Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts publicly addressed A.J. Brown's trade to the New England Patriots for the first time, acknowledging their four-year run together while turning attention to the Eagles' next version of the offense.
Hurts Addresses A.J. Brown Trade
Hurts kept his comments measured after Brown's move became official Wednesday. He said there was pride in what the pairing accomplished and added, "Nothing can take that away," before shifting his focus to what he called the Eagles' "new iteration" of the team.
The trade closes one of the NFL's most productive recent quarterback-receiver partnerships. Hurts and Brown helped Philadelphia reach the playoffs in each of their four seasons together, make two Super Bowl appearances and win a championship. Brown also produced the best statistical stretch of his career in Philadelphia, posting 1,496 receiving yards in 2022 and another season above 1,400 yards the following year.
Patriots Add Brown For Draft Picks
ESPN reported that Brown was officially traded to the New England Patriots on June 1 for a future first-round pick and a fifth-rounder. The deal gives New England a proven No. 1 receiver and leaves Philadelphia reshaping a passing game that had become a point of scrutiny over the past season-plus.
Brown had been open about his frustration with the Eagles' passing offense and expressed a desire to play elsewhere earlier in the offseason. He has also acknowledged that his relationship with Hurts is not as close as it once was, while saying there remains respect between them.
Eagles Install Sean Mannion's Offense
Philadelphia is using minicamp to install a new scheme under offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. ESPN noted that the passing game looked out of sync at times during spring work, which is not unusual for an offense changing terminology, roles and rhythm at the same time.
For Hurts, the practical part now matters more than the farewell. The Eagles still have a roster built to contend in the NFC, but Brown's departure removes a receiver who shaped coverages and gave Hurts a reliable answer on difficult downs. Philadelphia's next task is not to recreate the old version of the offense. It is to prove the new one has enough answers without him.