A.J. Brown is officially a New England Patriot, and the star wide receiver wasted little time addressing the move. Shortly after the blockbuster trade became official, Brown shared a heartfelt message on Instagram reflecting on the next chapter of his NFL career. The farewell message to Philadelphia Eagles fans came just minutes after the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver was officially traded to the New England Patriots in a deal that had been building for months.
The goodbye was not quiet. Brown addressed Eagles Nation directly, thanking the city, his teammates, and the full building staff — coaches down to cafeteria workers and the cleaning crew — in a statement that spread quickly across social media and drew a wave of divided reaction from fans on both sides. For a player whose arrival could reshape the Patriots offense, Brown’s message offered a revealing look at his mindset as he prepares to team up with quarterback Drake Maye.
“This city, this locker room, and this fan base will always hold a special place in my heart,” Brown wrote. “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.”
A.J. Brown Trade Saga: The Deal That Finally Got Done
The trade had been in motion since at least February, when Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters he could not guarantee Brown would be on the roster when the 2026 season opened. That admission set the wheels turning, with the Patriots emerging as the obvious destination, particularly given the history between Brown and New England head coach Mike Vrabel, who coached the receiver for three seasons in Tennessee.
The sticking point was compensation. Philadelphia targeted a first-round pick comparable to what the New York Jets received for Quinnen Williams, while New England resisted surrendering a 2027 selection. Their resolve pushed the first-rounder to 2028, a compromise that allowed both sides to close the gap.
The Eagles also had a financial reason to wait until June 1. By holding the deal past that date, Philadelphia cut its 2026 dead-cap hit on Brown’s contract from $43 million to $16.4 million, spreading the remainder over two seasons, according to Heavy.com reporter Sophie Weller.
Brown posted 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025 — widely viewed as an off year — and joins a New England offense built around second-year quarterback Drake Maye that had been searching for a legitimate No. 1 receiver.
Fan Reaction to A.J. Brown’s Farewell Post
The response online was predictably split. Some Patriots fans treated the trade as a long-overdue win.
“To all the Eagles fans who talked that s*** and told me I was wrong. Cry Eagles Cry. AJ Brown to the Patriots is finally official. Let’s go, Pats!” wrote @mikemagz07 on the social media site X (formerly Twitter).
Eagles fans pushed back with skepticism and real irritation. “AJ Brown is a big ol cry baby ain’t no way im leaving the eagles for the patriots,” posted @Da_Hardaway5200.
Another Eagles fan seemed to relish the idea of Brown taking his grievances elsewhere.
“Can’t wait to see AJ Brown start bitchin and reading books when he ain’t getting the ball. Patriots did us a favor and took our only diva,” wrote @dmoyer15.
Others questioned the sincerity of Brown’s farewell given the circumstances.
“AJ Brown is officially going to the s*** show past its expiration patriots…all that not being a diva talk at the parade was garbage,” wrote @viclovesdogs94.
One rival fan kept it brief: “Good riddance AJ Brown. Have him, patriots fans lmao,” posted @manto48friars in a post that probably captured the prevailing Philadelphia mood as well as anything.
A.J. Brown Breaks Silence With Heartfelt Message After Patriots Trade