A.J. Brown has not spoken with former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts since his blockbuster trade to the New England Patriots in June, he confirmed Wednesday during joint practices between the two teams.
Brown’s comments came after the Patriots hosted the Eagles for their first on-field session since his midseason move. The veteran wide receiver, who set Eagles single-season receiving records in 2022 and 2023, addressed the status of his relationship with Hurts for the first time since the trade. When asked directly if he had spoken to Hurts since the move, Brown replied, "No."
Hurts, the Super Bowl LIX MVP, offered a separate assessment of their relationship. Speaking to reporters after the joint practice, Hurts stated, "I've got a lot of love for him and always have."
Brown, now the Patriots’ clear No. 1 receiver for rookie quarterback Drake Maye, downplayed the significance of the silence between him and Hurts. "Honestly guys, none of that stuff even matters, man," he said. "You all should want to report something positive. You know asking the question is going to turn negative. So let's not get into that. Let's keep everything positive. It's love my way."
Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell praised Brown’s performance during the joint practice, calling him "a great receiver" who "gives you so many tough battles." Mitchell, who shadowed Brown in a 1-on-1 drill, forced an incompletion on a deep-ball route in the end zone. Brown later contested the play, stating Mitchell "got away with a little holding" but acknowledged he had won the rep.
Brown’s departure from Philadelphia followed a public rift with the organization last season. After recording 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games, Brown expressed frustration with the Eagles’ offense before requesting a trade. The team accommodated his request, sending him to New England in exchange for two future draft picks.
New England head coach Mike Vrabel, who previously coached Brown with the Tennessee Titans, highlighted his maturity and leadership. "The way that he communicates with coaches, the way he communicates with players… He’s accountable," Vrabel said. "He gets mistakes corrected. I mean, you can coach him hard… He wants to do well for the entire offense."
Brown, who won a Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2024-25, addressed Philadelphia fans directly after the practice. "What is my message to the Eagles fans? I love you," he said. "I'm not looking in the past. It doesn't exist. That's the last question I'm going to answer about the past."
Hurts, who led the Eagles to a Super Bowl loss in the 2023-24 season, was asked about advice for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. Maye, who also fell short in his first Super Bowl appearance, will rely on Brown as his primary target in New England. Hurts responded, "I think Drake has had a lot of success already, so I don’t know what my advice would do. I just think he needs to continue the progression that he’s on."
The joint practices marked the first competitive on-field interaction between Brown and his former team since the trade, with both players and coaches framing the sessions as professional exchanges.