A day after stating that he hasn’t spoken to Jalen Hurts since being traded, A.J. Brown embraced his former teammate during Thursday’s joint practice between the Eagles and Patriots.
Brown made a point to jog over to Hurts before hugging his former quarterback and engaging in conversation. Based on Brown’s comments the previous day, Thursday was the first conversation between the two since Brown was dealt from Philadelphia to New England on June 1.
While the working relationship ran its course, it appears that there is no lingering animosity between Hurts and Brown, based on Thursday’s exchange.
As teammates, Hurts and Brown both enjoyed a considerable amount of success. From a statistical standpoint, Brown’s best two seasons were with Hurts throwing him the ball. During their first two seasons as teammates, both players were named to consecutive Pro Bowls. In 2022, Hurts and Brown helped the Eagles capture the franchise’s fourth NFC title.
In that year’s Super Bowl, the duo displayed their strong connection on a 45-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter.
In 2024, Hurts and Brown helped the Eagles capture their second Super Bowl title. Brown caught a touchdown pass during the Eagles’ win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. Hurts, who had played brilliantly against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl two years earlier, took home MVP honors after scoring three total touchdowns, completing 77.3% of his passes and leading both teams in rushing.
Despite their past success, both players have something to prove in 2026, most notably if they can continue to have success without the other. Brown is looking to establish a strong rapport with his new quarterback, Drake Maye. Hurts is hoping to do the same with a rebuilt receiving corps that includes rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon.
