Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown discussed each other at Wednesday’s joint practice — but didn’t say much
Hurts sidestepped any talk of a rift, while Brown said he hadn't talked to his former teammate since being traded to New England.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Jalen Hurts refused to take the bait.
The Eagles quarterback was asked three questions about Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown, who was traded to New England in June, after the two teams practiced against each other on Wednesday. Hurts put on a master class in question deflection.
First, he was asked what it was like to share a practice field with Brown in different uniforms.
“I think it was a great day out here,” Hurts said. “I mean, I know he’s going out there and competing. Got a lot of love for him. I always have. Seems like it was a competitive practice.”
Next, a Patriots reporter asked what advice Hurts would give Patriots quarterback Drake Maye on how he can “get the most out of” Brown. With Hurts as his quarterback, Brown posted the two highest single-season receiving yard totals in Eagles history — 1,496 yards in 2022 and 1,456 in 2023. The pair won a Super Bowl together in 2024.
“I think Drake has had a lot of success already,” Hurts said. “So, I don’t know what my advice would be. I just think he needs to continue the progression that he’s on. I mean, he’s already accomplished so many great things in this short time and I expect more great things to come for him.”
Lastly, Hurts was asked if he had a chance to catch up with Brown, who spent four seasons in Philadelphia, like many of his teammates did on the sidelines Wednesday. He didn’t dance around it.
“No, I didn’t get to yet,” said Hurts.
It’s clear Hurts and Brown are holding back when speaking about one another. Brown was traded to New England in exchange for a 2028 first-round draft pick and a 2027 fifth-round draft pick on June 1. The deal came after months of Brown’s frustrations, reportedly due to his lack of targets, finally boiled over.
As Hurts spoke on the lower turf at the Patriots practice facility, Brown met with a large gaggle of Eagles and Patriots reporters on the main field less than 100 feet away.
Brown said he hasn’t spoken with Hurts since the trade in early June, although both were in attendance at wide receiver DeVonta Smith’s wedding in the days following the deal. When pressed on the Hurts interactions, Brown scoffed at the line of questioning from Philadelphia reporters.
“Philly, man, y’all are tough,” Brown said with a laugh. “Man, it’s love. Listen, honestly guys, none of that stuff even matters. You all should want to report something positive. You know asking the question is going to turn negative. Let’s not get into that. Let’s keep everything positive.
“It’s love my way. And move forward, that’s all.”
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We’ll see how the trade ages. As for Wednesday, it was Brown who got the best of his former team, catching all six targets during seven-on-seven drills Wednesday — including a deep shot down the sideline with Eagles newcomer Riq Woolen in coverage — and looking sharp against one of the top cornerback rooms in the NFL.
“Yeah, [Brown] looked a little better [than previous seasons],” said cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.