A.J. Brown recently admitted that he and Jalen Hurts aren’t as close as they used to be, but he also made it clear that there’s still “a lot of love” between once close friends. Similarly, Hurts also had the opportunity to open up about it during a Philadelphia Eagles press conference to address Brown’s trade to New England. 

“I’m not in a place to challenge anyone’s perspective on anything,” Jalen Hurts said on Wednesday. “Seemingly so, it was. That’s where I am. I’ve always been focused on the collective. I’ve always put my energy towards that. As a leader, I’ve always put an onus on giving maximum effort to achieve the shared mission we have in the team.”

Before Hurts’ admission, Brown also explained that there was no dramatic falling out between the two. He emphasized that nothing specifically “happened” between the two and that they simply grew “apart.”

Back in 2022, when the Titans traded Brown to Philadelphia in the spring, the receiver spoke glowingly about Hurts, even referring to him as his ‘best friend.’ However, that perception appeared to shift over time.

Two years later, in December 2024, then-Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham suggested that the two were no longer as close as they once were. Graham later walked back those comments, admitting he had “made a mistake” and had assumed there was more to the situation than there actually was.

Rumors have suggested that Brown and Hurts indeed have had a rocky relationship largely because of the quarterback’s play on the field.

“A good bit of his angst stemmed from the play of Hurts, league sources said, in part because of Hurts’ perceived reluctance to target Brown on tight-window throws against zone coverage.” per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Sarah Barshop, Mike Reiss, Daniel Oyefusi and Tim McManus.

Even a report published earlier this spring noted that there was a time when seeing Brown and Hurts deep in conversation after games was a regular occurrence. By the end of the 2025 season, however, those interactions had become far less common. The two were rarely seen engaging in the same public manner.

Brown’s production also correspondingly went downwards. After going off for more than 1400 yards receiving in his first two seasons in Philly, his tally for the last two seasons dipped significantly. It fell to 1079 yards in ’24 and 1003 yards in ’25. While the Eagles were able to mitigate that in 2024 on their way to a Super Bowl victory due to their outstanding rushing attack, the same could not be said for the following season.

Whatever may have changed off the field, there’s no questioning what Brown and Hurts accomplished together on it. During his four seasons with the Birds, Brown surpassed 5,000 receiving yards, earned two Pro Bowl selections, and was named a second-team All-Pro three times. Hurts also enjoyed some of the best years of his career during that stretch. He earned three Pro Bowl nods while developing one of the league’s most productive quarterback-receiver partnerships.

While it’s unfortunate that their personal relationship appears to have evolved over time, both players now have an opportunity to turn the page and focus on the future. For Hurts, that means continuing to strengthen his chemistry with DeVonta Smith and the rest of Philadelphia’s receiving corps.

Eagles head coach also believes that for teams to be successful, all the players in the locker room don’t necessarily need to be best friends.

Nick Sirianni believes that successful teammates don’t have to be best friends

Sirianni spoke to reporters during Philadelphia’s ongoing mandatory minicamps, and he had a revealing take on teammate relationship dynamics.

“I think sometimes that can get misconstrued, that everyone has to be best friends, and that’s just not the case. ” Sirianni said. “There are a lot of guys on a football team. There are a lot of different personalities. What has to be understood is that everybody has a common goal.”

Sirianni, who’s made it to the playoffs every year he’s been a head coach, gave a classic coach speech regarding the team nature of football, but this time with a tennis analogy.

“If you want to do it alone, you’ve got to pick another sport. Sometimes I feel bad because I love the sport of tennis. But I’m like, ‘Hey, this ain’t tennis, alright?’ None of you are built to play tennis.”

Brown’s and Hurts’s relationship could be an example of that. Despite the offensive regression that happened in 2024, Brown started to be vocal about it at that time itself; the Eagles still went 14-3 and won Super Bowl LIX. In a 53-man, highly competitive roster, every man in that locker room doesn’t necessarily need to be best friends.

Now, while Brown will attempt to chart a successful career with the Patriots, Hurts will look to do the same with a new-look Eagles receiving room.