A.J. Brown spent four seasons turning his Philadelphia Eagles stint into his personal highlight reel. His electric pairing with quarterback Jalen Hurts brought the team a Super Bowl victory in his second year with the franchise. But by 2026, that partnership with Jalen Hurts had unraveled enough for Brown to want out of the team. Former Eagles wide receiver and six-time Pro Bowler Terrell Owens reflected on this breakdown.

“I think I’m just like everybody else; it’s unfortunate,” Terrell Owens told SPORTS RADIO 94WIP‘s Dave Uram. At the end of the day, two teammates can’t get along, and obviously management. Everybody can’t rectify the situation; somebody has to. I think he did what was best for him.”

A.J. Brown is officially a Patriot. The Eagles traded him to the New England Patriots for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick on June 2. Brown gets a fresh start, while the Eagles free up some cap room in the process.

Brown and Hurts were once thought to be inseparable. Their relationship dates back to their college days, with Hurts trying to recruit the wide receiver to Alabama. Per ESPN, their teammates used to refer to them as an “old married couple.” Brown also chose Hurts to be his daughter’s godfather.

Then came the 2025 season, which brought a steady stream of frustration from Brown. His numbers dipped, and he spoke openly about his displeasure with the team on social media. During a Twitch livestream, he referred to the team’s situation as a “s— show,” and later made comments about his own usage while playing Madden.

When questioned about the remarks, Brown didn’t back down, saying the situation spoke for itself and “if you have eyes,” one could see why he was frustrated.

In 2024, the spectacular season of Saquon Barkley reduced the number of passes and Brown’s production to 67 catches for 1,079 yards. Last season was not more productive either, just 1,003 yards on 78 catches, his lowest yardage total since 2021. Rumors of Brown’s dynamic with Hurts getting affected had long been doing the rounds.

This summer, in May, Jalen Hurts was absent from Brown’s wedding. None of his Eagles teammates appeared either, as per TMZ. Former Eagles corner Darius Slay did show up, which only made the absences feel louder.

However, A.J. Brown claimed that there is no bad blood between him and Hurts.

“Not as close as we once were,” Brown said on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. “… There is still a lot of love. I love him. We haven’t been as close as we were for a couple years now, and that didn’t stop anything.”

Regardless of what either side says, it has become clear that their once-strong relationship has run its course.