Much has been made of A.J. Brown’s temporary reunion with the Philadelphia Eagles as his new team – the New England Patriots – participate in a joint practice with Philadelphia this week.
After the first joint practice, Brown emphasized that it was “all love” between him and quarterback Jalen Hurts, despite the recorded rifts between the pair concerning the offense’s output in both 2024 and 2025.
Brown also mentioned that he had not spoken to Hurts since leaving the franchise back in early June. However, that appeared to change on Thursday during the second of two joint practices between the Patriots and the Eagles, as the 29-year old was seen going up to and embracing his former signal caller.
Bleeding Green editor Brandon Lee Gowton posted footage of Brown walking up to Hurts, dapping him up and giving him a hug, before continuing to speak to him whilst having his hand perched on the former Oklahoma man’s shoulder.
“BREAKING: Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown have now talked since the WR was traded to the Patriots.” Gowton posted to X.
The Ole Miss product answered questions on Wednesday that detailed that there were no hard feelings between him and the organization, and it appears that his actions the following day have backed that up.
“I’m here now,” Brown said, via Sports Radio 94 WIP. “I’m not going backwards. [I]t’s not about no closure or anything. It’s love. I won a Super Bowl ring with them. It’ll always be love no matter how anyone feels. I love Philly and I will always love Philly. But I’m here now. And this is where my feet are and that’s what I’m focused on.”
A.J. Brown and the Eagles Have a Rocky History
Brown and Hurts have had a complicated relationship over the past near-half decade; the All-Pro wideout posted the two best statistical and otherwise years of his career during his first two years in Philadelphia in 2022 and 2023, the former of which saw them come within an inch of winning Super Bowl LVII in February 2023 as they ultimately fell to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The second half of the relationship is where things turned sour. As the offense evolved under new (at the time) OC Kellen Moore, Brown’s target share decreased dramatically, going from 158 to 97 targets between 2023 and 2024.
Whilst that number recovered to an extent in 2025, going up to 121, this was nullified by what many believe to have been a mishandling of the running of the offense under Kevin Patullo, who was replaced this offseason by Packers QB coach and widely-regarded rising-star Sean Mannion.
Having decided that it was time to move off their former WR1, Philadelphia now move forward with the starting duo of DeVonta Smith and first round draft pick Makai Lemon, whilst Brown will attempt to showcase what he can still do with new QB Drake Maye in New England.
But between Hurts and Brown, it appears there are no hard feelings remaining there – ostensibly, at least.
A.J. Brown Shares Embrace with Ex-Eagles Teammate Despite Former Rift