The New England Patriots traded with the Philadelphia Eagles to acquire the All-Pro wide receiver AJ Brown back in June.
For multiple seasons, it was clear that the Patriots took a liking to Brown’s game, and that only amplified when Mike Vrabel took over as the head coach.
Throughout the Eagles’ 2025 season, Brown was clearly unhappy. The disgruntled receiver didn’t waste any time requesting a trade during the offseason. The Eagles wanted a first-round pick, and they got it. Meanwhile, New England picked up an All-Pro wideout for its young quarterback, Drake Maye.
While all seems well for Maye, Brown, and the Patriots through their 2026 training camp run, a recent quote from the young veteran quarterback has Eagles fans laughing about what the Patriots might be overlooking on the Brown front.
Does Winning Cure All?
GettyDrake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots warms up during pregame prior to the AFC Championship Playoff game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on January 25, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Following a practice session this week, Drake Maye was asked about how he’s able to keep everybody in the wide receiver room happy. The quarterback went with the simple ‘winning cures all’ route.
“The best thing for that is winning,” Maye told reporters.
“I think nobody really tries to complain when you win games, and I think nobody’s really prideful in this sport personal stats or achievements when you’re winning games. So that’s our job as a team. Come together and try to win games.”
Eagles fans are having a good laugh.
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 11: A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles pumps up the crowd before the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on January 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
“Oh Drake,” Ky Chico wrote on X.
“Eagles went to 2 superbowls and won one…. Made the playoffs every year. Just saying,” Pete G added.
“Everyone bringing up AJ is just wrong, he’ll wait until 2027 for that, he’s gotta pretend to be a good teammate to get a new contract with those knees approaching 30,” another fan stated.
“LMAO AJ Brown went to the SUPER BOWL TWICE and won a SUPER BOWL in Philly. He still was unhappy. Good luck young Maye,” said GameHer.
“The Patriots had that ‘I can fix her’ moment with AJ Brown. Nah, no you cant. They have only just begun to realize….as an Eagle fan, we are thankful Howie squeezed a 1st rd pick for the ultimate DIVA who lost a step,” a fan posted.
That’s The Reality
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 11: A.J. Brown #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles warms up prior to a game the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on January 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
You can’t really blame Maye for having the correct mindset as a quarterback. Most believe that since the objective is winning, that will simply cure all.
But AJ Brown proved during his time with the Eagles that’s not always going to be the case. While Brown’s actions often made it feel like the Eagles have been a struggling franchise over the years, they’ve been one of the most successful teams since Brown’s arrival in 2022.
As a team, the Eagles went to the NFC Championship twice and won both times. They lost the Super Bowl in 2022, but returned to the big game in 2024 to be crowned champions.
Just days after the win, Brown got honest about his lack of satisfaction after winning. He doubled down on that by reportedly requesting a trade after the Eagles’ 4-0 start to the 2025 NFL season.
Brown’s mentality could surely change with the Patriots, but there is a chance that Maye’s early statement could prove to be false. Brown’s track record as a player is fantastic. Contrary to popular belief, he dominated with Jalen Hurts as his QB.
His track record as a win-first player, however, is spotty. Despite the team success and even the personal success he had, Brown couldn’t help but force his way out of Philly.