Not even 24 hours after getting traded by the Philadelphia Eagles to the New England Patriots, AJ Brown addressed his relationship with Jalen Hurts.
During a sit-down interview with Maria Taylor, Brown was asked about his now-former quarterback, and the superstar wide receiver got as honest as ever.
Brown confirms the two grew apart during their four-year stint working together.
AJ Brown Reveals Truth On Eagles QB Jalen Hurts
GettyEagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and former wide receiver, AJ Brown.
“Not as close as we once were,” Brown admitted.
“I believe that’s fine. It’s like there’s no bad blood; there’s actually still a lot of love. I love him. I wanted to succeed and accomplish all the things that he wanted to accomplish. I didn’t truly understand why our friendship became the public of the center of everybody’s attention when it came to football, because you know, looking back on it, we haven’t been as close as we were a couple years now, but that didn’t stop anything. We still competed, we still push each other, we still led the team, so it was just kind of strange people just got so fixated on the relationship and wanted to talk about maybe from the history of this place, but you know that wasn’t what this was, you know. I’m gonna say it, I’m gonna say it to you, I say it on camera, nothing but love for him. I want him to do well, and become everything this heart desires.”
AJ Brown Explains The Fallout
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 04: Jalen Hurts #1 and A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles look on against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter in the game at Lincoln Financial Field on September 04, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Rumors have been circulating for quite some time, suggesting that off-field drama played into the fractured relationship between Hurts and Brown.
However, Brown stated that nothing specific happened to contribute to the WR-QB duo going from close friends to co-workers on the field.
“Yeah, nothing happened,” Brown said. “Nothing happened. People just grow apart. That didn’t happen between me and him or our families, wives, anything. Nothing like that ever happened, you know? Life happens, and you just look up sometimes, and you just find yourself drifting away, and that’s fine. And I think both parties accepted that.”
Jalen Hurts And AJ Brown Part Ways
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 5: A.J. Brown #11 and Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles look on against the Denver Broncos at Lincoln Financial Field on October 5, 2025 in Philadelphia, United States. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
When Brown ended up on the Eagles for the first time, it was well-documented how close Brown and Hurts were off the field.
The 2022 NFL season was the first time the two got to play together at any level. They found a lot of success on the field. Brown became a multi-time All-Pro while working with Hurts.
As for Hurts, he became a Pro Bowler and has an MVP-caliber season under his belt. The two helped the Eagles win two NFC Championships. They are also Super Bowl LIX Champions.
Now, they part ways. Hurts will continue growing with DeVonta Smith and a new wideout unit, while Brown gets a fresh start in New England.