It’s official: A.J. Brown has joined the New England Patriots. The three-time All-Pro wide receiver has been widely speculated to be on the move since the trade deadline last fall, and over the last month or two, it’s become increasingly clear that a trade framework to send him to New England was already in place. The Eagles were just waiting for June 1 to hit, when Brown’s contract became more easily tradable, before making the move official.
And now Brown has what he’s wanted for a while: a split from the Eagles. He joins the Patriots, one of his known preferred destinations, and will immediately be one of the best players on a team that just made the Super Bowl a year ago, but came up short in the big game due in part to a lack of offensive firepower.
Brown’s connection to the Patriots goes deeper than anyone thought, though, as he recently detailed following the trade.
A.J. Brown Discusses His New England Patriots Fandom
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 11: A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles (now of the New England Patriots) drops a pass during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Appearing on Maria Taylor’s show, Brown discussed his life and career leading up to the moment he was traded to New England. Taylor noticed a Patriots rug on his floor and had to ask him about it.
“It came from Amazon,” Brown joked when Taylor asked him where his Patriots rug came from. “But definitely a few years now, it’s been here a while now.”
“While you were an Eagle, you had this rug in your house?” Taylor asked.
“Absolutely,” Brown replied with a guilty smile.
“You gotta tell me why,” Taylor said, almost in disbelief.
“You know, some things never change,” Brown replied as they showed a picture of him in a Patriots jersey when he was a kid. “You know, this is my team. This is my team since I was a kid. I did what I was supposed to be doing as an Eagle, but this…this is it.”
Eagles fans may not be happy to hear that, but for Brown, this is a dream come true. Joining the Patriots means the world to Brown, and now he’ll put his vast skills to use in New England.
The Patriots Offense Just Got a Lot More Dangerous
The Patriots had one of the best defenses in the NFL last season and the MVP runner-up in second-year QB Drake Maye. But their biggest weakness was the lack of a bona fide No. 1 option at wide receiver. Stefon Diggs was a great piece, but he wasn’t quite at the level of the do-it-all WR1s that dominated the league.
At his best, Brown is one of the top five or so wide receivers in the league. He owns the two best receiving seasons in Eagles history. He’ll immediately upgrade the Patriots offense and he brings the firepower they need to keep up with the top of the league.
A.J. Brown Sends Clear Message on Patriots After Trade: ‘This Is My Team Since I Was a Kid’