This week of training camp might have been the most highly anticipated of any other time this summer for Patriots fans for one reason: joint practice with the Eagles. Although there is a storied history between them, given that they met in the Super Bowl for the first time over 20 years ago, that's not the biggest part that fans were looking forward to.
Instead, it was about seeing how things would go now that A.J. Brown is in New England after the Eagles traded him two months ago. Because things didn't end amicably, there was particular interest in how the reunion might look.
For the most part, it wasn't the most headline-worthy day, aside from one skirmish that happened amongst special teams during a drill. Instead, there was a lot of admiration shared between Brown and his former teammates.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts had some great things to say about the receiver, and Brown reciprocated with his own. But his message to Eagles fans stood out the most, especially since they have been particularly vocal since he was traded.
Whether it's because they're upset about him being traded or because they decided he wasn't a great receiver, it depends on who you're talking to. But it's clear that Brown doesn't have hard feelings, and that might change fans' opinions moving forward.
A.J. Brown finally addresses Eagles fans with a nice message after Patriots' joint practice
It might be too late, or even not heard by those who are still upset about the entire situation. But Brown took the time to send a nice message to Eagles fans about his time in Philadelphia.
At the same time, he also made it clear that he doesn't want to continue discussing the past and would rather stay focused on what's ahead of him, and that's something Patriots fans can easily get behind.
A.J. Brown's message to Eagles fans on last year's loss vs the 49ers:
— Patriots on CLNS (@PatriotsCLNS) August 19, 2026
"I love you. I'm not looking in the past. That game, no, I didn't play my best, but I'm not going backwards."
"That's the last question I'm gonna answer about the past."
-@CLNSMedia pic.twitter.com/xnUtNN5Eiv
One would hope this kind of message would get some of the most frustrated Eagles fans to stop talking about every tiny thing Brown has been doing with the Patriots, but time will tell.
In the meantime, Patriots fans can be excited about just how good he looked against his former team, on top of the rest of the offensive roster, who got the better of the starting defense.
The Eagles are considered much more legitimate competition than the Colts, whom they practiced with last week, and based on how they fared on Wednesday, it's safe to say that the team looks much more ready for Week 1 than most felt after the preseason opener.
Brown is a huge reason for that, and there is even more optimism about just how good he is going to be for Drake Maye this fall. He is the best receiver he's had the opportunity to work with thus far, and he's already living up to the hype and then some.
Assuming he can maintain the level of play he's already shown at practice into the regular season, the quarterback could have the best season of his career in 2026, maybe even better than the MVP-caliber year he had in Year 2.
That's the early expectation, anyway. We'll just have to see it all come together as soon as their Week 1 Super Bowl rematch with the Seahawks.
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