Patriots' A.J. Brown reacts to Eagles' Jalen Hurts going through blood clot situation

Arguably the biggest NFL story of the week involves Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts having to miss the remainder of the 2026 season after doctors discovered multiple blood clots in his lungs. 

Meanwhile, one of the most-discussed topics of the offseason involved the relationship between Hurts and wide receiver A.J. Brown before the Eagles traded Brown to the New England Patriots in June. While speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Brown addressed Hurts' medical situation. 

A.J. Brown "praying for" Jalen Hurts amid concerns

"It's a tough situation," Brown said, per Mark Daniels of MassLive. "Got a lot of love and respect for [Hurts]. Praying for him. Didn't know how serious it was. I think all of us kind of found that out." 

Shortly after the Tennessee Titans traded Brown to the Eagles in the spring of 2022, he referred to Hurts as his "best friend." However, their relationship reportedly worsened by the end of the 2024 season, and the two seemingly weren't close when the 2025 campaign came to an end. 

Following the Patriots-Eagles trade, Brown said that he and Hurts had "no bad blood" and that "people just grow apart" over time. Later in June, Hurts insisted that "nothing can take" away the great things he and Brown achieved as teammates. Specifically, the two helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX in February 2025. 

A.J. Brown believes Jalen Hurts "can handle anything"

"He's a tough guy," Brown added about Hurts on Tuesday. "He can handle anything, and I don't mean that lightly. I know that's serious, but he can handle it. And I pray God continues to keep his hand on him. So, it's a lot of love and respect from this way. So, speedy recovery."

While the NFL reportedly won't punish the Eagles regarding Hurts being permitted to travel to and from London to play against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 11 with a blood clot in his leg, the NFL Players Association understandably wants "a full investigation into what occurred." Hurts' future as an Eagles player beyond this season is up in the air, but such conversations can be punted down the road amid his ongoing recovery.