Andrew Buller-Russ
Despite all the attempts to dispel trade rumors, no one can deny that A.J. Brown wasn’t entirely happy at the end of his Philadelphia Eagles tenure. At last, the three-time Pro Bowler got his wish by being traded to the New England Patriots, one of four teams on Brown’s trade wish list.
While the Patriots’ trade was costly, a 2028 first-round pick plus a 2027 fifth, Brown’s previous connection with head coach Mike Vrabel helped make everyone comfortable with paying that price for the soon-to-be 29-year-old receiver. It also helped that the Patriots’ medical team wasn’t scared by Brown’s degenerative knee condition.
Yet, Brown is clearly confident in himself and what he brings to the table, helping the Eagles win a Super Bowl in the process. Now, as he heads to a new atmosphere, leaving Philadelphia behind, he left a message for his former teammates.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Brown signed a picture of himself on the Eagles’ facilities, in which he wrote, “The best to ever play here. Always open.”
No Eagles fan, reporter, or analyst would ever suggest Brown was anything close to the best to ever play for the organization. They’ve had several Hall of Famers come through, and chances are Brown won’t end up with a bronze bust in Canton, but we encourage him to maintain that confidence throughout the rest of his career.
While Brown did record 1,000-yard seasons all four years of his career in Philadelphia, he ranks ninth in team history in receiving yards and third in yards per game behind Terrell Owens and Otis Grant (who only played three games).
He was certainly one of the best, but the best? That’s a stretch.
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