wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots, a deal is finally here.

According to Adam Schefter and Mike Reiss of ESPN, as well as multiple other sources, the Eagles are trading Brown to the Patriots for a first-round draft pick in 2028 and a 2027 fifth-round pick.

The move, of course, brings Brown back together with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, and it's a move that was almost seen as an "if not when" situation for months. He'll surely be Patriots quarterback Drake Maye's No. 1 target on offense, along with new signing Romeo Doubs.

Now, Brown is speaking out about the move, and while he's excited to head to New England, he's also paying tribute to Philly.

A.J. Brown breaks silence on Philadelphia trade to Patriots

Brown took to Instagram on Monday soon after the news broke. First, he thanked the Eagles and their fans for the support over the years.

"Playing for this city has been an honor, and I'm thankful for every moment I had in midnight green. Thank you, Philly. Much love always. God bless," he stated on the social media platform.

He also quickly gave Patriots fans something to talk about, posting a photo of him as a kid in New England gear and stating, "How long these pics been in the drafts queued up" with a bunch of laughing emojis.

It's worth noting that Brown is wearing the Patriots' No. 12 jersey in his childhood photos. Tom Brady, of course, is the player most associated with that jersey number and wore it from 2000 to 2019. It appears Brown is finally coming full circle.