
For months, the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots were tangled up in rumors of an A.J. Brown trade.
After so much speculation and back and forth, the open-secret trade ultimately went through, with Brown getting back together with head coach Mike Vrabel after plenty of turmoil in Philadelphia. Brown was unhappy with his role in Nick Sirianni's offense and his usage — or lack thereof — with Jalen Hurts at quarterback.
Now, after just one practice, he might feel the same way in New England. In an appearance on 98.5 The Hub's "Zolak & Bernard," the star wideout already stirred the pot with some comments about the offense.
"They're not really letting him throw the ball right now, so I don't really like that," Brown said, prompting laughter.
AJ Brown having some fun when asked what his initial impressions of Drake Maye are, via @ZoandBertrand:
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) July 27, 2026
"They're not really letting him throw the ball right now, so I don't really like that."pic.twitter.com/HXOY7JVfNt
Of course, this should be taken with a grain of salt. He's most likely joking, knowing how things ended in Philadelphia for him. That said, Brown has always been quite intentional about every single thing he's said and done. He might be joking now, but the subtext is pretty clear: He wants the ball in his hands, and he wants it often.
Brown wasn't happy when the Eagles won and he wasn't involved. After winning a Super Bowl, it's pretty clear that he's in it for individual glory and his legacy at this point.
Granted, the Patriots were aware of what they were getting into when they traded for him, and they should definitely look for him double-digit times per game.
That said, with how many big-ego wide receivers have destroyed their careers in recent years, teams can't afford to overlook any comment anymore, as harmless as it might seem at first.
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