In the months leading up to the Eagles inevitably trading A.J. Brown to the Patriots, Philadelphia fans began to jump off the bandwagon of their wide receiver and trash him in any way possible, whether it was due to frustration that he wanted off the team or something else.
No matter what, though, some of their criticism and new takes were beyond scorching, and that prompted many to start watching his every move since arriving in New England, turning anything they possibly could into a sign that the diva they saw in Philly was rearing its ugly head in Foxboro already.
That narrative went to a new level in the first week of training camp, as the connection between Drake Maye and his newest receiver wasn't looking all that great.
Couple that with a quote by Brown, taken out of context, about not getting the ball much yet, and Eagles fans were having a field day about what their team got rid of and the problem they foresee being created in Foxboro.
Fortunately, that's not reality, and while Maye and Brown might have had a slower build to getting hot, which happened once the pads came on, it's clear that the newest receiver is a big fan of his team and his quarterback, and it would be fair to assume that Eagles fans are not going to be happy about that.
A.J. Brown can't stop smiling since joining the Patriots earlier this offseason
From his constant compliments about Maye in interviews and in the Patriots' series Forged in Foxborough to his latest interview with Kay Adams, Brown couldn't make it more clear that he is happy to be a Patriot and is excited about what can develop between him and Maye.
He emphasized those facts again on Friday while speaking to Adams, hyping up Maye to the next level (again) and probably frustrating Eagles fans in the process, particularly those who feel he's taking shots at Jalen Hurts.
Patriots WR AJ Brown on QB Drake Maye after a week of training camp:
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) July 31, 2026
"He's very special, and I continue to brag on him. He can make any throw." 👀@DrakeMaye2 | @Patriots | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/JI4n7DrYmR
Even worse for those in Philadelphia is hearing Brown rave about how much he loves being with the Patriots, continuing to refer to it as a dream come true, which he said in the same interview.
It's another gut punch to those who were incredibly supportive of him during his Eagles tenure and were heartbroken that, despite all their success together, he still wanted out.
Others have made it clear that they are happy he is off the team, claiming he was a distraction and they didn't want to deal with his antics anymore. And while that's understandable, we have yet to see that kind of behavior since he joined the Patriots, and the hope is they never will see that side of Brown.
He is going to be the WR1 fans have long had and a reliable playmaker for Maye to work with. That will become incredibly important during a season that will be determined by just how much the Patriots can overcome a brutal schedule.
From what we've seen from Maye so far, there's no reason to believe he can't handle it, especially now that he will have a proven superstar to throw to. And Brown is just as excited to get things going.
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