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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown during a December 8, 2025 game against teh Los Angeles Chargers.
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A. J. Brown had nothing but complimentary things to say about New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. Brown appeared on Julian Edelman’s podcast “Dudes on Dudes” earlier this week, and gave his thoughts on the coach.
The wideout has been connected to the Patriots in trade rumors before. Just this off-season, CBSSports analyst Damien Harris believed that the Patriots should try to make a run at acquiring Brown. The wide receiver’s latest comments suggest that he would be open to the idea of coming to New England and playing under coach Mike Vrabel once again.
Brown and Vrabel have a history together. Brown was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in Vrabel’s second season as head coach. The Ole Miss product had success with the Titans under Vrabel, recording 1,000 receiving yards in his first two seasons.
As trade rumors swirled around Brown before the 2022 season, Vrabel vouched for the wide receiver. The coach indicated that the wideout was not on the trading block as long as he was the head coach of the organization. Brown ended up being dealt to the Eagles before the 2022 season, and has become a major part of the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense
Brown Hinting At Patriots Possibility?
Now, another offseason is underway, and Brown spoke highly of Vrabel when he met with Edelman.
Edelman opened up the podcast by saying, “Just remember, we’re all Patriots. You know that, right?”
Brown did not answer directly and opted to look away instead. Edelman’s cohost, Rob Gronkowski, asked if he was going to be a Patriot. Brown couldn’t keep a straight face and started laughing.
It wasn’t the direct answer that Patriots fans were looking for. However, it certainly suggested that Brown could be in a Patriots uniform next season. Aside from just the hard-hitting questions asked by the hosts, Brown praised Vrabel and spoke about why he likes the coach.
“When I say he holds every single player accountable from top to bottom—I don’t care who it is—that’s who he is,” said Brown. “And it makes the team come together because nobody’s bigger than the team. Nobody’s bigger than the program. So you have to respect it.”
Brown Coming Off Productive 2025 Season
Brown is coming off a 2025 season with the Philadelphia Eagles that had its ups and downs. He recorded 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns on the year. He began to play at a high level later in the season. The wideout recorded 10 catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns against the Chicago Bears in November. He followed that up with a performance against the Los Angeles Chargers, saw him tally six catches for 100 yards.
Brown certainly gave the Eagles production in the back half of the season. He could give that same production to the Patriots and play opposite Stefon Diggs. He could also give the Patriots a younger playmaking option at 28 years old and give them another weapon to build around. The team was lacking a second playmaking receiver at times last season, and Brown would be the perfect fit.
Danny Jaillet Danny Jaillet is a sportswriter with more than 15 years experience in the industry. He has been featured on Fox Sports, USA Today, and Yahoo Sports among others. He graduated from Worcester State University with a B.A. in communications and a minor in writing. More about Danny Jaillet
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